John Medeiros MS EHS

What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?

Be nice, but stand your ground. In my 20's, I thought I knew everything but the older I got the more I found out I still needed to learn. Also, everyone else is still learning. Feelings you hurt today build a wall between you and the other people that will be difficult to get over in the future. So be kind and give the benefit of the doubt when you can. Also when you know you are right, stand your ground. As I mentioned, we are all still learning and I have backed down when I should have fought harder for my convictions. The tough part is knowing the difference between when your right and when you only think you are right.

What is it like when your job gets tough?

In the military things can get tough for what civilians see as odd reasons. Long hours are tough. Extremes in temperature or living conditions are tough. BUT... I would say that having a boss who doesn't know or care about you when life is so bad is the toughest part of all. I have heard people say things like, "Ya, it sucks but embrace it. Embrace the suck!" Which normally means there isn't much we can do about it so stop complaining and do your job! The military can be a great place to work but it can also be a place you get to see many of the worst parts of human nature. Selfishness, greed, gluttony, and leadership that had no understanding of empathy are all situations I have seen and survived. It is one of the reasons why when I go to work at a civilian job I am impressed with the care my employers normally give me. I will also say I have had the honor of working with officers and senior noncommissioned officers who were amazing people and I would have done just about anything for but this was a question about when the job gets tough.