The Backbone Of The Army The Noncommissioned Officers (NCO) are supposed to be the “Backbone” of the Army. What is the reality? The officers are not relying on the NCOs to make the decisions. The officers don’t trust the NCOs to complete the given tasks without verifying them. The officers are dictating the trainings in the units.
What is the root cause of the officers not relying on the NCOs? I believe the root cause is in the current promotion system. The soldiers in a shortage Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) are getting promoted too soon. The soldiers in over strength or balanced MOS are effected by Retention Control Point (RCP) and forced out of the military. The senior NCOs are sending the soldiers to promotion boards based on time in grade, not their capabilities or performances.
First of all, I do understand the Army needing to fill the numbers for each of the rank structure for every MOS. The mission cannot be accomplished without having the personnel to perform them; however, is
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The RCP for Specialist/Corporal was eight years and 14 years for SGT. Depending on what your MOS is, the promotions are hard to come by, especially the over strength MOSs.
You may say that eight years and 14 years are reasonable time frame to achieve the next rank, and you are a below average soldier if it is not attained. I do agree with this to a certain degree, but for over strength MOSs, it is just too hard to obtain that next rank. There are many outstanding soldiers in over strength MOS that are released from the military due to RCP. The soldiers/NCOs with the skill and knowledge are no longer present to perform and lead the others. By losing these soldiers, the quality in the work force is diminished and the officer oversight gets
As the incoming brigade commander, LTC (P) Owens, I see the critical leadership problem facing the 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) is the inability or unwillingness of Colonel Cutler to lead and manage change effectively. In initial talks with Col Cutler and in reviewing the brigade’s historical unit status reports, the 4th ABCT performed as well as can be expected in Afghanistan, but as the onion was peeled back there are numerous organizational issues that were brought to the surface while I walked around and listened to the soldiers of the 4th ABCT, in addition to reviewing the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) report. One of the most formidable tasks of a leader is to improve the organization while simultaneously accomplishing
The Non Commissioned Officer (NCO); the "backbone" of the Marine Corps. The driving force behind the battle of Belleau Wood, the battle of Hue City, the fight for Fallujiah, the taking of Marjah and, most recently, the battle against suicide and sexual harassment. No other group of men and women in the world have been called to fight across such a broad area of operation. As we look at the ever-adapting role of the NCO, we must first look to the past. One of the foremost examples that comes to mind is John Basilone. To Marines, Basilone needs no introduction. He was a hero, and Sergeant when he was awarded the Medal of Honor. No words can better describe his heroism than his citation. “For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its gun crews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines wit...
While many of these changes include the advancements in technology and ingenuity, nothing can replace the rich history, proud culture, and bright future of the NCO Corps. Though several additional factors doubtlessly play roles in the strength and continuity of the corps, I do not believe any have contributed to the extent of the solid rank structure, efficient training network, and passionate NCO Creed. These elements have worked together in continuously strengthening and molding the NCO Corps, and they will remain building blocks that will project the Army into the
...ers Date of Rank. The user can also laterally promote someone to a different rank but within the same grade. This function also provides two different reports that are used to determine if a Soldier is eligible for promotion to the next grade by attending a promotion board.
As a young Lance Corporal, my first impression of the NCO’s around the Recon Company was varied. As I got to know the others in my platoon, one started to stand out in my daily interactions, SSGT Moeller. He had just gotten off crutches, after a parachute accident broke his tibia and fibula, sitting on the catwalk icing his ankle. When I asked why he was icing his ankle he told me he had just finished an 8-mile run. Now, this was from an injury that should have caused months of painful rehab before running would have been possible, but here he was, sacrificing personal comforts, trying to get back to mission fitness. His reasoning being, he was scheduled to be the Assistant Team Leader (ATL) on the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit(MEU) and didn’t want to miss his chance for Afghanistan. It was at this moment that I got my
We can identify three major cultural dimensions that help us to understand what leaders must focus on as they guide the transition of the Army. First, professional Identity, which is guided by Soldiers at all levels who are striving for excellence in their functional specialty, i.e., HR Sergeants. Soldiers who have goals and ideals of the Army to ethically put service and duty first. HR Sergeants are trained and well educated in their field. They are taught to put Soldiers first and have great customer support skills. Second, community, the sense in which Soldiers stop thinking about “I” and start thinking “we”. The bond among units who not only believe in cohesion with Soldiers, but their families too. The HR Sergeants are there to take care of Soldiers when financial issues arise with them or their families and don’t back down until the situation is solved. Last, hierarchy, which leads to order and control and provides Soldiers with moral reference and a sense of direction. The HR Sergeant has the mentality of mission first, knowing who to contact at the next level for assistance helps get the mission
For some time the Army has been using a certain expression to defines what an Army leader actually is. To keep it basic, the three words be, know and do explains it all!
As NCO’s we sometimes become complacent in our positions and our routines. Accepting challenges is what sets us apart and continues to ensure that we grow as Soldiers, Leaders, and Non-Commissioned Officers. The Sergeant Audie Murphy Club induction process is rigorous, and because of the rigorous amount of preparation that it takes to earn it, I will become a more knowledgeable NCO, while also allowing room to realize what my weaknesses are in order to improve in those areas. This learning and self-refining assessment will ultimately help me become a better NCO for my Soldiers. I aspire to become a member of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club for
As our forefathers before us stated, ‘‘No one is more professional than I. I am a Noncommissioned Officer, a leader of soldiers. As a Noncommissioned Officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as “The Backbone of the Army (“The NCO Creed writing by SFC Earle Brigham and Jimmie Jakes Sr”). These words to Noncommissioned Officer should inspire us to the fullest with pride, honor, and integrity. The NCO creed should mean much more than just words whenever we attend a NCO’s school. For most of us this is what our creed has become because we learn to narrate or recite. The military from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard has an overabundance of NCOs who fall under their pay grade of E-5, E-6 and etc. Yet somehow there still not enough leaders. I believe that the largest problem afflicting the military today is our lack of competent leaders, ineffective leader development, and how we influence our subordinates under us who are becoming leaders.
It is essential that a strict chain of command is adhered to, from the Battalion CSM to the First Sergeant for this training. The Battalion CSM implements and monitors NCODP while the First Sergeant has the responsibly to enforce the program and ensure all NCO are engaged in the
Non-Commissioned Officers are deficient in vital areas of leadership due to a lack of training. This leads to inexperienced Soldiers becoming inexperienced leaders. The NCO corps needs to develop and enforce comprehensive interactive training that will challenge the next generation to achieve a functional level of communication skills before advancing to leadership positions. This will generate leaders who can write effectively, speak meritoriously and teach adaptively while training others to do the same.
...who expanded my skillset, but it was that first NCO who patiently taught me the ropes from the time I was a PFC, SPC, PFC, SPC, and SGT. When chaptered out of the Army in October, 1989, I was under pinpoint orders to be a Platoon Sergeant at the 125th MI Bn in Hawaii. I would not have been chosen for that had I not made my reputation under the guidance and tutelage of SSG James M. (J.J.) Johnson, Jr.
level of Precedence and standards in the formation. The roles of the non-commissioned officer is
Before I describe to you some of the “routine” and specific situations, investigations, and actual cases and dispositions I encountered I feel I should outline some of the training that that I received starting with the Military Police and Basic Training. Looking back I see the importance of the initial Army training that centered on physical conditioning and the discipline necessary to obey and follow orders to become part of a team. We learned that what was good for one was good for all and of course the reverse. Each morning we stood inspection outside of the barracks with our field packs on. Part of our required equipment during the inspections was a razor. We found out why one morning at the beginning of our training cycle when one of
First, there is respect, just because you have the rank and status of an officer doesn’t mean those below you in your command are going to respect you. A lot of people are going into the army as officers thinking everyone owes them something and that they have to do what they say. All I can say to that is, you’re in for a rude awakening. As officers we should respect those below us and talk to them as a leader should not a boss especially our NCOS and PSG. I believe that they are the best asset a young officer has at his disposal due to their knowledge and