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scores, drug use…etc. This means that 3 of 4 people will never have the privilege of
wearing the uniform. Appreciate and honor the fact that your country has granted
you passage to the enlisted ranks. No matter what branch of service, you have a
duty to keep a regular fitness routine going, even off duty.
Ever seen someone that has let themselves go? The uniform is a bit tight; they
look sloppy, unkempt, and unprofessional. I can understand if you have surgery or a
medical condition, but for the most part, if you are healthy and completely ambula-
tory, you have no excuse for not maintaining your weight.
A regular fitness routine will keep your self esteem healthy, add years to your life,
and reduce your chances of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many forms of cancer.
The best way I found to gradually improve my diet is to reduce flour intake. Run
three times a week and do a long run on Saturdays. I eat five small meals a day and
incorporate foods like unsalted almonds, tomatoes, pork, tuna, and apples.
The average troop will not start getting serious until about a month before a fitness exam.
The troop that sets the Standard has no worries because they have trained all year.
Need a final push? Print out the US Army Ranger Creed and hang it on your
refrigerator. Those are some of the most powerful words I have ever read.
C. Leadership
Leadership is an interesting attribute. Some military members will spend their
entire career trying to attain it. Leadership differs from management and the two
terms are often confused because their goals are similar. I have known guys in Basic
Training that had leadership and I have had supervisors that were in for 22 years
that were still figuring it out.
Leadership is the ability to have others follow you without trying.
Management is directly supervising others through orders, and reviewing the results.
See the difference? For the sake of your growth as an enlisted member, your goal
should involve becoming an effective manager by DISPLAYING leadership.
By studying famous leaders throughout history, you can see how they have max-
imized results from their troops. Napoleon Bonaparte was one such leader that
reached nearly cult-like status due to his confidence and reputation. Near the end of
his military career, he was banished to the Italian island of Elba. It was hoped that
he would quietly spend his life in isolation, far away from the newly crowned King
Louis XVIII.
Great leaders cannot be so easily suppressed. Napoleon not only escaped with 600
of his most trusted followers, but sailed them to French shores within a month.
Marshall Ney, who was assigned 6000 men, promised to bring Napoleon “back
to Paris in a cage.” Upon meeting Napoleons daily growing army, he and his men
joined them.
In 2 months, Napoleon had amassed an army of 280,000 men ready to do battle
with Europe’s armies. King Louis the XVIII, in fear of his life, fled.
This is but one historical example of what the powers of leadership can create.
This brings us back to the topic of enlisted leadership.
An average leader will bark out vague orders, chastise subordinates in public,
and put their own needs ahead of their troops. They will rule by fear, and punish
harshly in order to feel powerful.
The leader that sets the Standard will put the welfare of their troops first. They lead
from the front and are not abject to small duties when necessary, such as taking out
the trash, helping to move furniture, or helping on a group project. I can assure you,
when you have mastered leadership, these things will get done, as if by themselves.
The best leaders will know about the families of their lower ranking troops. They
will encourage career development and education; they will provide a dynamic and
intellectual work environment. They will know when to listen and will only use
their rank when necessary to the mission at hand. In my experiences, humility and
given respect are the two greatest traits a leader should possess.
Even the lowest ranking member of a unit, squadron, or battalion should study
leadership in order to prepare for who they will one day be.
3. Become a SME
Our enlisted ranks have seen many changes in the very conduct of warfighting.
Proficiency at your job has never been a more valuable tool for advancement. No
matter what your Rate, AFSC, or MOS, your mission as an enlisted person should
be the attainment of Subject Matter Expert Status. Think about where you work
right now. Are you the “go to” person for a certain subject or work related task? Are
you so experienced that you are the first person that is called upon?
That is one of the main differences in the Officer/Enlisted culture. Officers are schooled
in the art of Management/Supervision. Enlisted are technical specialists entrusted with the
some of the most advanced forms of warfighting technology known to man.
It is a new dawn for the enlisted member. We are now satellite technicians, com-
puter network specialists, nuclear technicians, and sensor operators for Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles. Take pride in the fact that your country has spent hundreds of thou-
sands of dollars to train you and give you these skills.
To become a Subject Matter Expert, or SME, one should adopt a series of habits
that will help them to be viewed as “the best.”
*Do not memorize technical information, but rather know where to find it. If you
have a technical data library of books or an online database at work, spend time
becoming familiar with it.
*Keep a small notebook with you at all times to jot down notes or observations.
Divide into sections so you don’t end up with an unorganized mess.
*Ask higher ranking members about some of the most challenging work tasks
that they have dealt with and the steps they took to solve them. You may gain valu-
able knowledge.
*Find the most proficient and knowledgeable member in your workplace and
take them to lunch. Ask them about what it takes to “get to their level.” Most times
they will be so flattered, that they will give you some VERY valuable advice.
*Remember that becoming an expert is 50% hands on experience and 50% technical
knowledge. When you acquire both, you will truly be a master of your profession.
Why should you become a SME? You will be given greater opportunities for
advancement, will be held to a higher regard by supervisors, and when you decide
to leave the military or retire, you will command a far greater earning potential if
you are at an expert status.
4. Use Your Benefits
By enlisting in the military, you get certain benefits that are fairly obvious such as
commissary privileges, GI Bill, and BAH. There are a few that lie under the surface
that can be utilized however. Did you know that the VA can guarantee first time home-
buyer loans? Or that Patriot Loans can be used to open a small business?
If you are trying to finish a degree, you can take CLEP and DANTES tests to skip
certain lower level courses. They are free to military members. Take the test, if you
pass, free college credit! Inquire at base education to find out more.
Military members also get reduced or free passes to Seaworld, and discounts
at many restaurants and stores. www.militaryandveteransdiscounts.com has over
260,000 discounts for vets.
5. Self Educate
This is the big one. Even if you have finished college and feel like you can stop
learning, you must keep growing mentally. Self education is one of the most impor-
tant goals for any enlisted member. You have access to the collected discoveries of
the entire human race available to you online.
How are you spending it? Facebook? Angry Birds? Words with Friends?
We are an evolutionary species. In less developed countries, teachers are still
being killed for daring to educate others. The ability to learn is tantamount to hu-
man intellectual growth. Don’t waste the opportunity to better yourself. Any of the
following are great ways to exercise your strongest muscle- the brain:
1. Watch a TED talk and hear some of the greatest people of our generation at
http://www.ted.com/talks.
2. Watch Tony Robbins’ new 2012 speech on YouTube for FREE that teaches
you to set a higher standard for yourself. Located at http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=GLu-qYS92lw&feature=related.
3. Read any of the following books and be amazed at the results- Awaken the
Giant Within (Robbins), Win Friends and Influence People (Carnegie), The Law of
Success (Hill), Outlaw Platoon (Parnell), or Multiple Streams of Income (Allen).
4. I saved the best for last, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of
the most famous technical schools in the history of this country has now put their
ENTIRE CURRICULUM online for free. All the lectures, all the tests, all the supple-
mentary notes. You now have access to some of the most advanced educational mate-
rials that this country has to offer. They are also offering a Certificate of Completion
if you can pass the Circuits and Devices course online. Don’t waste this opportunity,
if you ever needed access to Marketing, Management, Engineering, Science, or many
other topics, USE THIS RESOURCE> http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope that you appreciate the privi-
leges of being an enlisted member, and I thank you for your service. It has been my
honor to share this information with you and I wish you the best in becoming the
best leader possible.
An enlisted person puts on a uniform not for the protection of themselves or fam-
ily, but for the nation. Do not take this responsibility lightly- Dr. Rob Garcia
Questions? Need Life Advice or a friend to talk to? Email me: robleegarcia@
yahoo.com.