NCO Journal July 2015 Articles
The official magazine of noncommissioned officer professional development
From The Field: An NCO’s Journey To Recruiting
By Sgt. 1St Class Stephen J. Behan — Sarasota, Fl., Recruiting Company
It was Christmas Eve 2007 in Fallujah, Iraq, and we were making our second move to Baghdad. Before moving out, we left our outpost and made a trip to Camp Fallujah to call home. While waiting for my Soldiers to finish their calls, I checked my email and found a message announcing that I had been selected for recruiting duty. I wasn’t happy about the news.
Article published on: July 30, 2015
Natick’s ‘Pack Man’ Aims To Lighten NCOs’ Load
By Martha C. Koester — NCO Journal
If they ask, he will make it. Chances are, if a noncommissioned officer pitches an idea for a new piece of Army load carriage to Rich Landry, the equipment designer is going to turn it into something tangible. A former Pathfinder in the 82nd Airborne Division, Landry understands the struggle of NCOs on the battlefield who are often weighed down with body armor, weapons and other equipment.
Article published on: July 28, 2015
SMA: ‘PRT is not the problem; 6:30 to 9 is the problem’
NCO Journal Staff Report
After an Army Times article detailed the seven-day workout plan for Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey, he got a lot of comments telling him, “That’s not PRT.” Dailey has also heard Soldiers using their dislike of Army Physical Readiness Training as an excuse for not exercising. During a recent interview with the NCO Journal, Dailey made it clear that he believes in PRT, but that PRT is just the beginning of staying physically fit.
Article published on: July 23, 2015
NCOs Forge Pathway Toward Partnership In The Pacific
By Jonathan (Jay) Koester — NCO Journal
With deployments to the Middle East slowing, finding ways to give realistic training to Soldiers has become increasingly important. Leaders of the U.S. Army Pacific have come up with a system that allows Soldiers to experience a deployment atmosphere, securing needed training while also cementing bonds with our allies.
Article published on: July 21, 2015
Physical Demands Study Goal: Identify The Ideal Soldier For The Job
By Martha C. Koester — NCO Journal
The Army is looking at updating the standards for combat-related military occupational specialties. Once final data from the physical demands study have been analyzed, the Army will be closer to realizing its goal — finding the right Soldier for the right job.
Article published on: July 16, 2015
Civil Affairs Teams Support Missions In Africa By Making A Difference In Locals’ Lives
By Meghan Portillo — NCO Journal
Civil affairs NCOs in Africa are rewarded for their work with indelible memories. There’s the joy on a child’s face when she receives a new textbook, the tight handshake given by a farmer after his camel receives a vaccine, or the relief in a mother’s voice after her family receives medical attention.
Article published on: July 14, 2015
With New Report, Senior Raters May Identify Just 24 Percent ‘Most Qualified’
By C. Todd Lopez — Army News Service
The new policy for the noncommissioned officer evaluation report, or NCOER, due out in January, includes a limit on how many “most qualified” ratings can be handed out by a Soldier’s senior rater. Under the new system, a senior rater may rate only as many as 24 percent as being most qualified. That limit applies when those being rated are in the rank of staff sergeant through sergeant major.
Article published on: July 9, 2015
This Month In NCO History: July 29, 1944 — Taking Command At Grimesnil, France
By Pablo Villa — NCO Journal
Sgt. Hulon B. Whittington didn’t flinch when 2,500 German troops overran the roadblock he was manning near the village of Grimesnil, France. Whittington was 23 years old and serving with the 41st Armored Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Armored Division seven weeks after D-Day. The clock had trudged past midnight on July 29, 1944, when a 100-vehicle Panzer unit reached the outskirts of town.
Article published on: July 9, 2015
NCOs Make Training for Background Operations a Focal Point
By Pablo Villa — NCO Journal
Sgt. 1st Class Marcos Moreno knows there are faster ways to fix Army vehicles. But the observer-coach-trainer for the Goldminers Team won’t teach them to you during your time at the National Training Center.
Article published on: July 7, 2015