NCO Journal May 2018 Articles
The official magazine of noncommissioned officer professional development
Followership: Avoid being a toxic subordinate
By Command Sgt. Maj. Brian M. Disque
Asymmetric Warfare Group
According to the author, "toxic subordinate" is not part of the Army lexicon but ought to have an equal place when discussing leadership and organizational value because every leader is a follower.
Article published on: May 30, 2018
Is it a lack of self-discipline or knowledge? A proper approach to weight loss
By Dr. Santiago M. Rodríguez
Assistant Professor, Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation
The author analyzes why so many Soldiers struggle to meet and maintain the Army's weight standards, highlights various merits and criticisms of weight control issues affecting the Army, and provides a different perspective on the issue.
Article published on: May 28, 2018
12 Principles of Modern Military Leadership: Part 1
By Capt. Ron Roberts
Civil Affairs, Asymmetric Warfare Group
In the first of three articles, the author discusses four fundamental leadership principles -- lead from the front, self-confidence vs. egotism, moral courage, and physical courage -- as well as several educational and inspirational historical examples.
Article published on: May 25, 2018
The digital domain of leadership
By Staff Sgt. Oren Hammerquist
2nd Cavalry Regiment, Rose Barracks, Germany
People typically act differently within the digital realm of social media than they do in "real life." Leaders owe it to themselves, their Soldiers, and the military to treat cyberspace as a real place.
Article published on: May 23, 2018
Book review: What I Learned from the Starfish and the Spider
By Sgt. 1st Class Stephen J. Love
Headquarters, First Army
From a Soldier's perspective, the author discusses how the book highlights examples of long-established, traditional companies that failed to prepare for the changes imposed by the internet.
Article published on: May 21, 2018
Using an ethical framework for a more responsible online image
By Sgt. Maj. Jorge A. Rivera
NCO Leadership Center of Excellence
The author examines the use of social media in the Army through an ethical lens as it relates to illegal, immoral, or untrusting behavior.
Article published on: May 18, 2018
Back to Basics: Big Changes to Recruit Training
By Dayton Ward
NCO Journal
The Army is in the midst of evaluating and improving how it creates Soldiers and ensuring recruits who graduate basic training can tackle the responsibilities the Army will soon place upon them.
Article published on: May 16, 2018
An abundance approach to organizational leadership
By Command Sgt. Maj. John Wayne Troxell
I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Published in From One Leader to Another by the Combat Studies Institute in 2013
An analysis and recommendation on strengthening combat readiness by focusing on organizational leadership designed to get leaders to focus less on a "problem-solving approach" to leading and more on an "abundance approach" to create or reinforce a "strive for excellence" attitude throughout the organization, thereby enhancing overall combat and organizational readiness.
Article published on: May 14, 2018
Why study military history?
By Command Sgt. Maj. Wade P. Hampton
11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
Published in the NCO Journal's 1992 winter issue
A professional is an expert in a particular field who constantly strives for improvement. This drive is useless without knowledge of the past. Learning from your mistakes can be a painful process. Learning from the mistakes of others is painless and easy.
Article published on: May 11, 2018
Authentic NCOs: Honest with themselves and their Soldiers
By Maj. Fred B. Pugh and Sgt. Maj. Robert G. Thompson
Reserve Officers' Training Corps, Columbus College, Columbus, Georgia
Published in the NCO Journal's 1991 fall issue
From time to time the concept of "authenticity" emerges in any review of literature. Authentic or genuine behavior is closely associated with an open-climate organization. In an open-climate organization, a leader's behavior is purposeful and real, while in a closed-climate organization behavior tends to be determined by role and appears almost ritualistic.
Article published on: May 9, 2018
Implement unconventional training scenarios
By Staff Sgt. Alvin J. Blackmon, Jr.
501st Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Company, 23rd Chemical Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division
The Army should field a military training team of subject matter experts, composed of civilians and Soldiers who are up-to-date on threat analyses, to set up the most realistic operations security training scenarios possible.
Article published on: May 7, 2018