FORT HOOD — Soldiers attended a human resources event at Fort Hood’s Comanche Chapel Activities Center earlier this week, learning how their career choices now can affect how they may be promoted years from now.
Master Sgt. Eric Ewing discussed how soldiers are assigned to different units throughout the Army.
The overview was advertised for military intelligence soldiers but was open to other soldiers.
Officials said three things determine where soldiers are assigned: Army readiness, soldier professional development and soldier desires.
“Readiness leads to lethalness,” said Sgt. Maj. T.J. Baird.
Outdated personnel records prevent career counselors from giving soldiers assignments geared toward their career progression, officials said.
Ewing debunked some career branch misconceptions, saying the human resource command for the Army’s military intelligence branch assigns soldiers. Career counselors are not responsible for sending military intelligence soldiers to school or promoting them, and assignments do not guarantee promotions.
“It’s really about luck and timing,” said 1st Sgt. James Bell.
Army readiness always comes first, the high-ranking noncommissioned officers said. Volunteering can give soldiers more control of their careers, they added.
Bell chose to become a drill sergeant earlier in his career.
“I wanted to turn people from civilians to soldiers,” he said.
Female drill sergeants and recruiters are in high demand.
Ewing let female noncommissioned officers in attendance know that they can be proactive or reactive about this.
Attendees left the two-hour meeting with a better understanding of career branches and the needs of the Army. Soldiers returned to the activities center for skill level peer discussions at after a lunch break.
Larry Mitchell, Texas Realtors
Broker Associate, ABR, CRS, GRI, VLB