Short-Term Goal
Goal: Attend Sergeants Distance Education Course in November and graduate from the course on December 21, 2018. This is a 5-week course that is required to get promoted from Sergeant to Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps. It will help me in many ways to become competitive for promotion.
Specific- I am going to attend Sergeants Distance Education Course, it is a course that I must take in order to be promoted to the next rank. It is measurable,
Measurable- Completing the course is a tangible thing. It can be measured by “yes” I did complete Sergeants Course, or “no” I did not complete Sergeants Course.
Achievable- there are a few things that I have to get done before I am able to go to Sergeants Course, however, the goal is very achievable. I need to finish my online version of Sergeants Course which consists of 9 lessons that all include tests at the end, I have to lose some weight because I am currently about 8 pounds overweight, and I have to request funds for the course.
Results-focused- The results of this goal are increased education for myself, and the fulfillment of requirements for promotion.
Time-Bound- This goal actually has 3 dates that must be met. I must register for the course by October 15, the course starts on November 14, and the course finishes on December 21. This creates a sense of urgency to register because if I am not able to complete this course by December 21, I could be skipped over for promotion.
The Long-Term Goal
Goal: Get my Airframes and Powerplant license no later than April 1. This license will allow me to make more money as a civilian working on civilian aircrafts as a mechanic and structural mechanic.
Specific- I am going to get my Airframes and Powerplants (A&P) license no later than April 1. This is an important license that I will need to work on civilian aircraft.
Measurable- Measuring this goal is easy because achieving it is either a “yes” the goal is achieved, or “no” the goal is not achieved.
Achievable- In order to get my A&P license, I have to attend a Thirteen-day course and take a test at the end of the course. The course costs, $1500, plus travel from New Jersey to Tennessee, plus lodging and food cost for the trip. I have to save money before going. I also need to get a letter from my maintenance officer verifying that I have experience on aircraft. That letter then needs to be verified by a civilian who works as an aviation inspector. There is a lot to do but the goal is achievable.
Results-Focused- the results of achieving my A&P license would be that I can work on civilian airframes and power plants. It would open up more career opportunities for me and it would give me the ability to earn more money if I decide to get out of the military.
Time-Bound- I set a time for achieving this goal of April 1. My contract for active duty in the military ends in August 2019. I believe that achieving this goal before April will give me plenty of time to search for jobs if I decide to get out of the military.