Has anyone every wondered why SPC Thundercloud has not been promoted yet?

SGT (Join to see). All humor aside, you have my fullest support in every way possible. Warmest Regards, Sandy

Same here, any time.

SPC Shelby Thundercloud, whatever you decide to do with your career, I'm confident you will excel.

SPC Thundercloud, always evaluate where you are, and where you can go in your current track. Weigh that against your options. You don't have to decide now. My recommendation is to do what makes you happy and gives you professional gratification. Don't let other people's values determine what you should be. Be one of our warriors that prove that serving is not all about the money, or authority. All the best.

LTC Hillary Luton I am not bashing or disparaging the NCO ranks but Generals have a lasting impact in the Army. If you were to go to just about any soldier in the Army and ask them to name any of the CSM that aided the invasion of Iraq you would find few that could name any. It is just the roles we have. I try to encourage others to go officer whenever I can. I just get motivated to think of what one officer in the right place can accomplish.

CPT (Join to see), while you are correct Generals/Admirals usually have a lasting impact on the services, their enlisted counterparts (CSMs, SgtMajs, CCMs, FORMC/FLTMCs, and CMCs) also have a lasting impression on many including officers. These enlisted counterparts are mostly behind the scenes type of personnel guiding and mentoring the junior NCOs/POs and junior enlisted. As much as I agree SGT (Join to see) has potential to be an officer, she may serve better as a CSM one day. I know it all depends on her and I encourage her to seek out solutions through both avenues.

SSG (Join to see) I agree with you about the impact of the CSM. It may not be directly noticeable but he did at some appoint aid in development of some officer. This is apparent in the lowest level as the PSG mentors the PL. He will have a impact on him.

I would suppose it would become a factor of how you would want to impact the army. I like the operational side of the house. I enjoyed being an NCO but I vehemently enjoy being an officer. To each their own.

OK, first 1LT Rosa, please understand, I'm not trying to chastise you. You certainly have a right to your opinion. This is one of those cases in which we will not likely agree. Right or wrong, we will simply differ.

Sure Generals get the glory and go down in the history books, but as someone who's not about the glory, that kind of stuff really doesn't impress me. Besides, when you've worked with as many GOs as I have, your opinion of them gets a little tainted at times. Just like with every rank, every culture and every society, you have your good and your bad and I have worked with both.

That being said, I firmly believe we ALL have our roles in this military. I only encourage someone to go officer if 1) they would make a good officer and 2) if that is a route that would interest them. My NCOs are the one's who encouraged me to become an officer and to me, that is the highest compliment. They did it (and this is their thoughts, not mine) because they felt I was someone whom they could serve under and they thought I would make a good officer. When I was asked later as a captain, why I became an officer, I responded with, "as an officer I can pull more weight for the enlisted." The NCO that asked me the question felt I would have made a good NCO. Again, a great compliment in my eyes.

OK, I know I started with a point here.....:-) Oh yes, my point, we should never go after our careers because of the glory we may obtain, or because we want to be remembered in the history books. There are thousands of us, officers, warrants and enlisted, who will never be remembered in the history books, but we will be remembered by the people we served with, and how we are remembered by those people is OH so much more important.

I really need to learn how type shorter responses. :-)

LMAO!!!

Lol! Sandy, I love your humor. I hope we meet at some point. =)