What is the state of NCO training in today's Army?

SP5 Michael Rathbun — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 16:21:20 -0400

I recently happened across while looking to see how many other "Shake 'n' Bake" E-5s and E-6s there were back in my era. I found it a fascinating narrative of the history of the "Skill Development Base" programs.

The version of Skill Development Base I experienced at Ft Gordon in early 1969 was phenomenal.

In theory, they weren't training "combat-ready NCOs" but rather SP5s who could hit the ground running in a Signal unit. So we got the NASA soldering course, intensive instruction in the relevant bits of electronics, the standard Technical Instructor school and how to master The Army Equipment Records System (TAERS) amongst others. There was also what I call the "How to design, implement, lead and manage a high-performance organization delivering critical technical services in an extremely hostile environment" Course.

We also got a bunch of seemingly extraneous stuff like Forward Observer training, the practicalities of land mines, how to call in air strikes, small unit combat leadership and tactics, and the "Leadership Reaction Course" swiped from the Signal Officer Basic Course. It turned out that much of that was really handy in a later assignment.

One of the things they prepared us for was the "It doesn't matter what's on your sleeve, it's where you are on the duty roster" approach to whether SP5s were actually NCOs. We may not have been, but we got all the same assignments as the hard-stripers and had to be fully prepared.

There was a time when I said "I made E-5 in eleven months." I have reconsidered that and now say "The Army made me an E-5 in eleven months."

In both of my subsequent assignments, I found that I was well equipped for the job -- often better, in fact, than others who had several years time in grade and really didn't care for these "Instant E-5s" that were infesting the sleepy units in USAREUR.

I came back from RVN with a Bronze Star (no V) and a wealth of experience. I have been selling those nuggets of training and experience, often with great success and benefit to the business world, ever since my return to civilian life.

I imagine that the "Uncle Sam is quickly running out of E-5s in Viet-Nam" pretext they gave for announcing to us that we had volunteered for this course may not be anywhere near the current situation.

What's the modern equivalent for arming you for general service anywhere in the Complex?

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2015 9:43 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 21:43:06 -0400

That was a fast track to E-5, SP5 Michael Rathbun, but it seemed to work, and not just for you apparently. You were trained, and probably trained pretty well, for a specific situation. That was the beauty of the Specialist ranks in my opinion. They were something like enlisted Warrant Officers: specialists in their fields, not necessarily called on to lead in a tactical situation, but extremely proficient technically. (I worked with a Spec 6 who went on to be a CSM, so it's unfair to say that Specialists were not leaders. This guy stayed in the Army as the higher Specialist ranks were phased out, so he transitioned to the NCO ranks.)

Nowadays, Warrants are expected to be "tactical" leaders as well as technical specialists, and NCOs are expected to lead as well as be technically proficient at their job.

I don't think anybody would (or even could) make E-5 in 11 months today. That's probably a good thing. The extra time required allows the Soldier to mature and to learn, before being thrust into a position they might not be able to handle. But you were in a different time and situation, when the Army needed you to be up to speed and ready to do the technical job very quickly.

I think that's the difference. And I would ask you if you were a typical SP5 during the Vietnam era. Or were there a lot of folks who "washed out" when pushed like that -- to perform at that level in a very short period of time?

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 8 at 2016 3:25 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 15:25:09 -0400

Howdy Michael, since we exchanged emails about this subject I am going to guess your reference was my monograph on the history of SDB and the NCO Candidate Course. If you don't mind I added the link to the article so if others may want to know more about this important milestone. SDB/NCOC were truly foundational planks for the modern noncommissioned officer professional development system (NCOPDS). http://www.ncohistory.com/shake-and-bake.html

Shake n Bake NCO | The NCO Historical Society | NCOHistory.com

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