can someone give me their philosophy on being a noncommisioned officer?

Answer 1

Good question of which there are few around here. The NCO, is the glue that holds the unit together. The NCO is like a marathon runner. They are there for the long haul in the units. They rotate much less frequently. Officers especially when in command spend no more than 2 years in the position. Many times the NCO's in the unit are there when they get there and are STILL there when they depart. The Officer, is the sprinter, he is there for a short period of time, the NCO the marathon runner. That's the simple version.

Answer 2

First of all, let it be established that I am a currently serving Canadain soldier, with a rank equivalency of something between E-4 and E-5. That means that while I am still near the bottom of the totem pole, I have the odd supervisory task handed to me, and I've routinely had to do jobs above my rank level.

A well-trained professional NCO corps is what allows a military to run smoothly. We all know how the Soviet army fared in Afghanistan, and a huge part of the problem is that only officers were trusted with anything, and even then only the senior ones were given any sort of true trust. Of all of the NCO's, only a small fraction were true professionals, conscripts who decided that they liked military service and signed up for another engagement. The rest were conscripts.

NCO's are the essential link in the chain of command between the higher-ups and the troops. They manage the flow of communication going up the chain so that matters that don't need to go any higher than say, troop sargent, won't make it to the troop O's desk. As for what comes down, the officers will dictate what needs to be done, while the NCO's see to it that it gets done and how it gets done. Most officers will care about the result, not the process.

Also, NCO's are, at least here in Canada, largely a valuable source of information. A large part of their job is to actually teach their subordinates everything they know and to advise their superiors. Officers are not generally specialized in a field but the NCO's are trained professionals, they know their stuff. Also, especially when dealing with junior officers, NCO's are the trainers as well. Newly commissioned officers are full of themselves and not much else, with all sorts of good school knowledge but very little, if any, practical experience, and this is where their NCO's come in.

So this is what it boils down to. NCO's have the real-world experience to their officers' book-smarts. Let the officers worry about the big stuff, because for the day-to-day operations, there's nothing that a good sargent can't deal with. And please note that a 20-years-in E-5/E-6 equivalent is not a sign of being dumb. A trooper like this has a wealth of true experience, while perhaps not having the leadership potential to rise to the next rank level.

Answer 3

I think the Marine NCO creed is relevant here:
I am an NCO dedicated to training new Marines and influencing the old. I am forever conscious of each Marine under my charge, and by example will inspire him to the highest standards possible. I will strive to be patient, understanding, just, and firm. I will commend the deserving and encourage the wayward.

I will never forget that I am responsible to my Commanding Officer for the morale, discipline, and efficiency of my men. Their performance will reflect an image of me.

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Basically you're stepping up and accepting responsibility for the welfare of the men under you.

Answer 4

It beats being a private or corporal. You can only be a commissioned officer now with a college degree - a 4 year BA or higher.

My son is a commissioned officer & he says his Sargeant is the most valuable training he received. His advice is always considered & usually used.

Answer 5

NCO's are the backbone of the American military and the sergeant ranks show more leadership than do the lowest ranks of commissioned officers. to my knowledge, NCO's are not recognized as gentlemen by declaration as commissioned officers are. Go figure.

Answer 6

Are you going before the board? This sounds like one of those questions you have to answer before you go before the NCO of the month or a promotion board. Like when they tell you to pick a topic and prepare a brief statement on it.

Answer 7

According to my Senior officer husband, they run The regiment!