Year of the NCO

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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/army_nco_year_011109w/

Army sets goals for Year of the NCO

Objectives recognize enlisted leaders’ contributions
By Jim Tice - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 12, 2009 9:35:42 EST

Senior Army leaders issued an operations order Jan. 7 officially implementing the Year of the NCO, a multifaceted initiative for enhancing and acknowledging NCO contributions to the Army.

In addition to involving the redesign of several institutions and programs, the Year of the NCO will prompt some major policy changes, such as authorizing the wear of NCO rank insignia on the beret and the expansion of civilian education opportunities.

At a joint press conference Jan. 5 at Fort Bliss, Texas, Army Secretary Pete Geren, Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston said they wanted to inform the country, Congress and young people about NCOs, and the career opportunities available to those who join the Army.

In a letter announcing the Year of the NCO, the leaders said, “NCOs are the keepers of our standards, from the recruiting station to basic training, to combat zones, from civil affairs to medicine, to logistics, natural disaster assistance, to graveside attendance at Arlington — whether active, Guard or Reserve, our NCOs take the lead.”

The order (OPORD 08-12-161200) and annexes together total nearly 50 pages.

The document assigns specific tasks to field commands and staff agencies throughout the force in support of the program’s four major objectives:

• Enhance the education of the NCO Corps through several initiatives, including the launch of the online Army Career Tracker system; the transformation of the NCO Education System from the Warrior Leader Course to the Sergeants Major Course; an increase in the number of schools participating in the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges-Army Degree program; and the establishment of structured and guided self-development programs.

• Enhance physical and mental fitness by implementing a health-screening program in NCO schools, much like that conducted at the Army War College for senior officers, and by establishing master fitness and mental health courses as part of the structured self-development system.

• Enhance leadership skills in the NCO Corps by formalizing the Audie Murphy and Sgt. Morales Club competitions throughout the Army; field a new NCO promotion certificate that will be signed by the secretary of the Army and the chief of staff; establish a four-day pass system that can be used by commanders to recognize outstanding NCOs; and establish an NCO “Wall of Fame” at the Pentagon to identify soldiers who exemplify the competencies, dedication and commitment of the NCO Corps.

• Launch several “pride in service” initiatives that acknowledge the value of the NCO Corps to the Army and the nation.

Included will be the second publication of “Long Hard Road,” a book recounting the contributions of NCOs to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; maintaining a Year of the NCO Web site; authorizing the wear of NCO rank insignia on the beret; changing the name of the Sergeants Major Academy to better reflect its focus on the entire NCO Corps; producing an “Army Strong” television ad that focuses on NCOs; and upgrading the NCO Museum at Fort Bliss, Texas.

While work on the initiatives is underway, dates for implementation have not been announced

Much of this sounds very productive IMO. I'm still wondering though how much of it will muddy the waters further. As well I'm still having trouble grasping why the NCOES requirements were changed.

For example it seemed perfectly exceptable to require E4's to attend PLDC before Promoted to SGT.

BNCOC to 6

ANCOC to 7 etc.

I guess I'm more of a fan of the old choose, train, promote vice the choose promote train. (It just seems like a more logical evolution)

Although I'd guess it was implemented due to the Op Tempo for Deployments.

I'm curious of the Sr. Guys input on the subject?

P.S.

I think the rank on the beret thing is weird too. :)
 
I think I must be confused because I'm an outsider (and if I am I hope someone will straighten me out), but I don't see the benefit of any of this. It looks like a bunch of feel-good measures. Like "changing the name of the Sergeants Major Academy to better reflect its focus on the entire NCO Corps" or "upgrading the NCO Museum"; how will these things make the Army more effective?

Am I missing something? :confused:
 
I have so wanted to be able to wear my rank on my beret... now the dream may become a reality. Could it be?

GAY.

If I wanted to be an officer I would take a commission!
 
I have to imagine someone, somewhere has an idea of why all these odd uniform/policy changes are occurring as of late; and why they're happening so rapidly. It all just seems so obscure to me.

Either that or they hired a Management Consultant...
 
establishing master fitness and mental health courses as part of the structured self-development system.

Didn't the Army have a Master Fitness Program before??

I will not comment on other changes as I am not, and have never been, an NCO.
 
Looks like NATO is leading the way on this one:
http://www.nato.int/shape/ynco/

1989 was also the Year of the NCO in the Army.

Here's the website. The Initiatives page is lacking in detail but I like how they will assign two SGM's to the House and Senate.

http://www4.army.mil/yearofthenco/home.php

I predict a lot of unhappiness with this one. Funny, I think (and I may be off here) that letting NCOs do their job would be a great start. You can watch the erosion of the NCO corps and know that just letting them do what they are designed to do would be a huge first step.
 
I think I must be confused because I'm an outsider (and if I am I hope someone will straighten me out), but I don't see the benefit of any of this. It looks like a bunch of feel-good measures. Like "changing the name of the Sergeants Major Academy to better reflect its focus on the entire NCO Corps" or "upgrading the NCO Museum"; how will these things make the Army more effective?

Am I missing something? :confused:
You are absolutely correct. I wish the Army would quit trying to "find it's way". The path has already been blazed by SOF, all the rest of the Army needs to do is follow it.
 
Although I'd guess it was implemented due to the Op Tempo for Deployments.

That's the main reason. Most of the changes to the NCOES aren't much more than "packaging," although they're supposed to be including more 1SG stuff into ALC (ANCOC). I've got a PPT brief from Sep '07 if anyone's interested.

P.S.

I think the rank on the beret thing is weird too. :)

This is a "first heard" for me. "Weird" doesn't even begin to cover it......:p
 
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/army_nco_year_011109w/



Much of this sounds very productive IMO. I'm still wondering though how much of it will muddy the waters further. As well I'm still having trouble grasping why the NCOES requirements were changed.

For example it seemed perfectly exceptable to require E4's to attend PLDC before Promoted to SGT.

BNCOC to 6

ANCOC to 7 etc.

I guess I'm more of a fan of the old choose, train, promote vice the choose promote train. (It just seems like a more logical evolution)

Although I'd guess it was implemented due to the Op Tempo for Deployments.

I'm curious of the Sr. Guys input on the subject?

P.S.

I think the rank on the beret thing is weird too. :)

Do they no longer require the completion of PLDC (or whatever it is called now) for promotion to SGT, BNCOC for SSG and so forth?

As for rank on the beret, does it truly matter? I mean what do they truly hope it will accomplish by adding a piece of rank to the headgear?
 
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