KD Time before the Career Course: Yea or Nay?

2015-01-06T14:26:30-05:00

I recently found out that I may have the opportunity to complete a KD position (BN S2) prior to attending the MICCC. My promotion board convenes this year and I will be requesting my career course date this summer. I have recieved guidance from Officers Sr to me and have recieved mixed opoinions, so I thought I would present this to the RP Community.

Should I pursue KD time prior to the career course, delaying my graduation? Or should I get to the MICCC as soon as possible? GO!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2015 2:51 PM

2015-01-06T14:51:00-05:00

I have not had a MI LT in my current assignment, but for many other branches (AG, FI, QM, TC, AR, OD) I have seen several do a good, hard KD job prior to the CCC which benefited them.
Your HRC Branch Assignments officer is the best one to discuss this with, as they can not only see your file, but can compare you to the rest of your YG.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2015 4:57 PM

2015-01-07T16:57:53-05:00

Brian, it would be nice to post whatever conclusion you come up with. I think this will also help other LTs who, in the future, may be in the same position you are in now.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2015 1:17 PM

2015-01-08T13:17:58-05:00

I would never turn down the opportunity for KD time, especially if you're about to become promotable. Having ANY KD prior to the MICCC will put you ahead of your peers and it will open up more assignment opportunities for you after the MICCC. You would also have more of a chance of going to an INSCOM unit after because of that, or other broadening assignments. If you didn't have any KD time, branch's priority would be to try to place you in a FORSCOM unit in order to get that KD time so you'd be a little more restricted in regards to assignments and you might have to wait for the BDE AS2/BN S2/Command position to open. That being said, I wouldn't push CCC too far to the right either, especially after you pin CPT.

Personally, I'd take that 1LT(P) KD opportunity in a heartbeat.

If you have any further questions feel free to message me any time.

Response by LTC David S. Chang, ChFC®, CLU® made Jan 8 at 2015 9:48 PM

2015-01-08T21:48:02-05:00

I would probably need more information, but based on what I heard, I would do the KD. I had a chance to become an O4 or take a MI Company CDR job. If I took the CO position it would delay my promotion by 3 years.

I gladly took the CO position because I would not have had that experience (one of the best military positions I have had) and can be hard to come by. When I meant to the MICCC, I had 2 years as a BN S2, 1 year as a BDE Deputy S2, and as a MICO CDR.

As a result, the MICCC was much easier for me than most because of my experience. It was more enjoyable for me since many were stressed out on some of the tasks we had to do. Any way you probably can get a BN S2 position after the MICCC, but having more experience under your belt is helpful.

Response by COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM made Jan 9 at 2015 5:35 PM

2015-01-09T17:35:38-05:00

METT-TC. Answer that is best for you depends upon your answers to these questions:
- What are your near (less than 1 year), mid (1-5 year), and long (5-10 year) personal and professional goals?
- What are the KD requirements for your rank and MOS?
- How does accepting or not accepting this opportunity help or inhibit you reaching your personal and professional goals?
- Is there a middle appoach where you can have your cake and eat it too? For example, if KD means 12 months, could your rater/senior rater put you in the job for 11 months? This means that you are not KD complete and would have to have a KD opportunity after MICCC while still having a KD opportunity before MICCC?
- Recommend you walk through answers to the above questions then engage in a dialogue with your chain of command.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2015 9:10 PM

2015-01-09T21:10:26-05:00

Don't worry about KD time at this point brother. Go to the CCC. You will have plenty of time for several KD positions as a CPT.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2015 1:48 PM

2015-01-11T13:48:41-05:00

I will personally be doing my KD time prior to Signal CCC. I have been given the opportunity at my current unit (FA unit) to have the S-6 position. I talked to branch and they said as long as I'm promotable then it counts and it definitely would not negatively affect my timeline. She actually said it might help if anything because I will be ready for Command straight out of the CCC.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jan 11 at 2015 2:39 PM

2015-01-11T14:39:17-05:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member I don't know the army system nearly so well as others who've given you advice here but to me it sounds like:

The devil you know or the devil you don't. So, how do you like that Devil you know?

Response by LTC David Gunn made Jan 29 at 2015 10:42 AM

2015-01-29T10:42:42-05:00

LT Brantley,
I am not particularly familiar with MI branch but my experience with the CBT Arms branches suggests that you weigh your options carefully. The system works something like this, at each pay grade you have requirements to meet your service obligation to the branch once you have met those obligations you are made available to the total force needs. What that means is that you are subject to what the Army calls "nominal assignments". Assignments that each branch is required to fulfill for the needs of the Army. Generally speaking these requirements are filled by branch qualified officers. The reality of this you may be send outside of the MI community to fulfill that requirement and rated by an unknown or partial rater. I have seen more than once very good officers fall of the fast track by progressing to fast for branch to keep them gainfully employed within the branch community.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 10 at 2015 8:45 AM

2015-04-10T08:45:28-04:00

Brian,

Small world brother. I hope you've been doing well since Bragg.

I am literally weighing the same options right now (MICCC or S2 time), and trying to add the 35F courses into the mix as well. Shoot me an email at work if you don't mind; I'm curious as to where you've gone with your decisions and what helped you along the way.