What steps should I take to voice concern of my personal training and progress?

2021-03-19T13:04:25-04:00

I’m new to the Army straight out of AIT, I’ve been with my unit for 3 months now and training has been a struggle. I’m a 42a and been having some difficulties. The office itself has its own organization issues that have as of recently worked on, however for myself I find myself getting lost. The specialist that’s supposed to be training me lacks organization and the attention span needed for me to start working. I’m eager to learn but keep getting the “yea yea, just click that” or some scrapped together explanation that makes no sense. I can ask him “do I need to print these forms out” and the response will be “no” but later he’ll say “oh man I didn’t mean then, you needed copies when your done to send...” or some crazy random reasoning. I have tried asking the NCO in the office about getting properly trained on things, she will take a moment to listen to me and brush off a quick response like there is no interest in teaching me. We have a meeting almost once a week where it’s us getting in trouble foe not doing something correct, which always ends with “keep up the good work, we’re a family” but the plan is never held accountable. I really want to be a good sm, and I fear going hire up without finding another solution to keep this at my NCO level. Any suggestions would help. Thank you.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Mar 19 at 2021 1:10 PM

2021-03-19T13:10:54-04:00

Why does your profile say "Civilian Recruit" if you're active duty in a unit for 3 months now?

If your NCOIC isn't listening, go to your OIC. If they don't listen, go to the 1SG and keep going until someone listens. I've heard the "we're a family" crap for most of my career in any unit and rarely was it true. You have to do what's best for you and if your NCO isn't doing it, your OIC won't help and no one in the section helps you learn, then take it higher so then someone listens.

I really got no training when I got to my first unit out of AIT. I had to figure it out as I went and I was the only enlisted in my shop for 2 years and the first deployment. My OIC did what she could since I had no steady NCOICs.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Mar 19 at 2021 1:29 PM

2021-03-19T13:29:40-04:00

Who is your team leader? Who counsels you? THAT is who is responsible for training you (or providing training from someone else in areas they are not expert). If that person is not training you, you need to speak to THEIR leader (tactfully and professionally) about your training needs.

But... as a note, you ARE being trained. Trial and error is one of the oldest and most tried and true methods of learning. Every time you are told you did something wrong, you SHOULD be cataloging that as another "not right" way to do something. Eventually you will find enough "not right" ways that the right way will become evident. Is that ideal? No. Does it get you there, eventually? Sure enough does.

EVERY young Soldier experiences this to some level or another. There is simply TOO MUCH that goes into ANY MOS, or just Soldiering in general, for us to cover EVERYTHING before it comes up. the GOOD Soldiers learn from their mistakes and don't make the same mistake twice. Generally speaking, as long as you are making NEW mistakes, you will be fine.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Mar 19 at 2021 2:26 PM

2021-03-19T14:26:14-04:00

Did you not learn your MOS in AIT???

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2021 2:45 PM

2021-03-19T14:45:47-04:00

First and foremost - had you had your initial performance counseling by your FFL and expectations? if not, you need to get in writing ASAP. Also, do not fear taking your issues a level up if you know for a fact you've tried your best to keep things at your level...someone above you will be held accountable for failure to teach, train and mentor their junior Soldiers.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2021 3:51 PM

2021-03-19T15:51:14-04:00

Every S1 shop you walk into will be set up a bit differently, and manned depending on who they have available. It sounds like you're just stuck with someone who is too busy to really train you. It's a sad truth that in today's S1 shops most of the shops have had the SFC pulled to the Brigade, leaving the less experienced SSGs to fill the NCOIC role.

The best thing you can do is start learning your craft. Every single thing that goes down in an S1 is covered by a policy or regulation. Learning your job isn't about remembering everything you're told, it's about finding out what regulation or policy tells you what or how to do the thing you have to do. Each section within S1 - strength management, awards, PERSTAT, promotions, etc - has a separate regulation or DA Pam that gives you explicit instructions on how to do whatever your task is. Every data system you use has a handbook or instruction manual to answer any questions you have about how to use that system.

A good place for you to start would be FM 1-0 Human Resources Support. It will give you an overview of the roles of each of the sections. It will give you the reference for the DA Pam or AR that covers the functions of each of those roles individually.

The second thing you'll want to have on hand is the emilpo user manual. As a junior S1 Soldier this is the datasystem you will use almost exclusively, so you want to master it early. Later you'll want to get smart on PERNET, EDAS, MS51, Datastore, Topmis, and IPSS-A when it is finally released. Getting familiar with Microsoft Excel will be a huge help to you in the future as well
Study those and in a year you will be the subject matter expert in your office

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Mar 19 at 2021 7:07 PM

2021-03-19T19:07:28-04:00

Go up a higher rung on the Chain of Command using the open door policy. This kind of scenario is why the Army embraces the open door policy. I have been in civilian workplaces that are dysfunctional as you say and the root cause is people working there are too busy to push back and take time to fix things. Sometimes the push needs to come from a third party.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Mar 19 at 2021 11:02 PM

2021-03-19T23:02:56-04:00

I understand your situation. On one hand if you go outside the section, your section leader will be upset and you'll have to deal with that. But on the other hand if you do nothing it feels like you're not growing or doing your job. This is a dilemma but there is hope. What I did when I was in your situation was to start making a flow of work process book for myself. When you learn how to do something new, write that down. In a perfect world you'd have a subject matter expert as your trainer but we live in an imperfect world. You could share what you're doing with your trainer and invite the specialist to collaborate. It could very well be the way you are being trained is the way the specialist was trained he might be trying to do for the best he can. You might be helping your section by taking some initiative. Besides, some day you will be the trainer and the work process flow project may serve another purpose. You might be experiencing an opportunity by solving your problem by taking initiative.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Mar 19 at 2021 11:15 PM

2021-03-19T23:15:14-04:00

Private RallyPoint Member Your outdated Rally Point profile does not present a good image of someone who is well organized and has their act in order. When you have shown desire to learn and organize, I will be a better listener. Everything starts with YOU!

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Mar 20 at 2021 5:13 PM

2021-03-20T17:13:13-04:00

Maybe find a squared away peer in your section that can OJT you. Or ask a different NCO than the NCOIC. If that doesn't work, have a talk with the OIC.

Response by SSG Devine Speights made Mar 24 at 2021 9:02 PM

2021-03-24T21:02:50-04:00

Build a continuity book. Read regulations. Keep asking questions

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made May 3 at 2021 11:40 PM

2021-05-03T23:40:49-04:00

Private RallyPoint Member If you cannot maintain your Rally Point Profile, why do you expect credulance elsewhere?