Posted on Oct 23, 2015
Hello RP! USAR CSM Luther Thomas here, what questions do you have for me?
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From RallyPoint Team:
CSM Luther Thomas, is the Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army Reserve, and was recently selected to be the next Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Assistant SecDef for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. He has been an invaluable supporter of RallyPoint, and we are honored to welcome him here for a live Q&A next Tuesday, October 27th.
CSM Thomas would like to focus on transitioning to the civilian work force, and great ways to prepare for that change.
Please post your questions below. They will be answered live on 10/27 at 4:00pm EST.
If you'd like to follow CSM Luther Thomas you can also do so here:
https://twitter.com/CSMLutherThomas
CSM Luther Thomas, is the Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army Reserve, and was recently selected to be the next Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Assistant SecDef for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. He has been an invaluable supporter of RallyPoint, and we are honored to welcome him here for a live Q&A next Tuesday, October 27th.
CSM Thomas would like to focus on transitioning to the civilian work force, and great ways to prepare for that change.
Please post your questions below. They will be answered live on 10/27 at 4:00pm EST.
If you'd like to follow CSM Luther Thomas you can also do so here:
https://twitter.com/CSMLutherThomas
Army Reserve
Transition
Employment
Q&A
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 29
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SGM Luther Thomas please advocate the Soldier of Life Transition Program to the fullest extent. A lot of transitioning Soldiers and Leaders never have heard of it.
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SGM Luther Thomas
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL - Can you share an example with the RP community on how SFL helped you? Thanks!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SGM Luther Thomas roger that, then ACAP(Army Career and Alumni Program) then now known as Soldier For Life (SFL) helped me in the following way for transition.
1. It prepared me mentally for the tough road ahead with the necessary tools for a successful transition to civilian life with the navigation tools to succeeded.
2. The TAP classes(5 day work-shop) were very helpful with resume, interviewing, finance, entrepreneur, education,(VMET, JST-Army transcripts), Veteran Affairs information, counseling, financial counseling and job-outlook strategies for preparation to succeeded.
3. There were a lot of classes for transitioning and job fair information available with counselors to assist for me. I used the computer lab to craft my resume with the counselors for a SOLID RESUME. I had a chance to NETWORK and put everything together to come up with a comprehensive strategy for success. It really helped me and my confidence to properly Retire out the Army with the tools I had acquire.
4. I shared all information with other Soldiers and Veterans that I got to ensure all, were setup for success.
5. I took a lot of classes two times e.g., HIGER LEARNING and FEDERAL AND CIVILAN RESUME CLASS OVER to ensure the task was understood completely. It was always something to learn each and every I took a class.
Looking back the Soldier For Life is a great program, I am glad I took advantage of it!
https://soldierforlife.army.mil/
1. It prepared me mentally for the tough road ahead with the necessary tools for a successful transition to civilian life with the navigation tools to succeeded.
2. The TAP classes(5 day work-shop) were very helpful with resume, interviewing, finance, entrepreneur, education,(VMET, JST-Army transcripts), Veteran Affairs information, counseling, financial counseling and job-outlook strategies for preparation to succeeded.
3. There were a lot of classes for transitioning and job fair information available with counselors to assist for me. I used the computer lab to craft my resume with the counselors for a SOLID RESUME. I had a chance to NETWORK and put everything together to come up with a comprehensive strategy for success. It really helped me and my confidence to properly Retire out the Army with the tools I had acquire.
4. I shared all information with other Soldiers and Veterans that I got to ensure all, were setup for success.
5. I took a lot of classes two times e.g., HIGER LEARNING and FEDERAL AND CIVILAN RESUME CLASS OVER to ensure the task was understood completely. It was always something to learn each and every I took a class.
Looking back the Soldier For Life is a great program, I am glad I took advantage of it!
https://soldierforlife.army.mil/
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SGM Luther Thomas these are some of the courses I am referring to in the picture. Great curriculum!
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CSM Luther Thomas:
Greetings CSM Thomas. I am not convinced that the current standard (or average) number of drill days per year for drilling Reservists is inadequate for most Reservists in their particular MOS; that said, drilling soldiers are all too often spending half of their drilling weekend, as well as time during AT, on administrative work and required classes instead of soldier training and doing their jobs. If anything negatively affects the drilling soldier's training days, it is that.
I understand Army & unit admin responsibilities, and I know there are some required classes that NEED to be covered throughout the year, but we are being tasked to do in two days per month what the Regular Army has 30 days a month to accomplish. With all due respect to the policy makers, it’s ridiculous.
My question to you CSM Thomas is this: Can the currently required classes not related to our respective MOSs be reevaluated for their true value to Reserve soldiers and eliminate the dead weight which is weighing down our training time?
Thank you for your time & consideration,
SGT Dave Tracy
Greetings CSM Thomas. I am not convinced that the current standard (or average) number of drill days per year for drilling Reservists is inadequate for most Reservists in their particular MOS; that said, drilling soldiers are all too often spending half of their drilling weekend, as well as time during AT, on administrative work and required classes instead of soldier training and doing their jobs. If anything negatively affects the drilling soldier's training days, it is that.
I understand Army & unit admin responsibilities, and I know there are some required classes that NEED to be covered throughout the year, but we are being tasked to do in two days per month what the Regular Army has 30 days a month to accomplish. With all due respect to the policy makers, it’s ridiculous.
My question to you CSM Thomas is this: Can the currently required classes not related to our respective MOSs be reevaluated for their true value to Reserve soldiers and eliminate the dead weight which is weighing down our training time?
Thank you for your time & consideration,
SGT Dave Tracy
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SGM Luther Thomas
I agree, units should have Battle Assemblies and not Administrative Assemblies. We do have a lot of mandatory training requirements. Units should not spend all weekend in the drill hall doing mandatory training via power point.
The Army is an outdoor occupation and units need to spend more time doing individual and collective training. Soldiers joined the Army Reserve to participate in “Hooah!” type activities. They did not join to sit in the drill hall and watch power point slides.
The Army is currently looking at how they can reduce the mandatory training thus giving more time back to the commanders for individual and collective training.
The Army is an outdoor occupation and units need to spend more time doing individual and collective training. Soldiers joined the Army Reserve to participate in “Hooah!” type activities. They did not join to sit in the drill hall and watch power point slides.
The Army is currently looking at how they can reduce the mandatory training thus giving more time back to the commanders for individual and collective training.
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SGT Dave Tracy
Thank you. I really feel we are better served with targeted classes when needed, not a day every Battle Assembly dedicated to classes for every pet issue send down from on high.
I am with a bulk fuel hauling transportation company. Most of us are not professional drivers as civilians, and don't get much seat time in our trucks. So it’s not only important in a "holistic" sense to be training for Uncle Sam, it’s also safety issue as I see it. Luckily my unit tries hard to get us on the road during our monthly drill, even if it is only once, but that cannot always be guaranteed.
Again, thanks for your insight CSM Thomas
I am with a bulk fuel hauling transportation company. Most of us are not professional drivers as civilians, and don't get much seat time in our trucks. So it’s not only important in a "holistic" sense to be training for Uncle Sam, it’s also safety issue as I see it. Luckily my unit tries hard to get us on the road during our monthly drill, even if it is only once, but that cannot always be guaranteed.
Again, thanks for your insight CSM Thomas
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CW3 Kim B.
CSM Thomas -It would facilitate th ability t conduct MOS training if our weapons and individual equipment was closer to our unit. Many of the units I was didn't have their equipment close than 50 miles. Also, many Reserve units are not authorize enough individual equipment for each Soldier. Weapons, individual gear etc should be on site for so that it doesn't take 1 to 2wks preparing for "battle assembly" weekend. That's whyy drill turn into "administration assemblies" and "Death by PowerPoint "!
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SGM Luther Thomas, I know you wanted to focus on civilian transition, but I really want to take an opportunity to ask about this issue while I have your ear.
First Army Chief LTG Tucker, recently mentioned that the Guard and Reserve need more days to train to fulfill their roles in modern operational reserve. Do you agree with this assessment, and what can be done to help get the training budget increased and to better equip the part-time forces towards this goal?
v/r,
SSG Squires
First Army Chief LTG Tucker, recently mentioned that the Guard and Reserve need more days to train to fulfill their roles in modern operational reserve. Do you agree with this assessment, and what can be done to help get the training budget increased and to better equip the part-time forces towards this goal?
v/r,
SSG Squires
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SGM Luther Thomas
I agree that the National Guard and Army Reserve need more training days. We have the same number of training days today as we had 30 years ago. 30 years ago we were a strategic reserve and today we are an operational reserve with an OPTEMPO that is significantly higher. There needs to be a re-look at what the correct number of training days should be for the RC.
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