Seoul, South Korea -- Soldiers assigned to Yongsan, South Korea, participated in a January 21, mentorship mixer -- a function that aimed to pair Soldiers with senior leaders, who could share their experience of navigating through a military career.
"A mentor is important for many different reasons," said Master Sgt. Latisha Turner, a senior noncommissioned officer assigned to the United States Forces Korea. "Soldiers can sometimes struggle with a lack of direction throughout their career. And some of them are too shy to even ask for guidance," Turner said.
Leaders, ranging from the ranks of master sergeant to colonel; hoped engaging service members directly would dispel their hesitations with seeking guidance.
Speaking in turn, leaders shared their experience coming up through the ranks without a mentor and the challenges they faced and the successes they've had because of mentors. The overarching theme was that senior leaders wanted Soldiers to understand that they understood a service member's reluctance to ask for guidance, but assured them leaders want Soldiers to succeed.
"Outside of the guidance they get from the day-to-day mission related things, sometimes they may not step up and say 'I need help with my career,'" Turner said. "They might say 'I'm not sure if I want to stay in or get out of the military'. That's why I think a mentor is really important, not only professionally but personally."
Turner explained that when she says 'personally', she means that many service members don't know how to save or financially invest in their future. "They don't think about the future as far as life after the military in regards to finances," she said. "A lack of direction can lead a soldier to go down the wrong path."
The 1st Signal Brigade, Command Sgt. Maj. Andy Frye, knows what it's like to begin a career with little experience. Having had a successful career in the Army, Frye shared his thoughts with soldiers attending the mentorship mixer.
"At twenty years old, I thought I knew everything," Frye said. "Eventually, I realized I didn't know much at all. I started reaching out to my first sergeant or my platoon sergeant." Frye explained that although he may not have realized it at the time, the leaders he was turning to were mentors. He understood that they were leaders who could guide him.
"Some of the things that I was experiencing were new to me and most of my leaders already had experience with those things, and how they dealt with it could relate to me in figuring out how I was going to deal with it. Frye said "They did not tell me what to do. But they gave me some options."
Private 1st Class Dominque Ashley learned about the mentorship mixer while researching opportunities within the BOSS program, (Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers) but found advertisements for the mixer instead.
"I came here because I was looking for a mentor, someone who could guide me and help me make the right choices while I am in Korea and during my Army career," she said. "Everybody needs someone who they can look up to, who can help them in their career."
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