Culture shift in Non-commissioned Officer Education System to shape future Army successes

Photo By Guy Volb | Command Sgt. Maj. Tedd Pritchard, commandant for the NCO Academy at Fort Hood, Texas, fills out a survey following the Noncommissioned Officer Academy Commandant's Workshop. The workshop was held April 13-15 at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy on Fort Bliss, Texas. Pritchard said, "The most enlightening part of the conference was having all the Army staff organizations here -- their representatives were able to tie it all together for us as it applies to changes in NCOES. In three days, we were afforded the opportunity to see the future of NCOES via many different perspectives."  

FORT BLISS, TX, UNITED STATES

04.16.2010

Story by Guy Volb 

The NCO Leadership Center of Excellence

FORT BLISS, Texas — A cultural shift in the Army's Non-commissioned Officer Education System has educators focusing on curriculum and delivery methods needed to develop the broadly-skilled, analytical thinking enlisted leaders needed for tomorrow's battlefields.

The first major NCOES update since 1975, it comes at a time when commanders on the battlefield are charged with more responsibility than ever before. So it's no surprise they're turning to their senior NCOs for more in-depth counsel, and expanding the NCO's role.

That cultural shift -- of moving from a training and task oriented system, to that of a high-end educational build synonymous with premier universities worldwide -- was a focus of the Noncommissioned Officer Academy Commandant's Workshop held April 13-15 at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy on Fort Bliss, Texas. Here, Army educators from around the world came together for a detailed look at the future of NCOES and the strategy being developed to ensure implementation by 2015.

"The most important part," said John Sparks, director of the Institute for NCO Professional Development, "is our ability to develop leaders for their next assignment. For years we've been behind the power curve. Soldiers were attending courses having already been in their new position for years sometimes.

"I want to get to them before they head off to their next assignment," he emphasized. "I want to ensure we raise their level of education, so they feel better about serving in a particular position — it helps develop confidence in the Soldier and delivers a better product to the Army. And to make that happen, we have to have unit training, self-development and Professional Military Education all working together toward a common goal."

The three-day conference provided commandants updates on NCOES policy, quality assurance standards and curriculum, to include the Warrior Leader Course, Advanced Leaders Course, and Structured Self-development.

"My intent coming down here," said Command Sgt. Maj. Tedd Pritchard, who runs the NCO Academy at Fort Hood, Texas, "was to come away with insight into the roles and responsibilities of a commandant. I wanted to get a better look at where NCOES is headed and how the Army intends to get there."

The 42-year-old Pritchard, who is a new commandant having been on the job for a little more than two months, said he wasn't disappointed. "The most enlightening part of the conference was having all the Army staff organizations here -- their representatives were able to tie it all together for us as it applies to changes in NCOES. In three days, we were afforded the opportunity to see the future of NCOES via many different perspectives."

A bit more seasoned commandant, Command Sgt. Maj. Dean Keveles, who runs the Fires Center NCO Academy at Fort Sill, Okla., said he was focused on the changes.

"I wanted updates on the latest changes to NCOES," the Lawton, Okla., native said. "The other thing was the sharing of ideas. You really gain valuable insight being able to share experiences in groups like this.

"Especially with my fellow commandants," he emphasized. "We had primary players here from TRADOC, FORSCOM, USASMA, INCOPD, and the Army G-3 sergeant major. We received guidance that's, essentially, coming directly from key general officers.

"It allowed us all to see the future focus of NCOES and help us prepare for those changes ... to be more relevant to today's NCOs and Army," said Keveles.

Keveles said he'll no doubt take some best practices from other academies back with him. "I'll just adapt them to my program."

NCOES is continually evolving, stressed USASMA Commandant Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Chandler. "So it's important for commandants to come together once a year to exchange ideas and best practices ... to re-synchronize efforts so we're all more effective and efficient in meeting the Army's needs."

• Date Taken: 04.16.2010
• Date Posted: 04.16.2010 13:58
• Story ID: 48245
• Location: FORT BLISS, TX, US