NCO Journal June 2014 Articles
The official magazine of noncommissioned officer professional development
From the Field: Are We Really Ever Off Duty?
By Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
As we in the U.S. military continue to renew our commitment to the profession of arms, the headline of this article asks a compelling question for everyone who wears the cloth of the nation. Though I believe the question has an easy answer, let us not downplay the significance of asking it at every level of professional development.
Article published on: June 26, 2014
NCO to be Awarded the Medal of Honor: ‘There was valor everywhere’
By Lisa Ferdinando
Army News Service
Facing almost certain death during an enemy assault in Afghanistan, a gravely injured Ryan Pitts, then a sergeant, fiercely fought on, keeping an observation post and fallen Soldiers around him from ending up in enemy hands.
Article published on: June 24, 2014
Army Opens 33,000 More Positions to Women Soldiers
By David Vergun
Army News Service
Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh signed a directive last week authorizing more opportunities for women to serve in a wider range of roles within the Army. The authorization results in the opening of about 33,000 positions in units that were once closed to women, said Col. Linda Sheimo, chief of the Command Programs and Policy Division at the Directorate of Military Personnel Management, Army G-1.
Article published on: June 24, 2014
NCO to Receive Medal of Honor in July for Combat Actions in Afghanistan
By Army News Service
The White House announced today that former Staff Sgt. Ryan Pitts will receive the Medal of Honor for his combat actions during an enemy engagement in Wanat in the Waygal Valley of northeastern Afghanistan on July 13, 2008.
Article published on: June 23, 2014
This Month in NCO History: June 14, 1952 — Fearlessness at Minari-gol, South Korea
By Pablo Villa
As a combat medic, Staff Sgt. David Bruce Bleak was already a hero to the scores of Soldiers he treated after they were injured on the battlefield.
Article published on: June 19, 2014
Training for Reserve, Guard Motor Pool NCOs Gets More Hands On
By Scott T. Sturkol
Fort McCoy Public Affairs Staff
The Regional Training Site (RTS)-Maintenance facility at Fort McCoy, Wisc., teaches a variety of courses to more than 700 Soldiers each year. One course — the Senior Construction Equipment Repairer Course — impacts motor pools across the Army.
Article published on: June 18, 2014
History Inspires, Teaches Military Intelligence NCOs
By Jonathan (Jay) Koester
NCO Journal
Established in 1962, military intelligence is one of the youngest of the Army’s 15 basic branches. Despite that, military intelligence has a long, storied history, one that far predates its establishment as a branch.
Article published on: June 17, 2014
NCOs of 162nd Infantry Brigade Ready to Tackle Regionally Aligned Forces Mission
By Pablo Villa
NCO Journal
Magee is one of a slew of instructors with the 162nd Infantry Brigade at Fort Polk, La., conducting a new type of advising mission. The unit — known since the Vietnam era as “Tigerland” — has for the past 11 years advised and prepared foreign civilian and military security forces in Afghanistan. It is now transitioning to a new role as part of the U.S. Army’s Regionally Aligned Forces, or RAF, mission.
Article published on: June 10, 2014
President Obama Pays Respects, Remembers Heroes at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
By Sgt. Daniel Cole
U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs
Colleville-sur-Mer, France – President Barack Obama and French President François Hollande spoke today to more than 10,000 attendees at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial here June 6, commemorating the memory of the Soldiers who gave their lives 70 years ago fighting to end the Nazi reign over Europe.
Article published on: June 6, 2014
Your Soldiers are Going to WLC? Here’s What They Need to Know
By Staff SGT. Joshua D. Lebel
7th Army NCO Academy
As NCOs, we all have attended the Warrior Leader Course. We also use our own experiences to help teach our future leaders. But because our own experiences as WLC students were a long time ago, it’s my goal to give NCOs a fresh look at how WLC is being conducted today from the eyes of an instructor. Here is some honest and upfront information about what Soldiers and leaders need to know before attending WLC.
Article published on: June 5, 2014
Graduates of Africa’s First NCO Academy Become Leaders of Change for Malawi
By Meghan Portillo
NCO Journal
In the African country of Malawi, there is mutual distrust and a large knowledge gap between its officers and noncommissioned officers. Though changing this will not be easy, the country’s leadership has recognized that NCOs are the key to a professional military and that a military must invest in its NCOs to set itself up for a successful future. To help make this transformation successful are two NCOs from U.S. Army Africa, based in Vicenza, Italy.
Article published on: June 3, 2014