JUNIOR MILITARY NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS: The Leader Corporate America Knows Nothing About

As I continue to chug-along with my transition from Active Duty, I can’t help but notice all of the programs that Corporate America has to offer Junior Military Officers, or JMOs, as they leave military service. Honestly, I understand the thought process behind this recruiting practice, and do not want to take anything away from it. JMOs are a vital part of the military fabric. Some are leading men and women in combat situations at this very moment. Some are contributing to the success of operations in staff positions at high echelons of command. Some are responsible for millions of dollars worth of government equipment. These are skills and experiences that can transfer to the corporate world in a big way. But what about the individuals that are vital to their initial training as they graduated from military academies or completed ROTC programs across the country? What about the leaders that helped shape them as they entered the operational force of their particular services? What about the E-5s and E-6s that helped them develop into true leaders? Where are the JMNCO programs for the junior enlisted leader who has just as much leadership experience, if not more in some cases.

To get to the root of this issue, we have to first examine the role of the E-5 and E-6 population. From an Army perspective, these folks have 2 basic responsibilities: accomplish the mission by taking the Commander’s intent and making it reality and looking out for the welfare of the junior Soldiers, professionally and personally. Additionally, many of these junior enlisted leaders are also doing the same duties as junior officers. In fact, those JMOs probably learned how to correctly accomplish these duties from an E-5 or E-6. As an E-5, I have helped mold quite a few 2LTs by training them on how to meet and exceed expectations of the senior leadership within the unit. When my current 1LT Platoon Leader needed information on our communication equipment to include in a brief to the Brigade commander, who did he turn to? Not the senior NCO Platoon Sergeant, but the E-5s and E-6s in the platoon. Who did he ask to proofread said brief before submitting it to his boss? The E-5s and E-6s in the platoon. So, if these junior Non-commissioned officers, or NCOs, are the ones getting the job done and indeed training these officers, who may become “Leaders of Industry” in the civilian world, why do not more junior Non-commissioned officer programs exist in the corporate world?

Part of the problem is that Non-commissioned officers are just that…Non-commissioned, that is to say, they either do not have the college degree required to receive a commission in the military or they do have the degree, but choose not to be officers. The issue is that many of the civilian leadership positions require a Bachelors Degree. This poses yet another interesting question…who may be a better candidate for a supervisory position in a civilian job, based off of education and experience…the E-5 with a few college credits who has successfully led personnel, helped members of their team move up in rank, and maintained equipment worth astronomical amounts of money for 6 or 7 years, or the 1LT who did some of the same things for 4 years? Here’s another question…what about the E-5 that has a Masters Degree, like myself, who has done the same things as his or her previously mentioned peer? Where does that Non-commissioned officer fit in? He or she is not a JMO, but possesses the education, plus some, of a JMO. Yet, Corporate America may not know exactly what to do with this highly-educated NCO and care not to understand what the NCO who may not possess the higher education can offer. If the concern is that these leaders are not well-rounded or “formally educated” enough, then this speaks even more to the need for JMNCO programs to help calm those “fears” and fine tune these proven leaders’ potential in a different setting.

Let’s take a quick look at one company that offers a program to the junior Non-commissioned Officer, as well as JMOs. Safeway, a grocery chain in the Western U.S. and Canada, has supported employment of veterans through its JMO/NCO Program. In 2012, Safeway hired nearly 1,500 veterans, including over 1,300 of them in the company's retail stores. Safeway has also committed to hiring at least another 1,500 veterans by the end of 2013.

"We saw an opportunity to recruit new kinds of leaders who will become an important and critical part of our future," said Larree Renda, Safeway’s executive vice president. "Our JMO and NCO recruiting program officially launched in 2010. We accept applicants who have been officers or Non-commissioned officers in the military and place them in an accelerated leadership program." Graduates qualify for store manager and assistant manager jobs and a range of other manager-level positions in the distribution and backstage departments at Safeway. To top all that off, Safeway’s salaries for these positions are not shabby. According to Glassdoor.com, the average total compensation for an assistant manager is $57,214, while store managers’ total pay averages $88,632. If Safeway, and a few other companies, are open-minded enough to acknowledge that junior NCOs can contribute to the success of the organization, why don’t other companies?

So, what are the solutions? Yes, “civilianizing” accomplishments and potential on the resume will help separating junior enlisted leaders, but only if employers are willing to start recognizing that practical and proven leadership experience should be looked upon in a positive light, just like the college degree. Secondly, junior NCOs should seek out higher education while serving. The money is there, and best of all, it is free. Thirdly, companies should continue to hire Veterans into talent acquisition positions. Veterans that recruit for a company have an outlook that those who have never served could not understand and know what the junior NCO can offer a company. Also, establish programs that hone in on those junior enlisted leaders who can and have led in high-stress situations, but may not have sought out college education.

Before I get off of my soapbox, let me say that being a junior Non-commissioned officer has not defined me as a leader, but it has influenced my leadership style. My time in the Army has taught me that my fellow E-5s and E-6s, who did not go to college, are just as good at leading, if not better. I know plenty of college graduates that could not lead their way out of a paper bag, but have met some great E-6s that will not only lead, but lead by example. Corporate America should give these leaders a chance to show their leadership experience, and in most cases, they will not disappoint. Given the opportunity, junior NCOs, regardless of the branch, will get the job done.