What path did you take to become a General Officer?

2018-03-23T17:21:51-04:00

Fundamentally, I think this is a difficult question to answer. However, I'd love to hear from some current and retired GOs about some unique factors you believe contributed to you being selected.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Mar 23 at 2018 5:24 PM

2018-03-23T17:24:51-04:00

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member excellent question. Standing by for dialogue.

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Mar 23 at 2018 5:33 PM

2018-03-23T17:33:35-04:00

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member: I am decidedly Not a General Officer; however, I have learned from some.
Generals are kind, patient, have a sense of humor, and I am quite certain that Generals are compassionate.
I would definitively think that Generals would have to be compassionate.
One can learn from Privates on up; and, from Genrals on down. We are all professionals; in the military.

Response by BG Doug Earhart made Mar 23 at 2018 5:48 PM

2018-03-23T17:48:08-04:00

I started as a 13B cannon crewman, went to OCS and ended an O7. You must have compassion for your fellow Soldier and an absolute love of the US Army. The rest are those traits you’ve already mentioned and many more, all combined with extremely hard work. The one thing is that not every Colonel can be a good general officer in the same way not every E8 can be a good CSM. The Army knows this and needs plenty of great COLs and Master Sergeants who will never make that next promotion. Bottom line is there is no set path but if that’s your goal, try to learn as much as you can by observing senior leaders. If you get the chance to be an aide d’camp or an XO for a GO, that’s a great exposure to that path. My advice set your sights on being the best at your current and have goal/plan of how you can accomplish the next two promotions.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 23 at 2018 6:50 PM

2018-03-23T18:50:53-04:00

Some commands are almost an automatic jumping board to becoming a GO.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 23 at 2018 7:57 PM

2018-03-23T19:57:58-04:00

I did find that quite interesting...I only a very few times ever got to chat with flag rank officers, one was an O+9 who was an Apollo astronaut invited to speak at USAF OTS at Lackland while I was there by the Commandant, of whom I had a chance to ask one question, there were !any science/engineering in the room, we'd been given a chance to meet him for a presentation, as he and the Commandant, an O-6, were apparently personal friends. Another instance was by the O-9 who GCSE the commencement at USAF OTS when I'd finished, I very briefly chatted with him as well. I also twice saw the O-9 who commanded my installation, once at a briefing I'd been allowed to attend with my installation commander for a DAT, there was a program for new 2nd Lts that I'd been submitted for by an O+-3 who'd been supervising me at the time, he'd wanted me to get the exposure, which proved quite worthwhile. I also saw that same O-9, whod later been O-10, driving in his staff car as i was driving the other way, i saluted, he saluted nack. I also got to speak wpvery briefly with his successor O-9 whod commanded my installatoon, as well as the O-8 who was his vice commander, whod beem a test pilot whod known many of tye very famous other test pilots, though only in cery brief conversation, of xourse. On another occasion, my unit CO, an O-7 who'd been below the zone, and who was to ha e gone up on the Manned Orbiting Lab (MOL) program before it was cancelled, I saw him for a few minutes, surrounded by aides, walking down a hallway of my unit building where I was assigned. Another time, I was hopping a fought on a Learner type aircraft, the other passenger was an O-7 with whom I chatted very slightly. He only one I spoke with in any depth was an O-7 who'd been selected for O-7, though he hadn't get pinned on, he was !y next unit CO, he'd given me a certificate for helping with an IG visit, which, candidly, took !e entirely unawares, in all honesty. I sat and chatted with him for about an hour, I only learned much later, that he'd been an O-2 pilot in Vietnam, and had flown 159 combat missions as a forward air controller (FAC), I was quite struck by the sheer, raw, overawing power of the man, that left a very indelible impression on my memory, obviously. I just thought I'd mention those anecdotes, for whatever they might be worth...very good discussion topic, certainly.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 23 at 2018 8:18 PM

2018-03-23T20:18:04-04:00

Such a great question! I’m just here for the feedback.
A little on what SPC Margaret Higgins said, GO are kind and very laid back. Recently I had the pleasure of meeting my CG. MG burleson has a sense of humor on him. I don’t know if it’s he’s a O-8 and I’m a E-4, and just laughed cause he’s the CG. But overal getting over the COL rank is where some fall short. Great topic sir.

Response by 2LT Ronald Reimer made Mar 24 at 2018 10:23 AM

2018-03-24T10:23:36-04:00

Apparently the wrong one.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 24 at 2018 12:51 PM

2018-03-24T12:51:27-04:00

PAs don’t have a General. In spite of having thousands of more officers then dental, veterinarian and other medical specialties. Physician Assistants have zero general level representation. Having been kicked out of the medical Corps once they became commissioned officers, PAs were added to the “woman core”. In general it’s an amalgamation of various medical specialties with PA as being the only general providers in the list. PA’s make up over 80 to 85% of the SP core. PA is also perform and deliver approximately 85% of Army medical care. But they do so without any representation at all. I know this is in the topic but I’m fairly sure most people weren’t aware that there’s an entire branch that doesn’t have general officer representation.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 24 at 2018 7:31 PM

2018-04-24T19:31:50-04:00

Just bloom where you're planted, and leave every assignment in better shape than you found it. The rank is just something that better enables you to do your job of mission and men. I'm not qualified to answer obviously, but if you focus so much on your next promotion you can easily become distracted from what really matters. If you get the job done and get along with people, the promotions will come, or won't. When it's time to cash in the chips would you rather be known as someone whose people worked "with" or "for?" The few USMC GO's that I knew as BN Cmdrs were motivators that got the job done, but were a pleasure to work with. Two retired as LtGen and both were laid back and let you learn from your mistakes, but encouraged having fun along the way. Stress Monsters and Screamers often self-destruct. Not quite the same as Army but it still applies. Just my 2 cents worth.

Response by 1stSgt Mack Housman made Apr 26 at 2018 1:27 PM

2018-04-26T13:27:36-04:00

Sir. I've worked for several GOs throughout a 28 year career. I've heard each of them say to their junior officers and staff "bloom where you're planted". "If you take care of your boss and you take care of your subordinates, your promotions will happen!". Whether or not you make GO is of no consequence. You will be measured as a man and not as a rank. Just the 2cWorth of an ol' SNCO. Respectfully submitted!

Response by BG Mike Rowe made Jul 11 at 2023 1:29 AM

2023-07-11T01:29:13-04:00

USMA