A non commissioned officer isn’t born great; he has to work for it. No one comes into the military ready to lead and train others. Instead they must be taught how to do it. That doesn’t just mean sit in a classroom while someone else tells you what to do. There are various methods of instilling greatness and professionalism into a Soldier, all of which can be implemented together, not separate. One method I mentioned earlier: classroom. This method is great in that the instructor can use slides to allow Soldiers to read and hear from another person their thoughts and emotions on the subject. However, this can often get boring and monotonous, so it’s always best to have other methods involved. Another method is for a future non commissioned officer to use current and past non commissioned officer as a basis for which to build himself. The majority of Soldiers use this method constantly, even though some might not realize it. Soldiers interact with leaders daily, regardless of that leader’s rank. They find the leader they like and teach themselves to act the same way. This method has its ups and downs, however, as some Soldiers can tend to become lazy rather easily. They see the non commissioned officer that lets them relax and do little work, and decide that’s the leader they want to serve versus the leader that requires them to stay vigilant and active 24/7. A great non commissioned officer knows how to combine both types of leadership qualities so that he can motivate his
Non Commissioned Officers also question tasks given to them and why the accomplishment of these things, is relevant to the mission at hand. More often than not, the NCO gets due outs and tasking’s pushed down with no other reason than “because 1SG or CSM or BN said so” Without purpose there is no enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the spark that brings all the other qualities of leadership to life. An important aspect of enthusiasm is the performance of tasks with vigor because of the willingness and gratification in accomplishment, rather than doing them halfheartedly merely because they have to be done. (DAPAM 22-1, 1948) When an NCO is provided with purpose and a sense of enthusiasm then the NCO will give the proper motivation to his/her subordinates. With purpose and enthusiasm comes genuine involvement and with involvement comes aptitude and the skills needed to grow as an individual, a leader and a Non Commissioned
The second paragraph of the Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer gives a basic outline as to how we should conduct ourselves as leaders towards our subordinates. The second paragraph also ensures that we know as leaders that we are to be proficient in all aspects of our job, both as a soldier and in our military occupational specialty. “Competence is my watchword.” This sentence is telling the leader that he is to be trained and proficient in his job. If he is not then how is he able to pass on the knowledge, thus creating question why that person is in that position to begin with. “My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind—accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my soldiers.” Both in the warrior ethos and the Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer you see reference in accomplishing the mission. From private all the way to when you pin on stripes accomplishment of the mission is key to success in our military. Whether it is overseas or here at home mission is not solely defined as a tactical operation. It could be training soldiers deploying to an austere environment, accomplishing things around the military installation in which you
I need help myself. I know that we have soldiers that cannot learn by reading a book, we need hands on training. We need to get maps out of the supply cage, dust them off, conduct some map reading and map recon etc. Teach them on how to disassemble all weapon system that a Scout uses: 25mm, 249, 240c, and 9mm to mention some. Conducting some route recon here on camp not everyone knows the type of formation or hand signals of movement and how to cover and conceal ourselves. Sgt’s time is not enough time for a soldier to retain what he learned that day if we not touch it again until when ever. Non Commissioned Officers need to make sure that we keep our Joes in shape and within weight standards. If it means to perform physical training twice a day unit the soldiers creates a habit and he can do it on his own.
A person cannot achieve excellence leadership skills and abilities overnight; it is something you develop over time and continue to define and shape for yourself. An officer is someone who can transform their thoughts into someone else’s undertaking -- a skill hard to learn but even more difficult to master-- and be able to delegate responsibilities. I want to become an officer for that very reason: to continue expanding and progressing my leadership skills and develop valuable skills that will help me in the workforce and beyond. Rosalynn Carter once said, “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be." I also want to be an officer to help others reach their full potential, to showcase their skills and knowledge, and lead them to a path of success. For me to become said officer, I will need to complete MS
The United States of America has the greatest Army in the world. This is possible because the Army develops the great leaders. To be a successful leader, one must fully understand how all three levels of leadership operate. The three levels of leadership outlined by ADRP 6-22 Army Leadership are direct, organizational, and strategic. Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and officers alike have the responsibility to lead Soldiers regardless of the level they may operate. A leader’s rank does not classify what level of leadership they work in, their position does.
Leadership is the biggest responsibility of the Non Commissioned Officer rank. A Corporal is the first rank and front line of the NCO ranks. They have direct interaction with the junior Marines, and therefore have a very big impact on the junior Marines. Junior Marines such as Lance Corporals are always looking up to and learning from their Corporals. That is why a Corporal should always be striving to do the right thing to set a good example for those Lance Corporals for when they earn the title of Non Commissioned Officer they can fulfill the tradition and prestigious position. Leading by example is the most effective form of leadership and is very valuable to Corporals as leaders. It is human nature to try and immolate those that we respect. The definition of leadership is the process by which one individual influences the behaviors, attitudes and thoughts of others. What better way to do this than by setting
Commissioned Officers are the stewards of the military profession. They are the problem solvers, managers, and planners who lead Enlisted Soldiers in all situations. Officers are trusted with the welfare, morale, and professional development of the Soldiers under their command. Indicative of that trust, the Army grants Officership to only the most qualified, talented men and women. Transitioning from a Non-commissioned Officer to a Commissioned Officer demands an understanding of these new responsibilities. My personal and professional backgrounds have influenced my understanding of the responsibilities of a Commissioned Officer. Specifically, as Commissioned Officers we must be skilled in communication, ensure the welfare of those under our
With great authority indeed comes great responsibility. The commissioned and non-commissioned officers carry great responsibility, but the level of responsibility each individual carries is different throughout this career. A new sergeant is responsible for a single squad, whereas a lieutenant is responsible for an entire platoon. The commissioned officer plays a management role and is responsible for supervising hundreds or thousands of soldiers in accomplishing a mission. Most importantly, it must be well acknowledge by the citizens that these commissioned officers strive to accomplish every mission with utmost dedication and excellence as they are confided and charged with serving as models of the Army values in the performance of their leadership duties as they serve the nation with full dignity and a lifelong devotion. The commissioned
For a Soldier to become an expert and encompass the values of a professional, they must have a role model who was able to instill these attributes for them early in their career to become a well-rounded individual and Soldier to mold future generation of Soldiers. Junior Soldiers take after what they see and how they are treated by their junior and senior Non-Commissioned Officer’s (NCO’s), and if they are exposed to great leadership, mentorship and discipline there is a significant chance of them exuding the same values to their junior Soldiers when they become NCO’s and assume the responsibility that comes with the rank.
On the battlefield of modern day, which is vastly different from 200 years ago, expectations and standards have always been present and ever-changing. With each type of Officer comes a different type of expectations, for example, with Non-Commissioned Officers, a Junior Enlisted Soldier believes that the NCO is going to correct them even after they have given their best effort, whereas that NCO expects that the Soldier is going to do the absolute best they can in keeping with the Army Values. That same NCO and Junior Enlisted expects Commissioned Officers to be an even higher caliber Soldier with a more sound perception of accomplishing tasks with realistic outcomes. It is an assumption that the Officer will usually give guidance and direction in a broad technique and allow time for the subordinate leaders to resource and disseminate specifics that are relevant to their particular sections in a reasonable
NCO's are the backbone of the Us Army dedicating time, effort, mentorship to future leaders. I believe all soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership based on trust, respect and loyalty, personal courage, communication. You must build a professional relationship with all of your soldiers. Trust, respect, loyalty and communication 4 essential parts to a successful leader. Personal Courage to face diversity and fight for your soldiers no matter the rank of the person that stands in front of you. Respect and loyalty are the base of trust. Trust and respect is extremely important for the successful day-to-day
Due to the recent drawdown in forces in the Marine Corps, many Marines have found themselves getting promoted to Corporal and Sergeant at a faster pace than those before them. The problem with is that many of the Non Commissioned Officers (NCO’s) have not been able to learn the proper way of becoming a leader. Many of the NCO’s that fill the ranks fall short of many leadership principles that guide leaders, one of those being “setting the example”. This shortfall breeds the “do as I say and not as I do” mentality that infects the enlisted community. The most important way to negate this is proper professional military education (PME). NCO promotion panels also help ensure that Corporals and Sergeants who are coming up for promotion are of the right caliber as well.
Anyone that serves in the military can agree that at some point in your career you will serve in a leadership position and be expected to uphold the basics of guiding and inspiring others. As a Soldier I consistently seek the next position of responsibility and leadership. I seek these positions not for my own personal gain but to share my experience and knowledge and to further develop myself, others and our Armed Forces. Becoming an Army Officer is not just an increase in pay or rank, it is taking the next step to be in a position that I can maximize my potential to develop myself and others. Society expects our military officers to be professional leaders that can make decisions in stressful situations, adapt and overcome any obstacle, and
In the United States Army most Soldiers want to know if they can have trust in their Non Commissioned Officers , and they can if they are treated right and the Non Commissioned Officer does what is right and what is legal, at all times. Soldiers want to know and learn a few things from their Non Commissioned Officers. They want to know if the are concerned about them or whether the Non Commissioned Officers focus is up the chain of command and promotion for him or herself or is the Non Commissioned Officers focus down the chain to where the soldiers are. As Non Commissioned Officers they should respect the soldiers the same way they want to be respected. In my opinion Non Commissioned Officers are here to lead, train, and care for
Since 1775, the Noncommissioned Officer Corps has distinguished itself through leadership, professionalism, commitment, courage and dedication. It is comprised of trained, adaptable, self-sacrificing professionals who have earned the admiration of both the officer and enlisted ranks. From the time a Soldier enters the Army until the time he or she leaves this profession, the NCO is there every step of the way to guide Soldiers and help them navigate any situation with their professionalism, competence and caring. The NCO Corps is the reason behind our success on the battlefield today and on battlefields of the past.