The NCO 2020 Strategy

In conclusion, the Marine NCO is to provide guidance, display courage, and influence Marines, young and old. As a Sergeant of Marines I am the liaison between junior Marines and my SNCOs, the Sergeants task is greater than that of any in shaping young Marines. Not only does a Sergeant have to hold himself to the highest standard possible, he must also hold his Marines responsible, because after all he is charged with guiding those Marines not only professionally but also through day to day life. If there is anyone in the Corps you can turn to for advice, guidance, or hard work and determination, it should be the Marine

In that aspect I believe that if someone is an NCO they should work and live by the NCO creed. The NCO is a soldier that is a well-rounded professional that has the experience and qualifications to lead other soldiers. They must learn the NCO Creed. The NCO creed

An NCO in my eyes is first most a leader, someone that has his soldiers back, there to protect and defend them, mentor them, and guide them into being NCO's themselves one day. As an NCO you need to be able to share your knowledge with younger soldiers, teach them the ways of the Army, let them not only learn from their mistakes, but from the ones we have made along the way as well. An NCO needs to be able to trust in his soldiers, but more importantly, soldiers need to be able to trust their NCO's. How can a soldier follow us into battle if they cannot trust us with the smaller things? How can a soldier turn to you in confidence with an issue that they have if they can’t even trust you, as an NCO, to have their back about something small

Outstandingly, American Non-commissioned officers have performed commendably in their discharge of their duties worldwide. Every soldier is entitled with NCO who ensures that all soldiers get good and professional training from experienced and qualified experts. NCO is also mandated to identify leaders from soldiers who can effectively perform in small-units. Hence it is very essential for the non commissioned officer to be empowered with knowledge and technique on how to carry out these duties effectively asserts that excellent leaders understand their soldiers' strength and weaknesses Basically, it is the role of non commissioned officer to employ knowledge and skills they have acquired through the many years of service in planning and decision making stages in the Army. In line with this, the US government is taking initiatives to empower the non-commissioned

Leadership development in the military is critical to its mission and objectives. Understanding and embracing leadership will foster an agile culture and facilitate attainment of strategic goals. People desire quality leadership to assist with achieving their goals, albeit personal or professional development. Having a clear vision and the motivation to perform at high-levels influences others to work synergistically together to achieve organizational goals. Insomuch, employees value being treated respectfully, fairly, and ethically. Leaders serve people best when they help them develop their own initiative and good judgment, enable them to grow, and help them become better contributors.

Leadership goals should always contain methods of a continuous process of learning through education, training, and individual experiences that help ensure that the message will be communicated in a confident and competent manner when leading troops. Soldiers tend to follow leaders that demonstrate and live the Army values, while displaying their confidence in every decision that affects change. Leaders are not born as organizational or tactical leaders; but grown by their genetic determinism, which is inside and the characteristics they work toward; that mold is which type leader they will become. Not just anyone can lead; you must have the desire to lead, be willing to make the commitment to being a leader, and prepare yourself properly, then you have the desire to become a leader. (Fulton, 1995).

Officers are taught to lead by example which means learning from the officers who came before them. As a leader in the army, a solider is constantly watched and must uphold the army core values at all times. Setting a good example for the young, non commissioned officers (NCOs) in the battalion is vital to the battalions cohesion and morale. In order to lead by example an officer is taught different leadership styles to incorporate in the field For instance, participating leadership style is especially appropriate when there is time receive input, information, and recommendations of your subordinates. The primary goal of the army is to develop the leaders of tomorrow. Leadership can always be improved on throughout life.

2. Intent. Leader development is the most important thing leaders do. It is my goal that each of you achieves the highest level of responsibility and service your talents permit. I will balance that goal with my duty to help identify the future leaders of our Army.

Junior leaders found themselves fighting a counterinsurgency campaign for which they lacked the necessary expertise and equipment. Thanks to innovative and heroic leaders, the Army was able to adapt its doctrine, materiel, and operations to change the course of the Iraq war over a period of two to three years (The Profession of Arms page 9)”. As we try to adapt, NCOs as professionals and leaders must get through to the Soldiers and tell them that what we do is not just a nine to five job but a calling. We also need to look deep in ourselves and see if our alignments have changed as well. Are we here just to finish out and get our retirement?

The training and development that is part of building leaders is important, but there is a distinct difference between "training" and "development," and the authors make that clear. Training in this context means ""¦creating proficiency through specialized instruction" (Mensch, et al, 2008, p. 263). Moreover, training focuses on the "measurable aspects of technical and tactical proficiency," Mensch explains. On the other hand "development" is much broader in scope; it's a "deep, fundamental, and irreversible process," and it stretches out over an extended period of time, Mensch explain (264).

This is especially true for members of the military. They begin learning leadership skills from their first day of basic training and continues until the day they exit the service. The job of the drill sergeants in basic is to break a civilian down and train them in the mentality and the lifestyle that is necessary to be an effective service member on the battlefield. Transitioning from the service can be a daunting task for many members, especially the ones who started their career at a young age and retire after 20 years of service. This is due to the lack of leadership opportunities for many growing up, so all they know is the way they were trained during their military careers.

The answer is grounded in what the Army expects of your development. The Army Leader Development Strategy is built on the pillars of three domains: Institutional (education), Operational (post-PME positions) and Self-Development.

An NCO, Non-Commissioned Officer, is better known as the backbone of the Army. They are the ones who are supposed to exhibit exemplary behavior at all times, for all of the junior soldiers. Soldiers, who have not yet reached the rank of NCO, look to the example of these seasoned soldiers. It is extremely important for the NCO to be at the right place, at the right time, and in the right uniform. By performing this type of leadership, an NCO can prove their ability to execute at least one of the many things a soldier is expected to do. All NCOs should be aware that they are always visible to others, not only Officers and Senior NCOs, but also by Junior Soldiers and even civilians. As NCOs we must take pride in ourselves and be the absolute best we can be at all times. Being on time demonstrates a readiness and willingness to work.

3. In order to maintain tactical, technical, and leadership proficiency all NCOs must be fully qualified in their career field and for their NCO level of

Leader development and leadership development is important from both a personal and an organizational aspect. (Hackman & Johnson, 2013) states that, “Leader development promotes personal growth” and “Leadership development promotes organizational growth”. Leader development is an ongoing process that continues throughout life. Because leadership skills can be learned and/or developed, as you take on different leadership roles and other leadership opportunities your leadership skills will improve. This in turn will help you to become a better leader.