NCO Journal December 2020 Articles
The official magazine of noncommissioned officer professional development
Mentorship: The NCO's Role in Developing Junior Officers
By Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Caywood, Master Sgts. John Kirby, James Prescott, & Alan Sutton
Cadets and young officers will remember their senior NCOs similar to how enlisted Soldiers remember their drill sergeants. It is important senior enlisted leaders fulfill their roles as mentors and leave a positive impression junior officers take with them as they transition into the U.S. Army.
Article published on: December 30, 2020
NCOs and College Education
By Sgt. Maj. James Zills
In today's U.S. Army, higher education for a noncommissioned officer is more than just a means for promotion points. It also plays a large part in a Soldier's personal and career development by teaching them to communicate effectively with others, think critically (necessary to support the mission command philosophy), and sets them up for success as they prepare to transition out of the military and into the civilian sector.
Article published on: December 18, 2020
Promotions
By Retired Sgt. Maj. Toni Gagnon Ross
Promotions are a part of every Soldier's career. Putting on that first stripe, the “mosquito wing,” is the beginning of a series of promotions which are based not only on performance but on an individual's potential for additional responsibility.
Article published on: December 16, 2020
Why Personnel Records Matter: Preparing for IPPS–A
By Sgt. Maj. Gary Krese
An often overlooked task is for leaders to ensure all personnel records are accurate. Incomplete or outdated records can lead to missing promotion points and inconsistent data between human resource systems. This can cause incorrect pay, being overlooked during centralized promotion boards or nominative assignments, and incomplete service record issues after transitioning out of the service.
Article published on: December 11, 2020
Three-Level-Down Approach to Suicide Prevention
By Sgt. Maj. Emmanuel A. Emekaekwue
The Department of Defense Annual Suicide Report shows a five-year increase in suicide rate between CY 2014 and 2019. These findings highlight the necessity of an Army-wide focused suicide prevention approach emphasizing positive battalion leadership. This article argues senior leaders must do more to prevent suicides by directly engaging junior enlisted Soldiers three levels down.
Article published on: December 7, 2020
The NCO Creed
By 1st Sgt. Wesley A. Thomas
Well before the inception of the NCO Creed at Fort Benning, Georgia, and the formalization of the NCO Creed into an official Army publication in 1985, noncommissioned officers had long maintained the charge of caring for Soldiers and their equipment in order to accomplish the mission.
Article published on: December 2, 2020