So far, I have become acquainted with my mentor. He often tells me, "I feel bad for not having something for you to do," but I'm usually fine with making conversation and asking questions as to what he does. You see, Captain Hankle goes to different schools and other locations and sets up Marine booth. He travels all over Southern California and a few pacific islands, including the Hawaiian Islands. So when it comes to being in the off, he is taking in appointments and making phone calls.
So as I started thinking beforehand, I knew I wanted to become more proficient with the different acronyms and other terms that Hankle often uses when speaking to other Marines and his colleagues. One example of an acronym that Hankle uses often on the job is OCS, which means Officer Candidate School. Since he is a Special Selections Officer, he often refers to OCS. Another example of an acronym is PME, which means Professional Military Education. In order to advance as officer, one would need to complete PME in order to be qualified to advance.
I also knew I needed to understand how the ranking of officers worked and what the difference between enlisted officers and reservists was. So Hankle showed me how the ranking of an officer worked. You would enter in as a Second Lieutenant, then First Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, and General. He then explained that enlisted officers are the ones who carry out orders and officers are the ones who facilitate and manage the enlisted. Reservists are the lay-by-and store soldiers, so if we needed more soldiers, we would grab from the reserves.
So as my mentorship continues, I feel I'm already gaining the knowledge to see if the service is a possible career path for me.
