Originally Posted by
Pontius Navigator
Do those on career trajectories actively seek demanding secondary duties?
I don’t. Played the game as a JO and did the secondary duties I wanted to do because I thought they might be interesting (Mess Silver, Stn historian etc, lead winter sports AT etc) rather than to ‘get that extra half point’ on the boards as we were constantly told. Promotion duly arrived but with no choice in posting to a priority gapped post in JHC Ops, so I suspect it was my previous experience rather than secondary duties at play. As a sqn ldr I then actively avoided them, largely on the grounds I was in high tempo jobs already doing op tour hours in UK posts.
Eventually I was badgered in to being PMC - they were desperate for a volunteer and my Stn Cdr trotted out the old ‘half point board’ line. I lasted precisely one dining in night and did no Mess meetings before being selected for promotion and took great delight in informing the Stn Cdr he once again needed a new PMC. He was fuming, but it merely confirmed to me that secondary duties were largely irrelevant from a career advancement perspective - as long as you were damn good at your job and displayed the competencies needed for advancement as an operator. I doubt I will ever do another secondary duty unless it’s something that interests me and I can add value to the unit by doing it. I won’t do them to tick boxes or play the game.