Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable: One U.S. Army Talent Manager’s Formula for Success

Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable: One U.S. Army Talent Manager’s Formula for Success

The phrase “small-town America” is commonly phrase used to describe where people are from when they are not from major metropolitan area. The term often paints a picture of a quiet, quaint hometown. But the true size of a small town can vary widely.

For Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Beam, U.S. Army Human Resources Command noncommissioned officer of the quarter, the term is very literal.

Beam grew up in Holton, Kansas, a rural community with a population of around 3,400 residents where, as he describes it, there are “more cows than people.” His graduating class had about 60 students.

“It was a unique experience,” he said. “Everybody knew everyone. Everybody kind of came together no matter what.”

That willingness to help one another became part of Beam’s character and eventually helped shape the mindset that led him to join the Army.

Early Life

Growing up, Beam looked up to his father, who was his high school principal and one of his earliest mentors. But because the community was so close-knit, Beam’s father was also quick to hear from others about what his son was up to as a teenager.

“A speeding incident on a rural road, for example, could quickly turn into a phone call to my dad,” he said with a laugh.

But his father’s work ethic and willingness to take care of the people around him left a strong impression on Beam, something he has tried to emulate throughout his own career.

“The way [my dad] tried to take care of problems in our school while I was there is something that I try to do now as a leader,” Beam said. “Trying to find those give-and-takes as much as I can.”

At one point, Beam’s father took a job at another school about an hour away so his son could finish his senior year.

“That really was meaningful that he made that sacrifice for me,” Beam said.

Those lessons from a close-knit community left an impression on Beam.

“The values I learned as a young adult in a small town, everybody coming together to help others, inspired my interest in being in the medical field,” he said.

Service was familiar to Beam’s family. His grandfather served in the Navy, while several cousins served in the Army and Coast Guard. However, the military was not an immediate path for Beam.

After high school he initially attended college, but sadly while he was there a close friend was killed while serving in Afghanistan.

The loss changed the way Beam viewed military service.

“That’s what pushed me into wanting to join,” Beam said. “My thoughts were ‘would I have been able to make that difference if I was there?’”

Beam initially planned to become a 68 Whiskey, or combat medic specialist. But people who knew him helped him reconsider which military occupational specialty would make the best use of his strengths.

One of those people was a Soldier who had married Beam’s childhood babysitter. The two sat down together and worked through the Army’s list of career fields.

“We went through the whole military occupational specialty book,” Beam recalled. “This is something that would help your strengths out, this might not be the best match.”

That conversation pointed Beam toward a medical career as a 68 Charlie, practical nurse.

He enlisted in January 2014 and became one of the early Soldiers who entered the Army as a practical nurse without first serving as a combat medic.

More than 12 years later, Beam still speaks enthusiastically about the decision.

“I love my MOS,” he said. “It’s provided me some very unique opportunities.”

Army Assignments

Beam’s first duty assignment took him to Germany where he was assigned to the 67th Forward Surgical Team, an experience he credits with opening his eyes to possibilities he had not have imagined when he joined the Army.

“That alone opened up so many doors for my career,” he said.

Beam attended military medical training, including the Army Trauma Training Course in Miami, where he worked with a small team to run an emergency room for several weeks.

He also provided medical coverage for former President Barack Obama while overseas and worked alongside Air Force personnel, German partners and NATO allies.

“It was something that really opened my eyes to what the Army could do,” Beam said, “and how far our reach is.”

Other assignments were challenging but helped him grow as a leader. Beam describes his time at William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss, Texas, during the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the most difficult periods of his career.

“All the required testing and, you know, being sure everybody’s taken care of, making sure your own family is taken care of, trying to get everybody through just one more day,” he said.

Patients were often separated from their families while medical professionals worked through the uncertainty and demands of the pandemic.

“You know, their family not being able to see them, it was pretty difficult,” Beam said. “But it is something that kind of molded me to try and be a little bit more compassionate with all the interactions I have, whether it’s with Soldiers or civilians.”

Soldiers First

Recently, an unexpected opportunity came along, working as a talent manager for his field at HRC.

“I interviewed for the position up here and this has been a very eye-opening assignment,” Beam said.

Working as a talent manager was unexpected and has changed his view of the Army.

“You think that you know a lot when your boots [are] on ground at some of these locations,” Beam said, “but then you get up here and the people around here have so much knowledge. I’m constantly learning something new or something that’s been updated. It’s been eye-opening and it’s been really rewarding for me.”

In his current role, Beam manages Soldiers across two skill levels. The size of the population he manages can be daunting, but he is fortunate to work with team members who support one another.

“I’ve got an amazing team,” Beam said. “Everybody’s willing to cover down and assist however possible.”

“Hearing Soldiers’ stories and having that compassion of trying to help them out to the best of our ability — I really enjoy that aspect of being a talent manager.”

Being All He Can Be

As Beam has advanced in rank, his direct contact with individual Soldiers has changed. Early in his career, he worked closely with just a few Soldiers. As he moved into positions of greater responsibility, he began working more through squad leaders and other leaders.

But Beam said he has always tried to maintain an open leadership style.

“I know it’s a little unconventional, but I like to ask my Soldiers to counsel me and tell me what I need to work on as a leader,” he said. “I think feedback is something that should be a back and forth, not just leader to follower.”

For Beam, taking care of Soldiers means understanding that leadership does not always come with easy answers. Sometimes it means listening, adjusting and finding a way forward, and that willingness to adjust and keep learning has become one of the central lessons of Beam’s career.

“You always have to find ways to make yourself better,” he said. “And if you’re comfortable then it’s not going to bode well for your career or for you personally.”

For Soldiers trying to find their own path, his advice is to look for opportunities that are challenging.

“You’ve got to push yourself outside of your normal day-to-day,” he said. “Try to get comfortable with being uncomfortable in situations.”

For Beam, discomfort means recognizing that there is more to learn, being willing to ask for help and taking a chance on an opportunity that initially seems out of reach.

The People Who Push Him Forward

Beam credits those close to him with helping him grow throughout his career, including his best friend, Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Richmond.

The two attended advanced individual training together and later served on the Forward Surgical Team.

“We have constantly pushed each other to be the better one,” Beam said.

They always look for ways to challenge one another. When Beam needs advice from someone who understands his experiences, Richmond is one of the people he turns to.

Richmond is also Beam’s son’s godfather and, as Beam put it, “part of the family now.”

Even though Richmond is serving in Hawaii, the two still talk regularly.

“[We talk about] what are we trying to do and how can we make each other better for that next step?” Beam said.

Beam also credits his wife with being one of his biggest supporters.

“My wife and son are the backbone of our house,” he said. “This is her first move with the military. And she is constantly making my life so much easier and so much better just by the support that she gives me on a daily.”

“And then my son Declan, who is always challenging me, I mean, that kid can run 10 miles nonstop, and he is just constantly telling me to catch up to him,” Beam said with a laugh. “But that is my goal, is to be somebody that, you know, he looks up to throughout his life, like I did with my dad.”

What Comes Next

Beam’s career is something he is passionate about, and he is always looking toward the future for more opportunities.

He is attending college and building a direct commissioning packet. Beam’s goal, if selected, is to become a medical officer.

“I have my bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration,” Beam said. “I’m currently working on my master’s in emergency management through Arizona State University.”

If he eventually decides to leave the Army, Beam plans to continue working with military and government agencies on emergency planning for natural disasters and other emergencies.

And while he continues to pursue his own professional goals, he remains focused on developing others.

“Hopefully I can continue to give to the Army however long they’re willing to have me,” Beam said, “I will always try and help build up the next generation of Soldiers who come in, whether that’s through the enlisted or the officer route. I just always try to be the best me I can be.”

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