GOV/MIL My son made the Army Major List

Maryh

Veteran Member
Congratulations to your son! My daughter made Major in 05. She has had a 26 yr career and now has a great retirement. Downside was the multiple deployments and stress. Still, being an officer is a great opportunity for a civilian job later with much less stress. She did not compromise her principles and did a good job. I know she had a few nut cases for bosses but it doesn't last and one or the other moves on to a new assignment. She made good choices, has multiple rental properties as she bought houses where she was assigned and now has a great contractor job. She has friends all over the world. It was a thrill for me when my daughter was promoted or took command with the ceremonies on the parade field. I was so proud of her. You will feel the same for him. I know you are bursting with pride. Congrats again. It is a big deal!!
 

annieb

Senior Member
Congratulations to your son! My daughter made Major in 05. She has had a 26 yr career and now has a great retirement. Downside was the multiple deployments and stress. Still, being an officer is a great opportunity for a civilian job later with much less stress. She did not compromise her principles and did a good job. I know she had a few nut cases for bosses but it doesn't last and one or the other moves on to a new assignment. She made good choices, has multiple rental properties as she bought houses where she was assigned and now has a great contractor job. She has friends all over the world. It was a thrill for me when my daughter was promoted or took command with the ceremonies on the parade field. I was so proud of her. You will feel the same for him. I know you are bursting with pride. Congrats again. It is a big deal!!
Yes!! Mary you nailed it! It is a big deal! I know Dan will survive because of his relationship with Jesus! He has been in for almost 10 years. He's got 10 to go. He is doing great and he is totally respected for his skills and knowledge. His peers speak very highly of him and he had 3 company commands. Three. His superiors speak so highly of him in the speeches I have heard when he has relinquished command. He is a tough son a gun!! Thank you for sharing your daughter's experience! Love it!
 

mikeabn

Finally not a lurker!
Major can be a difficult rank as there are very few command assignments. I'd hope that he get an S-3 (operations) assignment or- and I hate to say this- an S-4 (logistics) slot. That is thankless but a critical broadening assignment. Then Command and General Staff College (resident). If he can possibly wiggle his way into some kind of an O-4 command position he should do it by all means. My theory was that if the first report card a promotion board sees says "Commander" they'd take pity on me...anyway it seemed to work, thank You Jesus. All the best to him- gonna be a tough ride in the military at least for a while.
 

AlfaMan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Yes!! Mary you nailed it! It is a big deal! I know Dan will survive because of his relationship with Jesus! He has been in for almost 10 years. He's got 10 to go. He is doing great and he is totally respected for his skills and knowledge. His peers speak very highly of him and he had 3 company commands. Three. His superiors speak so highly of him in the speeches I have heard when he has relinquished command. He is a tough son a gun!! Thank you for sharing your daughter's experience! Love it!

I send congratulations to you and your son on an achievement such as this. He sounds like an ops guy-I know a lot of majors end up here for at least one tour of the puzzle palace (it's very competitive trying for O-5 in the Pentagon environment-but he has unit leadership experience so I'd think he has a leg up on a lot of the other O-4s around here). He's looking at a stint at either Leavenworth or Carlisle Barracks (think Leavenworth is staff college for majors, Carlisle is for lt. colonels).
With 3 operational commands already under his belt, I'd think his path to lt colonel should be pretty simple.
It gets political in those ranks though. Heavily political.

Glad he's a conservative-a good bit of line units locally have very conservative lower ranks. He could make and train other leaders when the civil war starts.

Congratulate him-it's quite an achievement. And see if he has a single scope clearance. If he goes out if he doesn't make lt colonel, he could make a mint as a contractor. Some companies here are paying $25,000 sign on bonuses for people with your son's experience and clearance.
 

annieb

Senior Member
I send congratulations to you and your son on an achievement such as this. He sounds like an ops guy-I know a lot of majors end up here for at least one tour of the puzzle palace (it's very competitive trying for O-5 in the Pentagon environment-but he has unit leadership experience so I'd think he has a leg up on a lot of the other O-4s around here). He's looking at a stint at either Leavenworth or Carlisle Barracks (think Leavenworth is staff college for majors, Carlisle is for lt. colonels).
With 3 operational commands already under his belt, I'd think his path to lt colonel should be pretty simple.
It gets political in those ranks though. Heavily political.

Glad he's a conservative-a good bit of line units locally have very conservative lower ranks. He could make and train other leaders when the civil war starts.

Congratulate him-it's quite an achievement. And see if he has a single scope clearance. If he goes out if he doesn't make lt colonel, he could make a mint as a contractor. Some companies here are paying $25,000 sign on bonuses for people with your son's experience and clearance.
Alfaman, Thank you for that info. He is a tanker. Loves what he does. I was listening to the ceremonies (command relinquishments) again and I am just amazed. He is not political and understands how it all works. Humble and not puffed up. He as one of his Lt. Cols., called him a pirate in his speech. (I need to transcribe all the speeches). I doubt he will stay in beyond 20 years if he makes it that far in this environment. Fort Irwin really changed him after almost 5 years of being there. 41 rotations. He started of course as a planner and excelled at that. When he started his first command, he was told one of the soldiers in the company was accused of rape. So he learned about the legal process pretty quick. In his second company, one of his soldiers committed suicide, just after he started with that one. I pray constantly that God keeps His hand on him through whatever is coming. The next ten years. I shudder to think if the US will even exist by the time OBiden's term ends. He did his ROTC training at MIT. He went to Gordon College in Wenham MA. Majored in American History. He was a civil war re-enactor through his high school years (Confederate). Loves cigars and whiskey.
 

MinnesotaSmith

Membership Revoked
Send your son a copy of William Lind's novel "Victoria"*. If inspired by the hero at all, he'll never get a star (or probably even eagles) in the U.S. military. Far more importantly, he'd keep his Oath -- and his soul.

* Published under pen name "Hobbes".
 
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AlfaMan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Alfaman, Thank you for that info. He is a tanker. Loves what he does. I was listening to the ceremonies (command relinquishments) again and I am just amazed. He is not political and understands how it all works. Humble and not puffed up. He as one of his Lt. Cols., called him a pirate in his speech. (I need to transcribe all the speeches). I doubt he will stay in beyond 20 years if he makes it that far in this environment. Fort Irwin really changed him after almost 5 years of being there. 41 rotations. He started of course as a planner and excelled at that. When he started his first command, he was told one of the soldiers in the company was accused of rape. So he learned about the legal process pretty quick. In his second company, one of his soldiers committed suicide, just after he started with that one. I pray constantly that God keeps His hand on him through whatever is coming. The next ten years. I shudder to think if the US will even exist by the time OBiden's term ends. He did his ROTC training at MIT. He went to Gordon College in Wenham MA. Majored in American History. He was a civil war re-enactor through his high school years (Confederate). Loves cigars and whiskey.

He DEFINITELY looks like he's going places, if he's handled all that thrown at him throughout his career. Suggest to him that a nice set of hand tailored class A's, mess dress and dress blues might be a good idea. Most buy the Marlow White uniforms off the rack at the MCSS-they're nasty and ill fitting on a good day.
At that rank well tailored uniforms would serve him well. There are some good tailors around Ft. Benning, I've seen their work. It will cost doing those uniforms but they will serve him well for many years (like, when he gets pinned with his first star).

He's going to start being around higher ranks more and more; as with a nicely tailored business suit a well tailored uniform will get him noticed. (An aside for you-when I made my 3 handmade suits, I cut materials for the coat to the same length as a military/army class A suit coat. I like the touch extra length. Fills the line on the suit out a bit better. )

The dinners and conferences he will be attending are as much for whatever is discussed or celebrated as much as him being checked out and sized up by his superiors.
 

annieb

Senior Member
He DEFINITELY looks like he's going places, if he's handled all that thrown at him throughout his career. Suggest to him that a nice set of hand tailored class A's, mess dress and dress blues might be a good idea. Most buy the Marlow White uniforms off the rack at the MCSS-they're nasty and ill fitting on a good day.
At that rank well tailored uniforms would serve him well. There are some good tailors around Ft. Benning, I've seen their work. It will cost doing those uniforms but they will serve him well for many years (like, when he gets pinned with his first star).

He's going to start being around higher ranks more and more; as with a nicely tailored business suit a well tailored uniform will get him noticed. (An aside for you-when I made my 3 handmade suits, I cut materials for the coat to the same length as a military/army class A suit coat. I like the touch extra length. Fills the line on the suit out a bit better. )

The dinners and conferences he will be attending are as much for whatever is discussed or celebrated as much as him being checked out and sized up by his superiors.
Thanks Alfaman!! I'll pass that on!
 

Josie

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Well congratulations to Captain Dan!
And congratulations to his Mom and Dad! You obviously raised a good man. I wish him nothing but the best and pray for his safety and protection.
 

Line Doggie

Contributing Member
I started as an E-1 and got out as an O-4.
Politics and playing the game just gets worse as you go higher, but I worked with many officers through full colonel who got there by being great workers and having the right attitude.
It's like a pond with fishes and snakes in it; and as the pond shrinks, its the fish who disappear, not the snakes.
I join others in offering congratulations. Hope he has the patience to stay with it!
 

Night Breeze

Veteran Member
Takes a lot to get to where he is. Next promotion requires Senate confirmation. The next generation of military leaders might see the pendullum swing back to conservative hawks military. We can all hope so. Congrats to your son.
 

thompson

Certa Bonum Certamen
Congratulations to your son. You have every reason to be proud of him. That is quite an accomplishment!
 
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