A Technique to Get Organized and Manage Your Career

You have most likely heard or been advised that you are your best career manager. Yet, how many times have you found yourself shuffling through papers looking for that award which did not get added to your Officer Record Brief (ORB), or perhaps your last Officer Evaluation Report (OER), or maybe even a copy of your Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders? If you have never found yourself in such a predicament, then you must be well organized, but some of us can relate to this situation. The simple technique which follows will help you manage the paperwork, which often proves critical to the management of your career. A three-ring binder with document protectors is a simple, inexpensive way to easily manage your important career documents. While other techniques, such as file folders, will certainly do, a binder comes in handy when you need to just grab your files and go, such as when you must visit your servicing Personnel Service Battalion (PSB) to update your ORB. Once you have your binder, collect all of your important documents and organize them. Place your ORB in the front of your binder. You will use this document the most and be required to update it annually. In addition to posting the current copy, consider saving the past two copies so that you have a history of what items were posted or what changes were made. In the next section, post copies of all of your permanent orders, organizing them in chronological order. Ensure you include copies of any amendments. You now have the documents that outline your assignment history. The next, and one of the most important sections, of the binder includes your past evaluation reports. Hopefully you have retained copies of both academic evaluation reports as well as officer evaluation reports. Ensure that you have official copies with all signatures and PSB blocks complete. Incomplete copies will not be accepted when attempting to add them to your fiche. If you did not receive an official copy of a recent report, request a copy through your S1 or PSB. Place copies of past OER support forms with the corresponding OER. These come in handy when queried about past accomplishments, or when your replacement asks for a copy of your job description. After organizing your evaluation reports, gather your past awards or special skill qualification certificates. These are the most common items omitted from your ORB or fiche, so keeping copies proves important. Although the award certificate itself serves as proof of an award, keep the DA Form 638 if you have it. Likewise, hang on to both your certificate or any authorization orders generated from a special skill school such as airborne or air assault. Once you have organized the documents discussed above, you may wish to add some additional sections to your career book. Records pertaining to civilian schooling, such as undergraduate transcripts or GRE results, will prove useful if you plan to apply for advanced civilian schooling. Once you have chosen and been designated within a functional area/career field, you may wish to create a section to organize those important documents. Finally, you may want to retain copies of military correspondence to include letters of recommendation. These will become important when applying for advanced schooling or seeking a special assignment. After you have built your career book, keep it in a safe place. As you progress though your career, you will find it more and more useful as you update your ORB, prepare for selection boards, and manage your career. Do not procrastinate getting organized, for those who do often find themselves spending more time searching for lost documents or requesting copies.

CPT Christopher Engen was commissioned in Armor from the U.S. Military Academy in 1991. He served as a tank platoon leader and battalion adjutant for 2-37 Armor, in Vilseck, Germany; BMO in 3d Bde, 1st AD, at Ft. Riley; and Commander, C Co., 2- 70 Armor, then HHC, 2-70 Armor. Following graduate school, his next assignment will be as a company tactical officer at the U.S. Military Academy. He has completed AOB, Scout Commander Certification Course, and AOAC.
   

  Officer Record Brief (ORB) Permanent Orders OERs with support forms Award Certificate with DA Form 638 Civil Schooling Documents Undergraduate Transcripts GRE Results Special Skill Certificates and orders

ORB

RE CO MMEN D A TION FOR AWA RD

For use of thi s f orm , s ee AR 60 0-8-2 2; the propon ent agency i s OD CSP ER 12a. IND IC ATE ACH , SVC , PCS , ETS, O R RET

A CHIEVE MEN T #4

21. P ROP OSE D C ITA TIO N

19. SI GN ATUR E

13. POS THUM OU S

N O

Y ES

For val or /heroi sm/w art i me a nd al l aw ar ds hi gher than MS M, r efer to sp eci al i nstr uctio ns in C hap ter 3 , A R 600 -8-22. 1 . TO

2 . FROM

3. D ATE

4 . NAM E

5. RAN K

6. SS N

7. OR GAN IZA TIO N

8. P REV IOU S AW ARD S

9. BR ANC H OF SER VIC E

10. R ECO MM END ED AWAR D

11. P ERI OD OF AWAR D

a . FROM b . TO

12. RE ASON FO R AW AR D

12b. IN TERI M AW AR D

Y ES

N O

I F Y ES, STA TE A W ARD GI VEN

P ART I - R ECO MM EN DER D ATA

14 . NAM E

15. AD DRE SS

16. TITL E/PO SI TIO N

17. RA NK

18. R ELATI ON SHI P TO A W ARD EE

PART I I - JU STIFI CA TION A ND CI TATI ON DA TA ( Us e sp eci fi c bul let ex am ples of m erit or ious acts o r serv ic e)

20. A CHI EVE MEN TS

A CHIEVE MEN T #1

A CHIEVE MEN T #2

A CHIEVE MEN T #3

DA FORM 638, NOV 9 4

R EPLACES DA FOR M 638 - 1.

P REVIOU S EDI TION S OF DA FORM 6 38 AR E OBSO LETE.

USAPPC V6.00

PAR T I - SO LDI ER DA TA

O FFI CE R EV AL UA TI ON R E PORT S UP PO R T FO RM

F or us e of t his for m, see AR 623 - 10 5; t he p ropon en t ag ency is ODCSPER

R ANK

MAN DATOR Y R ATER / RATED OFFI CER INI TIAL FACE- TO- FACE CO UNSELI NG ON DUTI ES, RESPO NSIBI LITIES AND PER FORM ANCE OBJECT IVES FOR THE

C URRE NT R ATING PER IOD TOO K PLACE ON

PER IODI C RATER / RATED OFF ICER FOLLOW - UP FACE- TO- FACE COUN SELING S: b . I NDICAT E YOUR MAJOR PERFORM ANCE OBJ ECTIVES

RAN K

POSIT IO N

S ENIO R R ATER

PAR T I I - VERI FICATI ON OF FACE- TO- FACE DIS CUSSI ON

Rat ed Of fi c er Init ials

R ATER

PA RT I I - RATIN G CHAI N - YO UR RATIN G C HAIN FOR TH E EVAL UATIO N PER IOD I S:

N AM E

a . STATE YOUR SIGNI FICANT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBIL I T IES

N AM E

Read Pr iv ac y Act State m ent o n Re ve rse b efore Completi ng th is fo r m

PART I - RATED O FFICER ID ENTIFI CATI ON

N AME OF RATED OFFI CER (Las t, F irst , MI )

O RGANI ZATIO N

INTER MED IATE

R ATER

N AM E

RAN K

RAN K

POSIT IO N

POSIT IO N

PART IV - RATED OFFIC ER ( Complet e a , b, a nd c be low f or t hi s ra t ing perio d)

PRI NCIPAL DUTY TI TL E

D A FORM 67 -9-1, OC T 9 7

REPL ACES DA FOR M 6 7- 8- 1 , FEB 85, W HICH IS OBSOLET E, 1 OCT 97

Rat er Init ials Rat er Init ials ( Dat e) Rat ed Of fi c er Init ials Senior Rat er I nit ials ( Rev iew ) Senior Rat er I nit ials ( Rev iew )

POSI TI ON AO C / BR

Dates

USAPA V1 .00

OF FICER EVAL UATI ON REPORT

Fo r us e of t his f o rm, se e AR 6 23-10 5; t he prop on ent agen cy is ODCSPER j. RATE D

M ONTH S

l. NO. OF

E NCL

SE PRIVACY A CT STATEMENT

ON DA FORM 6 7- 9-1

p. P SB

CO DE

W ERE DEVELOPM ENTAL TASKS RECO RDED ON DA FORM 67- 9-1a AN D Q UARTER LY FO LOW - UP COU NSELING S CO NDU CTED?

d. JU NIOR OF FICER DEVELO PMENT - MAN DATO RY YES OR NO ENTR Y FO R R ATERS OF LTs AND W O1s. b.3. ACTI ONS ( LEADERSH IP) ( Selec t 3) Major ac t iv it ies leaders perf orm : infl uenc i ng, oper ati ng, and im proving Displ ays s elf- contr ol; ca l m und er pr es ure

D ATE

PAR T I - AD MIN ISTRAT IVE DATA

De mo nst rate s s ou nd jud gmen t, cr it ic al/c r ea ti ve thin kin g, mo ral rea soning Po se sses th e n ec esary ex pe rt ise to ac compl ish al task s and f un cti ons

TEC HN IC AL

3 .

CON CE PTUA L

YES

a. ARM Y VALUES (C om ments m an dat ory f o r al l "NO" en t ri es. Us e PART Vb. ) De velo ps de tail ed, execu tab le p l ans t hat are fe asi b le, ac cep t abl e, an d s uitab le k . N ON RATED

COD ES

D a te NA

YES

f . (Sel ect 2) b. 2 SKI LLS ( Compet ence) In spir es, moti vat es , and gu i des ot he r s towa rd mi ssi on acc om plis hmen t Se eks self -i mp rov ement an d o rganiz atio na l gr owt h; env isio nin g, ada ptin g a nd l ea din g c hange

M OTI VATI NG

D isp lays go od ora l , wr it en, an d li st en i n g s ki ls fo r i ndiv idual s / g r ou ps T ACTI CA L Demonst rates pro fi cienc y i n re quir ed p rofe ssi ona l kn owledge , j u dgm ent , a nd wa rf ighti ng Po sse sses d es ir e, wi l, in i tia ti ve , and dis cip li ne

M ENTAL

c . SI GNI FI CANT DU TIE S AND RE SP ONSIBI LI TI ES. REFER TO PA RT I Va , D A FO RM 67 -9 -1 a . NAM E (Las t , F ir st , M i ddl e In iti al ) b. S SN c . RAN K d. D ATE OF RA NK e . BR ANCH Y e a r M on th Day

D ES IG NA T ED

S PE CI AL T IES

PM O S (W 0 )

g. U NI T, ORG ., S TAT ION, ZI P C ODE OR A PO , M AJOR COM MA ND i. PERIOD COVERED

FR OM

h. REA SON FOR SUB MISS ION

TH RU

m. RA TED OF FIC ER COPY (Ch e ck one a nd d a te )

1. G iv e n to Of ic e r

2. Forw a rde d to Of ic e r n. P SB

INIT I AL

o. C MD CODE PA RT I - AUTHENTICAT I ON ( Rated of fi ce r 's sig na t u re ver ifi e s of icer h as see n compl ete d OER Pa r ts I-VI I and t h e ad min d at a is cor re ct ) a . N AM E OF R AT ER (Las t , F ir st , MI ) b. NA ME OF INT ERM EDI AT E R AT ER (Las t , F ir st , MI ) c. NAM E OF SE NIOR RAT ER (Las t , Fir st , MI )

S SN

S SN

S SN

SE NIO R RAT ER 'S O RGANI ZAT ION

E-M AIL ADDRE SS

B RANC H

RA NK

RA NK

RA NK

PO SIT ION

PO SIT ION

PO SIT ION

S IGNA TURE

S IGNA TURE

S IGNA TURE

D ATE

D ATE

D ATE

SEN I O R RATE R T ELE PHON E N UM

B ER

d . Th is i s a re fe r ed r ep o rt, d o yo u w is h to ma k e co mme n ts?

e. S IGN ATURE OF RA TED O FFIC ER

PART I I - DUTY DESCRIPTI ON

a . P RIN CIPAL DU TY TITLE b . POS I TI ON A OC/ B R PA RT IV - PERF ORM ANCE EVALUATIO N - PROFESSIONAL I SM ( Rater ) CHARA CTER Di spo siti on of t h e le ader : c ombin ati on of v alu es, at ribu t es , and ski ls a f fect in g l ead er acti ons 1 . HONOR : Adhe renc e to t he Army ' s publ icly d ecl ared code of val ues

2. IN TEG RI TY: Posses ses hig h pe rson al mor al stan dar ds; h ones t in wo r d an d d eed

3. CO UR AGE : Ma nif est s p hys ica l and m or al b r avery

4. L OYA LTY: Be ar s tr ue fait h a nd alegia nc e to t he U.S. Co nst itut ion , t h e Army , th e u nit , an d t he sol die r

5. R ESPE CT: Pro mo tes dig ni ty, c onsid era ti on , fair n es , & EO 6 . SELFLE SS-SE RVI CE : Place s Army p r ior iti es b efo r e s el f

7. D UTY: F ulfi ls pr o fes si ona l, l eg al, and mora l ob l iga tions b. LEADER A TTRI BUTES / SKILL S / A CTI ON S: Fir st , m ar k " YES" o r "NO " f o r ea ch blo ck . Se cond, ch os e a t ot al o f si x that be st des cri be the r at ed of fi cer . Se lect one f rom AT TR IBUT ES, t wo fr om SKI L S (Compete nce) , an d th ree fr om ACT I ONS ( LEADERSHI P). Place an "X" in the a pp rop riat e n um ber ed bo x wit h opt ion al c omments i n PART Vb. Comments are ma ndator y in Part V b for al l "No" entries. F und am en t al qua liti es and ch ar ac ter is ti cs b.1. ATTR IBUTES (S el ec t 1) Ski l d evelop me nt i s part of s elf-dev elo pmen t; p rere quisit e to ac ti on Me t ho d of re ac hi n g goal s while op erat ing / imp r ovin g

INFLU ENCI NG

Sh or t- term mi s i on a ccom plis hment

OP ERATIN G

L ong -ter m i mprov em en t in t he Army it s peo ple an d o r g ani zati ons

IMPR OVIN G

c. APFT :

DATE:

HE IGHT :

WE IGHT :

1 .

C OM MU NI CA TIN G

YES

N O 1 . N O 4 . Ma inta ins ap pro pr iate lev el o f p hysica l fit ness and mi lit ar y bear ing

P HYS IC AL

2 .

YES

N O Sh ow s ski l with pe ople: coa chi ng, t ea ch ing , co un sel ing , m ot iv ating a nd empower ing

I NT ERP ERS ONA L

2 .

YES

N O

EMO TI ONA L

3 .

YES N O

YES N O

1 .

YES

N O

PLA NNIN G

4 .

YES

N O In vest s ade qu ate ti me a nd efor t t o d eve lop i nd i vi dual s ubo r d inates as l ead ers

D EVE LOPI NG

7 .

YES

N O Emplo ys sou nd j u dgm en t , l ogi cal rea son ing a nd u ses r eso ur ce s wi sely

D EC ISI ON -M AKIN G

2 .

YES

N O Shows t ac ti ca l pro fi cie ncy , me et s mi s ion st and ards, and ta kes ca re o f p eopl e/ res our ces

EXE CUT IN G

5 .

YES

N O Spend s tim e and r esou r ce s im pr ovi ng teams, g roup s and u nits; fost er s e thica l cl imate

BUILDIN G

8 .

YES

N O 3 . N O U ses aft er -a cti on and ev alu atio n t ool s to fa cil ita te co ns isten t i mp r ov eme nt

ASS ESSI NG

6 .

YES N O

LEA RNIN G

9 .

YES N O

YES N O

YES

D A FOR M 67- 9, OCT 97

REPL ACES DA FOR M 6 7- 8, 1 SEP 79, W HICH IS OBSOLET E, 1 OCT 97

Ye s, c omm en ts a re a t ac h ed No

YES

N O

YES

N O

YES

N O N O

Y e a r Mo nth Y e a r Day Mo nth Day

Yes No Yes No

USAPA V2 .00

ARMOR — September-October 1999 53