An Army Public Affairs intern at DINFOS asked me what she should include in her 5-year career plan. Here’s what I think I told her, only more concisely and with less cursing.
- Goals are great, but just work hard in the job you have. This alone will open new doors and build your credibility. Bonus, it’s your job so take it seriously.
- Get a Top Secret security clearance. Some organizations make these hard to justify. As long as it supports the mission, volunteer for new assignments and deployments – you’ll learn something new and start the security paperwork. This clearance will qualify you for new positions, and get you talking about ops with top headquarters. Most important, it’ll get you into the JOC.
- Don’t count out positions at the Combatant Commands, Joint Staff or Office of the Secretary of Defense. For good reasons, the Army emphasizes its internal civilian roles (OCPA, garrison posts, TRADOC, hospitals or Corps of Engineers). There’s an ever wider world of strategic, news-worthy events outside the U.S. Army’s stateside institutions. These are where and how we protect America.
Most leaders would add a fourth point to this list: be mobile and ready to move for new opportunities. This is good advice, even though it’s not been my personal experience.
(Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ashley Savage, DVIDS)
