Would you rather be a Drill Sergeant or an Executive Assistant to a CSM?

She will get more mentorship out of one year with a two star command CSM than she would with five year of being a Drill Sergeant.

At a certain point, around SSG , we're all really good at our job, so getting ahead isn't about being good, or even being better than our peers. Positions get people promoted. People who are in certain fields for long enough know what positions get people promoted. Cooks know that an Enlisted Aide will get you promoted to SFC immediately. Infantry know that being a Master Gunner in a battalion will get you promoted to SFC immediately. Career Counselors know that being a Senior in a BCT or a Senior Ops in a Division will get you promoted to MSG. There are positions that leaders reserve for the sake of grooming potential future leaders.

Career progression really comes from opportunities, and opportunities come from word of mouth recommendations. One thing I have definitely noticed over my career is that getting noticed and making connections is how people get those opportunities to fill career making positions. I don't know much about the intel career progression map, but assuming she is MI, she could walk out of that position being recommended to lead an MI detachment for a joint assignment. The connections you make at that level span across entire ACOM's.

Even more important than that, you are getting direct, daily mentorship by someone who is literally at the top of the game. It's not just a CSM, it's a nominative CSM. This CSM was selected by the CG out of a field of other potential CSM's. You have direct access to see how the Army works at the higher level. You have direct access to a wealth, several decades worth, of Army and life knowledge. You have a chance to be directly influenced by someone who is ahead of all their other peers as CSM's. They have cracked the code for leadership and promotion in the Army. That right there is worth the assignment.

I would TOTALLY tell that NCO to take the Exec Assistant gig first and THEN Drill Sergeant. Both are great broadening assignments...but the Exec Assistant gig will get her a better leg up down the road.

Having had several Executive assistants assigned to me during my Tenor, I can say that a well connected CSM will ensure the best assignment available ensuring the NCO’s success, save personal failure. I would recommend this position to most qualified over drill. It is likely that they will make E7 coming out of the position, or while assigned.