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This model portrays the complexity of “growing” noncommissioned officers. At its core are two critical requirements: NCO lifelong
learning (LLL) and Warrior Ethos. As an institution, we must mentor & guide our NCOs along a path that helps them reach their potential
which benefits not only the individual but the Army at large. Inculcating Warrior Ethos is more of a journey than a destination for a
soldier’s career that requires a constant state of development and reinforcement.
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The white spaces outside the blue circle depict some of the numerous policies, programs, and concepts that impact upon NCO development.
Those factors impacting most on development are in the bottom left quadrant – The Army is at war and the Global War of Terrorism is a
long-term condition that acts as a limiting factor. Modularity and stabilization concepts and policies are changing how and when NCOs
attend Professional Military Education. The Joint and Expeditionary mindset and the contemporary/joint operating environment have
become forcing functions for the evolution of our approaches toward training and development.
The eight nodes surrounding the core represent the major components of the NCO development model. Although there are three primary
domains; Institutional Training, Operational Experience/Assignments and Self-Development, there are additional parts/considerations that
also impact. Joint aspects of training, leadership & education and personnel have increased and are starting to impact on the enlisted force.
While most NCOs will serve inside a Brigade Combat Team – Unit of Action, many will participate in the Joint National Training
Capability Exercises and/or serve in a Army unit which performs as part of a Joint, Interagency, and Multinational force. Today and into the
future, all operations will be executed by joint force packages. Many NCOs will find themselves being placed in a Joint assignment which
will require some Assignment Oriented Training prior to arrival. As the NCO Corps’ joint role expands, we must determine who needs joint
education and training, when they will need it, and how we’ll deliver it to them. All of this therefore must be part of our development
model. In addition to CTCs, all NCOs will participate in critical homestation training/exercises. These homestation training events provide
the NCO multiple opportunities to apply what they know and expand their knowledge & skills based on feedback from AARs and Sr NCO
coaching & mentoring.
The training, leadership & education of the NCO Corps will involve all components reflected in this model. The role of distributed learning
will increase for both the self-development and institutional training domains. Future training strategies must leverage embedded, virtual
interactive training simulations and games as part of the training support provided to our Soldiers. These environments will provide just-intime training support for all three development domains and allow individuals to reach-back from anywhere in the world to determine what
they need – when they need it.
The Army is developing a mandatory self-development/individual assessment test and implementing a 360 degree assessment program –
both of these will place greater emphasis on Self-Development and the coaching and mentoring of subordinates. A significant aspect of this
culture is that while each individual is responsible for their personal growth, all leaders remain accountable for the growth and development
of their subordinates.
Self-development has three primary aspects that fall into two domains – structured/directed development and self-motivated development.
Civilian education and technical certifications are primarily self-motivated activities; however, some specialties may require selected
civilian certifications. While some military studies (Army / Joint) are self-motivated, there will be some directed studies that are tied to the
overall development structure.
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When NCO development is discussed many individuals focus only on the NCO Education System. The model depicted here, intentionally
places the NCOES and related functional courses on the outside of the primary model to emphasize that courses are but one aspect of
growing the NCO. In the upper right are new courses associated with a proposed three tier NCO Education System. On the bottom left –
next to the Assignment/Deployment (Experience) component are some of the job specific functional courses. The most significant change
is the bottom node titled Assignment Oriented training. While AOT is just beginning, it has great potential for supporting the NCO across
their career with focused courses providing the right training at the right time to prepare the NCO to succeed in their currently assignment
and grow into increased responsibilities.
Since it is not feasible to implement the entire model at one time, we must chunk the major parts into potentially three stages covering FY
05 to FY 08. The next several charts will attempt to describe a way to achieve our model end state.