Aide-de-camp interview

Today, I did two important things: I interviewed with my brigade's commander (my great grand-boss, an O-6 colonel) to be the general's aide-de-camp (준장의 부관, 准將的 副官), and I applied for my paternity leave.

The paternity leave thing went off without a hitch. It's a lot like a permissive TDY -- you get ten days of paid leave at the company level and don't have to sign out with the brigade. I'll be back on the 21st.

For the interview, I was a bit nervous at first. The other three candidates were two captains and the executive officer from my own company. By comparison, I'm still wearing my second lieutenant rank (at least until I get pinned). I was also the last person to be interviewed.

However, I came prepared. I was the only one to wear my Class A uniform (everyone else was in their regular ACUs), and I brought materials. When the colonel asked if I was good at planning, I showed the front page of the newspaper my "Truck Day" story was in. All I had to say was, "Yes sir, this was my most recent project, and here's the operations order I prepared for it." I could tell that he was impressed.

He saw that I was healthy and presented a decent physical appearance, and asked about my language skills. He asked about my family situation and my age, and approved of the fact that I was mature.

He asked about my PowerPoint skills; that was not an issue. My time in graduate school exercised those skills plenty enough. He also asked about my combat experience (none) and whether I be concerned about missing out on my unit's deployment. I replied yes, that it's important to me to have something on my right shoulder. He said that will come in time.

When he asked me what my strengths were, I said that I had broad experience from the civilian sector to draw on. Regarding my weaknesses, I said that I have not yet served in some of the staff positions that others had; I've only been a platoon leader. He said that wasn't a bit deal -- that I could learn about that quickly.

All in all, I think it was a very successful interview -- one for which my private sector employment trained me well. In that sense, I feel very happy about having joined the Army later in life; I really have gained skills and strengths that others haven't necessarily developed as much.

It makes me feel much better about the ten years I spent prior to joining the Army. At times I've feared they were a waste of time; now I can see how they really weren't.