HUMPHREYS GARRISON Aca,!" In recent years, the U.S. Army has increased the maximum age for initial entry into active duty, National Guard, and Reserve service. This allows thousands of applicants up to 41 years old to pursue potential Army careers, and reap the education incentives the Army has to offer.
Sgt. William Hoy, a medic with the 568th Medical Brigade, enlisted into Army active duty at the age of 33. A single father of two when he enlisted, Hoy says the hardest challenge he faced during his early years in the Army was adjusting to the pace Soldiers interact.
Aca,!A"I had no patience when I first enlisted in the Army eight years ago and since I became a Noncommissioned officer, IAca,!a,,cve developed patience,Aca,!A? said Hoy.
Aca,!A"I know patience will be among the best traits that IAca,!a,,cve gained while serving in the Army.Aca,!A?
Hoy said there were times in the beginning of his career when he didnAca,!a,,ct know how he was going to get through morning physical fitness training, but accepting defeat was not part of his success plan.
Aca,!A"I refused to give up, and itAca,!a,,cs important that all new Soldiers Aca,!" no matter what their age Aca,!" always strive to learn, and never give up on themselves,Aca,!A? he said. Aca,!A"I succeeded in reaching the NCO ranks because I refused to quit.Aca,!A?
Hoy said patience is critical while mentoring young Soldiers to become better adults, and a quality needed to help Soldiers work through and complete their educational goals.
Aca,!A"I believe the single best Army opportunity there is for NCOAca,!a,,cs and all Soldiers is education,Aca,!A? said Hoy. Aca,!A"They donAca,!a,,ct have to have a degree when they enter active duty service, but they should try to start one and if they completed a few college courses before they were Soldiers, they should finish their degree, and also pursue advance-level degrees.Aca,!A?
Hoy said continuous learning is important for everybody because a college education helps them improve their chances for Army career progression and life after active Army service.
Aca,!A"For NCOAca,!a,,cs, if we want to strive to be officers, a college degree will help us qualify for the officer corps, but it will also prepare us for getting a job in the civilian world because a degree, combined with all the Army leadership training we receive will make us competitive with the rest of the applicants that are out there,Aca,!A? he said.
Hoy credits early mentors in his Army career for inspiring him to serve a 20-year career in the Army, and shares his experience in patience building with new Soldiers.
Aca,!A"As an NCO, IAca,!a,,cve learned youAca,!a,,cve got to be patient and listen to your Soldiers,Aca,!A? said Hoy. Aca,!A"Building up their knowledge within their jobs, and teaching them how to manage their finances is also important,Aca,!A? he said.
Aca,!A"As NCOAca,!a,,cs we must teach young Soldiers how to deal with different personalities and people, and also teach them how to learn about themselves. Once you learn about yourself, and how much stress you can take, and how to talk with people, and how you like people to talk with you Aca,!" weAca,!a,,cll all be better at every-day life.Aca,!A?
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