Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

Content:

• EQ: What trait is the most important to develop in order to qualify for advancement as a military officer?
• What are some requirements for advancing in rank?
• As an officer, what type of education is required in order to advance?
• What are the most important requirements that one should focus on?
• What are the most important elements in making one's self more eligible to advance as an officer?
• What is the process in order to become a officer?
• With being a leader, how can one be more effective?
• Based on the Marine principles and traits, which 3 are the most important to you from both lists?
• What should a leader be most concerned about when leading others?
• From your experiences, what have you seen to be admirable in a leader?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 hours check

Due Date:  Friday January 10, 2014 by 8AM.

Content:

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?

• I have been doing most of my hours with my mentor, Captain Hankle, at his office in Santa Ana or when he is running a Marine information booth at colleges and schools. I do the rest of my hours with my dad at home.

2.   Who is your contact?

• Captain Hankle is my contact.

3.   How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in your mentorship log located on the right hand side of your blog like your WB)?   

• I've done 10 hours exactly.

4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.

• I basically have been job shadowing Captain Hankle and discussing my project with him. With my dad, I'm helping him create an Army Cadet Unit at iPoly. So what I do with my dad is help with brainstorming and going through documents.

5.   Email your house teacher the name of your contact and their phone number confirming who they should call to verify it.  

Blog 10: Senior Project, The Holiday

Content:

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you over the break with your senior project?

• I went in to complete some hours with my mentor at his Orange County Office. We discussed our plan of action and we also looked into different answers for my EQ. I also began to talk with my dad about what we want to do with our Army Cadet Unit.

2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did and why?  What was the source of what you learned?

• I learned that leadership is a combination of things, but the most important is to improve on yourself and your own understanding as you continue on. If you don't look to improve yourself in any way, you won't become the most effective in your position.

3.  If you were going to do a 10 question interview on questions related to answers of your EQ, who would you talk to and why?

• I would talk to my dad (who is a Major) and my mentor, Captain Hankle. They both have had years of experience with leadership and they have their own perspectives on how to lead in the military.

A Deeper Understanding

          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.

Blog 9: EQ

Content

1.   Review this.  Confirm by stating "I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."
Essential Question
Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question.  The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic.  An essential question must:

• Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
• Takes a stance (Allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
•  Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)
• I've reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2.  Review the following EQs and

• Tell us if it meets the rule of 3 criteria.
• Tell why it does or why it doesn't

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

• This doesn't follow the rule of three. It's asking for one answer and not expanding on the topic of weight loss.

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

• This EQ is not following the rule of 3 because it's still only asking for one answer.

 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

• Yes and no. Its still looking for a single answer, but it has added more depth as in what is being studied.

 d.  How can an Anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

• Yes, this question does follow the rule of three. It clear states what is being looked for and the focus of the study.  It's straightforward

3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.

• What are the most significant qualities an officer should possess and how are they applied?

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1.  What is your working EQ?

• What are the most important qualities an officer should possess?

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format. 

•  One of the most important qualities to posses as an officer is dependability, because as an officer, you would need to be trusted on both the field and at peacetime when you are working with others.

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?

• The first interview with my mentor has been extremely helpful. It might not seem like it had a lot of information, but he helped gear me into a better path which helped me to find some answers for my EQ.

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you volunteering, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

• My mentor is Captain David Hankle and he's a special selections officer for Southern California and the Hawaiian Islands. He looks for different qualities in the people he recruits which is how his work relates to my topic. There are 14 personality traits that are valued in the Marines and he looks for people who will showcase those traits and represent the Marines well. 

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

• I would be working on my Girl Scout Gold Award project. What I am doing is planning an event with Operation Military Kids to help create birthday packs to be given to kids who have parents deployed in the military. I would be in charge of booking the location, bringing in donations, promoting the event, and running the event itself. I'm would be completely in charge of everything.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

• I already have to complete 60 hours, so I would be taking pictures of the event and of my final paperwork I have to submit to the Girl Scout Gold Award Board.

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

• Girls Scouts greatly depends on leadership skills within its organization, especially at the level I'm at in Girl Scouts. This would allow me to improve on my own skills and put newer skills into action.