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Enlisted redlegs: take charge of your career.

Article Excerpt
Transformation is occurring across the full spectrum of Army systems. Our active duty enlisted personnel management system (EPMS) is undergoing changes to move forward with advances in technology and information management. These changes will increase the soldier's control over his career, make the personnel system more responsive to personal preferences and increase overall family stability.

Enlisted personnel management's first priority is to meet Army readiness requirements--man warfighting units to 100 percent of authorizations. The Army relies on enlisted soldiers, particularly combat arms, to offset shortages in officer manning and shortfalls in other military occupational specialties (MOS).

Our second priority is to fulfill the soldier's personal assignment preferences. This is a significant change from the past when personal preference was the third or fourth consideration. However, this change in priority places more responsibility on the soldier to manage his professional development. More so than ever, the soldier must understand the requirements for development and success in his MOS. Inherent, also, is the greater responsibility of his senior leaders and mentors to understand his professional development needs and advise him on career options.

This article provides information for soldiers and leaders on the Field Artillery's enlisted force professional development requirements and guidelines.

How to Succeed. The skills and experiences that enable a young sergeant (SGT) to become a competent platoon sergeant (PSG) are the result of that NCO 's commitment to becoming a subject matter expert (SME) in his field, both inside and outside his MOS, and being proactive in his career assignments. Developing and sustaining individual competence is a result of Army schools, unit training and exercises, and personal learning by the soldier.

Personal learning or lifetime learning is a central tenet of the Army's personnel transformation. New information technologies provide greater opportunities for self-education through distance learning programs. Some examples are video teleconference classes, individual CD ROM interactive training, web-based individual learning and correspondence programs. Soldiers use computers to access most of these distance learning programs.

While these programs won't replace resident training in the Army schools or unit exercises, they will help the soldier in sustainment training or special skills qualification. Leaders must understand this shift and provide soldiers the opportunities to maximize their use of these developmental programs.

The Total Army Personnel Command (PERSCOM) in Alexandria, Virginia, and branch proponents have websites that provide substantial career development information for enlisted soldiers. See Figure 1 for the websites for Field Artillerymen and a brief explanation of what's available on each.

To use many of the Army systems listed in Figure 1, the soldier must have an Army Knowledge Online (AKO) account. For example, soldiers may check their individual military records online through the AKO web portal before promotion boards.

Soldiers also must understand the sequence and types of professional development options in their MOS and how these fit into the progression of all the Field Artillery MOS. The Field Artillery is structured with 87 percent of its authorizations in tables of organization and equipment (TOEs) in warfighting units with the remaining 13 percent in tables of distribution and allowances (TDAs) in support units and organizations. Thus, most of a soldier's Field Artillery career will be spent in tactical units.

The majority of the TDA positions available for Field Artillery soldiers are at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and include jobs such as instructor, drill sergeant and other positions in the Field Artillery School and Center. The other primary TDA assignments for FA soldiers are recruiting positions, Active Component! Reserve Component (AC/RC) positions, Combat Training Center (CTC) observers/controllers (O/Cs) and ROTC positions.

The next consideration in career planning is overseas service. Ten years ago, nearly 50 percent of the Field Artillery was positioned overseas. Today, that percentage is about 18 percent. Soldiers today have a slightly greater probability of serving in an unaccompanied short tour (Korea) than of serving in an overseas long tour.

The following sections provide a description of the key agencies and the chain of command--plus the individual soldier--who are involved in determining Field Artillery enlisted professional development and assignments.

Field Artillery Proponency Office (FAPO). The Chief of Field Artillery sets the professional development standards for all Field Artillery soldiers. The action office is FAPO, which "coordinates the formulation and implementation of personnel management issues" and advises and assists in enlisted career management.

FAPO provides a wealth of information at its website...

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