Should NCOs conduct staff rides and battle studies at the unit level?

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:44:15 -0400

I have a passion for learning. I'm not a history buff but I like the lessons learned form it.

Should we conduct Staff rides, book studies, engagement studies with NCOs? Why?

Time is not an excuse! We always find time to do the things we want or like.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2014 9:50 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:50:58 -0400

Learning is a valuable commodity. Antything that adds value to your NCOs leadership ability is a positive thing.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2014 8:51 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 20:51:53 -0400

I most definitely say yes we should be allowed to attend. I was fortunate enough to enjoy a staff ride when I was in Germany.  We ended up going to Normandy for three days and I learned a ton.  There were four of us NCOs that did go because we were section NCOICs.  The XO however felt we shouldn't have been allowed to go because it was a staff ride which meant staff officers.  Luckily the BN CDR disagreed with him.  I think if it's brought up tactfully and there is room, section NCOICs should be put on the "able to attend" list.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Apr 13 at 2014 12:57 AM

SGM Matthew Quick — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 00:57:57 -0400

An NCO led Staff Ride is an invaluable mentorship & team building tool.

NCOs that implement staff rides can develop leaders by introducing the benefits of military history into their organizations. Staff rides can also improve team morale and cohesion.

Focusing on actual campaigns and their terrain, operations and opposing forces is one of the most effective ways to enlist military history into professional military history.

Response by MSG Jose Colon made Apr 13 at 2014 2:02 AM

MSG Jose Colon — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 02:02:44 -0400

Unless you as an NCO take the initiative and buckle the system, there is no really many opportunities for NCOs to be mentored or pushed beyond the regular NCOES like Officers do. Sure, we have NCOPD sometimes, but unless you are at Division level or above, your chances to participate in these extra activities is almost zero.

The end result is that when we retire, we are at a disadvantage as related to Officers who have same time in service as we do or even less.

We are always told to hold back. Usually, is the Officers who attend conferences and the likes. When we ask, we are told that we are not invited.

Bottom line, unless you as an NCO take the initiative, you shouldn't expect to be prepared for the future. There are few and far between officers that will take you under their wing, but, those are not many. And, for some weird reason, Senior NCOs do not take the time to prepare NCOs for anything else other than correct infractions on juniors, fix our uniforms and prepare NCOER's or fix ERBs.

Yes, upholding standards is important, but that junior that you just smoked could benefit more by being talked about TSP than push ups.

Lets see NCOS come up with good extra studies/rides that will prepare our NCO Corps to be more professional and to have a life after the Army. Leadership is a bit more than DnC.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 12 at 2020 9:35 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 21:35:03 -0400

Great idea.