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NCO Journal February 2015 Articles

The official magazine of noncommissioned officer professional development

Fellowship Program Offers Sergeants Major a Master’s Degree in Education

By Martha C. Koester
NCO Journal

Twenty sergeants major will soon have an opportunity to teach the next generation of sergeants major through a fellowship program at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas, worth $27,000 per student. The one-year education program offers fellows a master’s degree in adult education from Pennsylvania State University and an additional three years’ service in the Army.

Article published on: February 24, 2015


NCO ‘Backbone’ a Force Multiplier for Nepalese Army

By Master Sgt. Jennifer K. Yancey
USARAK Public Affairs

Scores of junior-enlisted leaders enter the Sgt. 1st Class Christopher R. Brevard Noncommissioned Officer Academy on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), Alaska, to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for training and leading Soldiers.

Article published on: February 20, 2015


Staff Ride Connects History to Present-Day Battles for NCOs in Europe

By Staff Sgt. Clareyssa T. Hall
U.S. Army Europe

U.S. Army Europe has used its location — headquartered at Wiesbaden, Germany — to conduct leader-training using historical battles and the staff ride training model for years. For most of that time, staff rides were either conducted for units or senior leaders. Recently, however, Command Sgt. Maj. David S. Davenport Sr., USAREUR command sergeant major, and the USAREUR Military History Office took 21 junior NCOs and specialists to the area of the 1944 battles for the Siegfried Line and used the staff ride’s time-proven techniques to train the future leaders of the Army.

Article published on: February 19, 2015


Army Learning Model Changes Drill Sergeant Training

By David Vergun
Army News Service

Feedback from the field regarding the Army Drill Sergeant Academy’s change in August 2014 to Army Learning Model training is positive, said Sgt. Maj. Ed Roderiques, the academy’s deputy commandant. Army Learning Model is the informal name given to “The Army Learning Concept for 2015,” Pamphlet 525-8-2, published by U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, or TRADOC, and intended for implementation Army-wide.

Article published on: February 12, 2015


Barrier Broken with Combat Engineer Company’s Female 1st Sergeant

By Sgt. 1St Class Michel Sauret
416th Theater Engineer Command

Our initial story said Steckman was the first female first sergeant across all combat engineer companies. There are other engineer companies with 12B Soldiers in the Army, and it was brought to our attention at least one female first sergeant was appointed to such a unit. However, no previous female first sergeant was qualified as a 12Z, which is a requirement for the position.

Article published on: February 10, 2015


NCOs Help Needed to Make Army’s National Museum a Reality

By Michael L. Lewis
NCO Journal

The Navy has had one for more than 50 years. The Air Force’s draws more than 1.3 million people to it every year. And the Marine Corps opened its version to great fanfare in 2006. But when it comes to a national museum to highlight the history, sacrifice and contributions of the U.S. Army, there has never been one, despite Congress appropriating funds to construct one — in 1814. But with luck, and the help of NCOs past and present, that will change before this decade is over.

Article published on: February 3, 2015