Week 17 rolled in quick, and that means it’s time for Blog 17. This one wraps up the last part of the short series on how to succeed in the military. If you haven’t read PART 1 HERE and PART 2 HERE yet, go check those out first so this one makes more sense, and you get the full picture.
Succeeding in the military opens up more doors than you would realize. When you start standing out at work and being better than your co-workers, you start getting noticed. You’re more likely to get the good opportunities, the right people will trust you, and your name will start getting brought up to the leadership.
Success isn’t just for the military either. It carries over into everything else—your personal growth, your relationships, your future business plans, whatever it is you want to do. As we all know success brings money and peace. But none of it comes easy. You got to work for it and keep learning as much as you can. That is why you’re here right now reading this—to figure out how to get better, take steps in the right direction and make the best version of yourself.
Follow along and let’s get started!
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Lead people.
You need to learn how to lead people. Leadership is more than just giving orders—it’s doing what’s best for the team. Step up, set the tone, and make sure the task or mission gets done. That kind of leadership earns respect.
But let’s be real—leading people isn’t easy. It’s a skill you learn over time through experience and mistakes. One of the best ways to learn is by watching both good and bad leaders. We’ve all had someone in charge who had no idea what they were doing—who either didn’t care, didn’t communicate, or just couldn’t lead. That sucked, but it perfect opportunity to learn how you would not lead.
Now, if you’re low-ranking, you might be thinking, “That’s not my job yet.” And technically, that might be true. But that doesn’t mean you can’t practice now. Leadership doesn’t always mean having rank—it means having initiative. Organize something small. Step up when a task needs to get done. Be the one who makes things smoother for the team. That’s leadership, too.
And here’s the truth: if you want to move up, people are watching. They notice who takes ownership, who communicates well, who keeps their cool, and who looks out for others. So use this time to build those skills early. Learn how to motivate people, how to solve problems under pressure, and how to carry yourself in a way that earns trust. That’s how you stand out. That’s how you become better than your co-workers and put yourself on track for real success—not just in the military, but in life.
Volunteer.
Everyone’s favorite topic in the military—volunteering, haha. But if I’m being real with you, it’s a huge boost to your career.
First, let me clear something up: I’m not saying you need to volunteer every single weekend. Honestly, just once or twice a month is more than enough to put you ahead of 90–95% of the people around you. Most people don’t want to spend their time off doing anything extra after being at work all week. I get it—no one wants to give up their weekends. That’s why you’ve got to get smart about it.
Here’s your cheat code (if it works with your unit): try to set something up during duty hours. Gather a few friends, find a legit volunteer opportunity (MWR, Commissary, Local animal, shelters, etc)—maybe something that raises money or supports the local community—and get a few hours in during the week. If that’s not possible, then go for after-duty hours or even just one weekend every couple of months. That’s still more than enough to stand out.
Here’s the perfect formula: Gather couple of your friends, find volunteer opportunity and do for couple hours. Bonus points if you are able to raise money for something. Make sure to keep track of all the numbers. Breaking it down, you lead X amount of people, you helped X amount of people you collected X lbs of trash and maybe you raised X amount of money. If you did all 4 at once, that’s a huge boost for you!
For lower enlisted, this is one of the best ways to separate yourself from the crowd. You’ll start getting recognized, and you might even pass up a few NCOs who aren’t doing anything outside of the bare minimum. This is part of the golden formula to succeed: lead, serve, and stand out.
Go outside your Career Field.
Let’s be honest—not everyone in the military loves their job. A lot of people feel stuck in their career field, and that’s something most of us can relate to at some point. But here’s the good news: there are plenty of opportunities outside your AFSC or MOS that can help switch things up without having to fully cross-train. In the Air Force, for example, there are tons of SPECIAL DUTIES available that might be exactly what you need.
Think about roles like becoming a Military Training Instructor (TI), an ALS instructor, a tech school instructor, a First Sergeant, a recruiter—the list goes on. These aren’t just random side gigs. These are real chances to get out of the day-to-day routine that’s been draining you and step into something that challenges you in a different way.
A lot of people overlook special duties, but they can be the key to career growth and even personal development. Taking on a role like that gives you a fresh perspective on the military, puts you in a new environment, and forces you to adapt and lead in different ways. It’s not always easy, but it’ll push you—and it might be exactly what you need to get that fire back.
So, before you start thinking about completely getting out or cross-training into a new job, look into the special duties your branch offers. You might find something that actually motivates you again and opens up new doors for your future.
To wrap this up, success in the military doesn’t happen by luck. It’s built through hard work, mindset, and being intentional about how you carry yourself every day. Whether it’s learning how to lead, taking the initiative to volunteer, or exploring special duties to break out of a job you don’t enjoy—you have control over your path.
A lot of people show up, do the bare minimum, and wonder why nothing changes. But if you want to move forward, you’ve got to do more than just exist in the system—you’ve got to find ways to stand out. That doesn’t mean being fake or trying to outshine everyone just to get ahead. It means putting in the effort to grow, to lead, and to do what others won’t.
This blog closes out the series on how to succeed in the military, but the work doesn’t stop here. Go back and check out first 2 parts if you haven’t already—they all tie together. Apply what fits your situation, keep learning, and stay consistent. At the end of the day, success is a choice. And if you’re reading this, you’re already taking the first step toward being better than who you were yesterday.
Stay focused—and make it count.
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Next Thursday, I’ll be posting “Things you have to know before enlisting“ If today’s post helped you, send it to someone else who might need it. Whether you read, comment, or share—your support means a lot. It helps the blog grow and reach more people who need this kind of info.
Thanks for being here and being part of the journey.
Very Respectfully,
Vlad Kalinin