What/who was the event or person that made the biggest impact on your time in the military?

2015-06-15T12:12:07-04:00

What crucible or individual act of courage or compassion really made such an impact on you/your time in service that it changed you as a person and Service Member? Could be a positive or negative event. For some in the group it might be Ranger School, others it might be a Squad Leader or a 1SG/Commander or maybe even their Drill Sergeant. I am interested in hearing the good, bad and ugly of it all - don't hesitate to share, use of names not required for this reply.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Jun 15 at 2015 12:15 PM

2015-06-15T12:15:51-04:00

My single event was growing up and watching the pride my Father took in wearing his uniform everyday. Regardless, of his rank enlisted to Officer I saw him as leading by example. So once I felt the calling I let him know that I needed to continue what he started it was just going to be in a different service.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jun 15 at 2015 12:18 PM

2015-06-15T12:18:14-04:00

Colonel John P. Edwards, my Commander with the 357th Aviation Detachment. He encouraged me to get my education, to become an officer, and is still in contact with me today - he walked with me every step of my career. I use to babysit his children back in 1977- 1980 and then they I saw both of the boys as young Majors during my overseas deployment!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 15 at 2015 12:31 PM

2015-06-15T12:31:03-04:00

When I was crashing medically and made some poor choices, my Brigade Commander put me in a WTU, for me to heal and retire.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 1:14 PM

2015-06-15T13:14:22-04:00

In my old office we had a rotation in our HQ building and another Centers HQ building across the street for reveille and retreat. It was our offices turn for the month. One of the assigned members for that weeks duties had gotten a bum leg during a basketball game. He asked another guy in the office to cover him for the duty. We were a close knit team and would take care of each other as much as we can and since he was having issues and the profile he was given didn't directly cover that situation our teammate graciously agreed to cover him. In a conversation with bum leg later he mentioned since our friend was covering him he was going to leave early to go back home.

This really bothered me since this kind of behavior wasn't new or even uncommon. I asked him if he thought that was okay to not stay the full duty day or even until retreat to support the team that is taking care of him and he laughed it off and walked off...

That was the moment where I had to get the "courage" to approach our Major to have this discussion where I was somewhat uncomfortable having. I told myself since I was selected to sew on SSgt I would have to make these conversations/discussion in the future and I might as well get use to it now.

The conversation with our Major went well and the situation was properly taken care of but I guess you could say that was when I got my "balls" to take on the situations I may find uncomfortable because they need to be done in the interest of the unit/situation.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 1:21 PM

2015-06-15T13:21:54-04:00

Growing up in a special forces unit, seeing first hand how SF soldiers took care of families...when dad was deployed, we still had a sponsor.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 1:42 PM

2015-06-15T13:42:12-04:00

Without a doubt the Lt Col who went to bat for me and got me an extra semester to complete my degree. Without him I would have returned to duty in an enlisted status and without a college degree.

He was doing the job as an extra duty in addition to his pursuit of an advanced degree. And, he went above and beyond.

I don't even know his name.

Response by Lt Col Timothy Parker, DBA made Jun 15 at 2015 1:44 PM

2015-06-15T13:44:04-04:00

I had two episodes that made a difference. First, early in my career I worked in a support group as an engineer at an air base in the UK. The group commander was a pilot. Near the end of his tour he gave us what he thought was an inspirational speech which ended in the comment - "I know you all want to be a pilot". This was my first exposure to those with limited thinking - he thought everyone wanted to be just like him - or should be. I wonder if it ever occurred to him that I became an engineer because that was what I wanted to do. No disrespect to pilots, but give me a break.....

Much later, I returned to a base level position and worked for another pilot. This one was the wing commander who understood leadership and created what I called a non-threatening environment. You could be open and honest with him and he listened. He understood that if you messed up, it was not intentional or due to stupidity - sometimes it just happens. He was the most supportive leader I ever worked for. On his last day on the base he drove out the gate with everyone lining the streets waving goodbye - that is the kind of person he was. In the end, he made General - the four star kind and deserved all of them. People worked for him because they wanted to. That was leadership in action.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 15 at 2015 1:58 PM

2015-06-15T13:58:50-04:00

Good chiefs have a soft spot for us lowly Ensigns and CECS Ralph Wright was no exception. We had each other's back doing long traverses down in Antarctica. He taught me many things, the most important was holding back and letting the NCO system work. He taught me pinochle.

Second deployment in, Ralph got real sick. So sick with so much weight loss he had to be MEDIVAC. I was crying carrying him out to the Herc. Two weeks later he was gone. Turned out to be cancer of the pericardium. We held a memorial service at the Seabee Chapel in Port Hueneme following redeployment. For some reason I was asked to give the eulogy. It was tough. I cried again which people didn't seem to mind.

Ever since I'd think about Ralph every now and then and wonder if he'd approve of what I was doing. That's what people with impact do to our lives. And I never played another hand of pinochle.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 2:04 PM

2015-06-15T14:04:57-04:00

I grew up in a military household. My Dad retired after 26 years in the Army as a 1SG. At a very young age I learned the Army Values growing up. I also served 4 years in JROTC to help me build upon the foundation that my Dad established for me. Once I got to my first duty assignment I was extremely lucky to have SSG Lance Dever (RIP) as my first squad leader. Right away he counseled me and not just in writing but by showing me what right looks like. It went beyond the motor pool or the unit area, he showed me where to go for things like getting my uniforms pressed, where to get my alterations done, where to get my boots re-soled and where to get the best haircuts. He helped me look for my first car and made sure that I didn’t get screwed with outrageous interest rates and high payments. He always came by my room in the morning to inspect it for cleanliness prior to PT and to ensure that I was alive. He explained everything, showed me everything and then made me attempt everything that he taught me. He treated everyone the same and would discipline us justly if we screwed up. Every experience, good or bad, was a chance to get better. He prepared me becoming a NCO from day one. I owe a lot to him.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Jun 15 at 2015 2:25 PM

2015-06-15T14:25:58-04:00

Long story, but it was shortly after I had graduated PLDC (WLC today) and the CO put me on Rear D for an upcoming unit rotation to Pinon Canyon, CO due to my wife having a difficult pregnancy with our 2nd child and it being within a month or so of her due date. The day I was supposed to report to the Rear D formation, I was informed by the 1SG that in order to be Rear D I needed to get a note from the doctor concerning the wife's issues, this was at 1130 and I was supposed to report at 1500ish. So I rush to the hospital in an attempt to obtain said note, as I was in no means prepared mentally or "physically" (bags packed, etc.) at the time for the deployment as I was geared towards Rear D. Wife had called and spoke with the doctor while I was enroute to the hospital, I run into him on his way to an emergency C-section and he says to see the lady at the reception desk. I do as instructed, she asks wife's name, due date, etc and writes on the note from the doctor. Get back to unit, give note to 1SG who just sort of huffs and throws it in his desk along with what I found out later were my promotion orders to SGT as I had made points immediately after graduating PLDC. Unit goes on the month long exercise, I return to unit and am told that I am facing possible courts martial charges because I or someone I know "changed" the due date on the doctors note. I was floored, I had just graduated from my first NCOES and the first thing happening is my integrity and honor are called into question. So for the next month (almost) I was "fighting" for my young career, as the nurse who filled out the note was on vacation, and everyone in the unit, except my tank commander, had already pronounced/viewed me as guilty and treated me with disdain. Even my PSG said verbatim "No one writes on the doctors note after he has filled it out.", even though I am telling him exactly what happened that day. Well finally the lady returns and my PL, do not know why it was him, but it was, went to the hospital and asks the lady concerned if she remembers this note, if she wrote on it, blah, blah, blah. And low and behold, yes, she did in fact write on it, she filled out my wife's name, and had to write over the due date that was mistakenly put on it, Aug as opposed to Jul due to the doctor's being in surgery and unavailable and my need for the note ASAP. The next day the 1SG calls me into the office and asks me if I want to interview for a Special Duty position at the DIV HQs to be the driver for the DIV Chief of Staff, funny that the day before I was a worthless piece of crap and the next I am outstanding enough to interview to drive the CoS.....Once everything was out in the open, I never received anything close to an apology from anyone other than the CO, who stopped by my office up at DIV HQs one day and filled me in on the whole story behind everything. From that day until the day I retired, I never took for granted the word of anyone I worked with, worked for or who worked for me, and I always went to bat and supported my Soldiers when I knew they were in the right. Never got burned by that either.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 2:31 PM

2015-06-15T14:31:43-04:00

My current supervisor (CSM) has made the biggest impact in my entire 12 years of service and has changed my life forever. I have never worked for an individual so interested in vesting their efforts in catapulting my career. At first it was awkward because growing up I hardly got the things I wanted or believed good people existed but this individual changed my perspective. He has approximately 30 years of service and has demonstrated to me that a true leader never rests, never acts selfishly, never hangs up the uniform until the day of rest. My success in USAREUR is all because he saw the potential in me and paved the way for me to walk through my destiny. Now I owe it to the hundreds who follow and will never forget this mentorship experience I received at USAREUR.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jun 15 at 2015 3:00 PM

2015-06-15T15:00:22-04:00

Two former NCOs, from my enlisted days, had the biggest impact on my career. They turned me from being a young enlisted soldier who was simply biding my time (until my ETS) into someone who actually cared about being an effective leader and advancing my career.

Response by SFC Jeffrey Couch made Jun 15 at 2015 3:24 PM

2015-06-15T15:24:17-04:00

I have to say it was my Dad he is a Vietnam vet and I have to say up until his passing he was a tough son of a gun

Response by CPT Bob Moore made Jun 15 at 2015 3:28 PM

2015-06-15T15:28:27-04:00

For me it was my first duty assignment in Korea and the great example from CSM Private RallyPoint Member , who was then a SSG. I learned a lot from him and during that assignment that set me up for success in both my military and civilian careers.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 3:29 PM

2015-06-15T15:29:50-04:00

I wish I could share it, because it involves leaders who've don'e things very against regs. But I feel like if they ran across me on here, they would recognize me or the situation instantly.

This person taught me how to be a great soldier, a good leader, and how to secretly burn the Army Values. Matter of fact, this person was a fantastic leader, outside of one, IMO HUGE, transgression. I learned from the situation the more I try to improve situations, the worse I make them. Maybe a smarter person could've figured it out. At the time, I was a newly minted CPL, in a leadership position long before I should have been. I figured out my job, but I couldn't fix this problem.

I'm still not even sure if I COULD have handled the situation better. There's only so much a CPL can do.

Response by SSG John Erny made Jun 15 at 2015 3:33 PM

2015-06-15T15:33:39-04:00

Having Then LTC Carl Freeman BC, MAJ Anne Dunwoody BXO, and MAJ Scott West DPO as you BN officers. They taught me a lot.

Response by LTC Ed Ross made Jun 15 at 2015 3:37 PM

2015-06-15T15:37:49-04:00

After my first tour of duty in Vietnam in 1967 as an artillery officer and as I approach the end of my two-year obligation I was approached by an Army military intelligence Lieutenant Colonel at the officers club. At the time he was the post Inspector General at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. When he found out I was about to get out of the army go back to civilian life, he spent the next couple hours finding out all there was to know about me. By the end of the evening had recruited me to branch transfer to military intelligence and and apply for the human intelligence officers course at Fort Holabird Maryland. He changed the course of my life

Response by MSgt Keith Hebert made Jun 15 at 2015 6:34 PM

2015-06-15T18:34:40-04:00

when my GySgt recruiter wrote me USMC bootcamp encouraging me not to quit and that i would make a great marine. at this time i had been sent to PCP platoon and had severe shin splints
that one letter gave me the strength and allowed me reach down deep and finish
thanks GySgt Horvath

Response by SMSgt Judy Hickman made Jun 15 at 2015 10:45 PM

2015-06-15T22:45:56-04:00

My very first NCOIC, MSgt Sargeant (I'm not joking that was his name). I arrived to my first duty location (RAF Lakenheath) in Feb 93 and deployed (Zagreb AB, Croatia) in Oct 93 for six months. MSgt Sargeant was a strict boss, who led the way. He didn't talk about it, he did it. He showed me that a good leader isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, whether scrubbing a surgical case or rebuilding a bunker made out of sand bags (actually wet gravel bags), he was there...leading. When I made some really stupid decisions not once, but twice he was there to counsel me, but also there to show me that you can recover from being stupid. He was and still is what I want to be in a leader, he didn't realize how much of an impact he had on my development (even when I tracked him down on facebook), because he was doing his job and taking care of his people...always! Between the deployment and his leadership early in my career, it was exactly what I needed to experience in order to know that the Air Force was going to be my life.

Response by SSG Jeremy Siebenaller made Jun 16 at 2015 12:20 PM

2015-06-16T12:20:05-04:00

CSM Private RallyPoint Member Was the leading force through my time in service. First he was the Battalion CSM that I fell under during an Afghanistan deployment and I quickly learned that he was in it for the troops, NOT to be looked at as a hardass (even though he's one of the baddest dudes I've ever met) But I also had the chance to deploy to OIF 07-09 with him as well. Where he would continually go on foot patrols with us as our Brigade CSM. He took money out of his OWN pockets to buy little kids over there bicycles and handed them out to them while on mounted patrols. He didn't talk down at us from his desk at Brigade. He yelled orders as he was on ground with us. RLTW CTG

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2015 12:48 PM

2015-06-16T12:48:55-04:00

My plan was to get in, do some time, and get out. While I was a PFC, SGT Augustus (Nate) Herriot (Now CW3 retired) gave me a chance on an exercise to show what I can do. My team had no mission (commo node) so he allowed me to pull shift on his team rather than pulling guard duty day in and day out. He became my first mentor and got me to PLDC. By the time I graduated, he was WO1 Herriot. It was then that I decided that his was the path I needed to follow.
What I admired was his calm demeanor, sense of humor and confidence in his technical abilities. He was also an excellent NCO that took care of his, and other, troops.

Response by SGM (R) Antonio Brown made Jun 17 at 2015 8:30 PM

2015-06-17T20:30:29-04:00

For me it is no particular person or event because every person (negative or positive) and event (negative or positive) has played a part in shaping/molding me. I have had leaders that saw something in me that I did not see in myself so they pushed me to be better and do better. I have had some leaders that tried to keep me down because I did not allow them to mold me in their own image. I have had Soldiers that have made my time as a leader a nightmare and then I have had some Soldiers who have made my time as a leader Heaven on Earth. My battle buddies have seen me at my worst and at my best and they helped me to deal with adversity. For me to nail down one thing or one person that has impacted me greatly is impossible.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2015 8:49 PM

2015-06-17T20:49:02-04:00

My recruiter, Navy PO1 Lynn F. He got me to sign in 1969, after a litany of promises, very few of which were legally binding or realistic. However, he did get me into the military, and I stayed for thirty-three years. So. false promises, notwithstanding. he did something right.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2015 11:17 PM

2015-06-19T23:17:38-04:00

SFC Price, my senior DS while at Ft. Jackson. Thank you drill sergeant for motivating me even months after I've been out of basic. The price is right!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 26 at 2015 7:20 PM

2015-06-26T19:20:45-04:00

There were soldiers in all ranks who taught me something, if nothing else, how dedicated they were to the unit and mission.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 26 at 2015 7:31 PM

2015-06-26T19:31:31-04:00

The first time I was asked to reenlist an NCO, and every time after that, culminating recently with the honor and privilege of conducting a reenlistment ceremony for my younger brother. Can't think of a greater privilege or greater motivator to continue my improvement than to be the kind of officer that my brother would request for his next ceremony (he's no longer obliged, Mom got her pictures ;) ).

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2015 3:14 PM

2015-10-16T15:14:47-04:00

For me it was one of my drill sergeants at basic training way back in 1985. I was studying Japanese in high school and another private in my squad spoke Japanese after living on Okinawa for a few years (his father was a marine). The two of us would bad-mouth everyone and everything in Japanese secure in our knowledge that nobody could possibly understand a word we were saying.

8 weeks later on graduation day, we got out of the cattle car after the ceremony and one of our drill sergeants whose name I can't recall (hey, its been 30 years) walked up behind us and put us both in a headlock, one under each arm, and started to drag us along with him away form the barracks as he proceeded to tell us in very fluent Japanese that he had been listening to us for the entire 8 weeks insulting him and everyone else. He then told us the only reason he didn't rip our arms out of their sockets was that he and a battle buddy had done the exact same thing seven years earlier at their basic training.

He then released the headlock, invited us to join him at the NCO club and bought us each a beer.