My Ignorance is Showing

[Lawman32RPD]

My ignorance is showing and I need some advice and counsel. Our daughter is a Fish at TAMU and did not do as well in terms of rank advancement as she'd wanted to. She is convinced that because she wasn't selected to be a corporal in the fall she won't make any rank at all. I've counseled her that races aren't usually decided in the first lap or games in the first quarter, and that we often learn more from our 'ouches'; that this can be learning opportunity. Right now she feels she won't get the chance to lead which is why she idecided to attend TAMU and joing the Corps. She reports that many of her friends ('buddies in the Corps lexicon) who similarly didn't get promoted also have the same feelings. Put another way, I'm getting the "I / We went to TAMU and the Corps to get leadership experience, and if I'm / We aren't going to get that experiece then what's the point?" routine. Right now my default response that she'lll need to learn to follow a bit better right now and ask folks she trusts what she can do to better prepare and succeed isn't being met with gleeful enthusiasm.

Becuase I didn't attend an SMC and have no military background I don't know if the promotion track is a one time event and if you miss the first call you are done. I'd certainly be interested in any advice and counsel that ya'll could provide me with.

Kindest regards to all and have a joyful Easter.

Lawman32RPD

[MorganC]

The process of Corporal selection was very different this year than in past years. It involved grades, PT scores, involvement in Corps and non Corps organizations, interview points, recommendations from the CO and 1SGT, and a few other factors. Some of my buddies who I think deserved it didn't get it, but it's not the end. There are still chances to be advanced next year based on performance and what position is held (if any). This isn't the end, it's only the beginning. If she is hard charging these last few weeks of fish year and then works hard as a sophomore, she will be fine. If she is not a Corporal next year, she will be a PFC and there is nothing wrong with that. Some of my sophomores who are Corporals right now were PFC's last semester. Rank doesn't make you a good leader, and lack of it doesn't make you a bad leader. She can use her motivation from this to help her push forward and prove to her upperclassmen that she deserves it.

[MarkedGal617]

It also will depend on her outfit, whether or not she can be promoted to Corporal the next semester. I know my outfit does not promote. I personally will be a PFC next year, and though I was initially bummed, I am okay with that. There are plenty of opportunities to lead at every level :)

[farmtownte]

Morgan you are 100% right about the standards having changed for our year vs previous. I had the highest GPR, only contract, and 2nd highest pt scores in my fish class, but because I had no desire to go out for Guidon chain I got PFC. If those don't qualify as someone who leads by example I'll live by G-Ram's decision to change to the "points" method and show him this year.