Who thinks we should bring back the First Sergeant Course?

My thoughts exactly...I didn't know it ever left.

I don't know, but I remember begging to go to it in Germany the year it went away and being told by the 1SG I can't go because HE didn't go. I got phase one in before they stopped teaching it. I think we will pay for it dearly, I can already see the difference in how we do business. 1SGs don't seem to rely on each other like they used to an d D&C .....stands for "dead and corroded" now!

What we don't need us another course filled with information taught at the previous two levels of NCOES/SSD.

I'm not sure what the courseware looks like, but here's to hoping its staff-centric. Most folks do not need a class to be a First Sergeant. They are either leaders at this point, or they're not. And frankly the CCFS PCC does a good job of filling knowledge gaps.

Where the NCO Corps lacks is its ability to communicate with our counterparts - think if we sent MSGs/SGMs to an ILE-like course or SAMS. Sort of like a Battle Staff on steroids. And every E8 had to attend. Or if we invested in civilian educational opportunities like the many GRADSO or fellowship programs that exist for our counterparts.

Man we'd really be unstoppable.

A step in the right direction!

LTC Mo Vanderslice Sir, I would say that makes you a lucky man. What I see is many 1SGs that well equipped for combat leadership, and lack a lot of what it takes to operate in garrison. Yes, a 1SG should be able to run circles around an admin clerk, but after spending the last several years at the helm of a few S-1 shops, I see things from a very different perspective. I see NCOs that don't know how to write evaluations, don't understand the regulation, don't know how to prep for boards, what their files should look like, etc.
I provide templates, training, by-name lists to project awards, evaluations, I could go on an on. Yet somehow, every week I brief awards that have yet to be turned in, evaluations about to be late to HRC, and by-name lists of who needs to scrub their ERBs & check their files. Every week I get the same excuse..."we are too busy training," or "I'm not focused on admin, it's not a priority." I have seen it in all MOSs, and in several different kinds of units.
It kills me when I have to mail an award to a Soldier that has served in my battalion for 6 years, or when I have to send a Soldier back down to his unit to get his NCOER counseling before he signs his evaluation. Being a leader is just like being a parent. If you teach the wrong crap, your Soldiers will progress doing the wrong crap. Maybe not everyone needs in depth training, but many do, and they need to understand the importance of the boring paperwork, and how to create a balance between the fun kind of leadership, and the boring kind of leadership.

hate to say this, but that sounds more like a lack of management skills and or just plain lazy ass 1SG from my view. NCOER couseling is not new to any 1SG or Sr. NCO. Might be time for some old fashioned management on your part ( a ittle more as well for a while). If the 1SG doesn't have the NCOERs you've asked for at the end of the day or week. Hold an end of day formation, release everyone not requried from the formation and then give your specific guidance to the 1SG and those remaining. Tell them you will be back at 21-2200, will review the work and then release those who have completed their work. Bottom line, the 1SG will be the last to leave when his mission is accomplished. Be sure you keep those PLT leaders as well....as if you have any admin issues down to PLT level....they are just as much part of the problem as the !SG and the NCOs.

Another way to do it is to call this after normal duty hour work...OPD/NCOPD, since they can't seem to find the time to get it right during duty hours.....train them "after" normal duty hours. Trust me, it will not take long for them to get their head out of their collective asses. YOU have to hold their feet to the fire and not tolerate any excuses! Good luck.

I have been reading some of the other comments (subjects) that has been posted here on RallyPoint. So, I might be too late responding to this subject.
First, I agree that the First Sergeant's Course should have never been discontinued. And it is not because I learned how to be or become a great 1SG after I completed the course, but because that is something that I should have learnt as I made my way up the NCO ranks. Nothing like good old experience! My NCO's trained me to be a 1SG, by me watching, learning, asking questions, reading military material, higher education or learning (so that I was able to read and write better), getting involved in the S1, S2, S3, S4, etc. Learning my little role in the big picture of the unit, and our higher organizations. I then took the good and the bad (what worked and what did not work) from some of the leaders, to mold my own leadership style. The First Sergeant's Course (and because I was a 1SG in Germany) I attended the Leaders Course in Germany as well as the 1SG's Course at Fort Bliss, TX. What those two courses did for me was enlightened some of the information that I already knew or did not know, plus it gave me 20 to 30 other First Sergeants from different MOS's and Career back grounds, that I could tap into (I think we call that networking), if I had a really hard finance issue for one of my Soldiers, he or she could guide me in the right direction to better assist my Soldiers. So, that when I went to my local finance office, I knew what I was talking about (sometimes they might have never dealt with the issue before), so we were able work it out together. So, that is the good or missing part of the 1SG's Course going away (they don't get to set up their network). I know we have all of this online stuff, but nothing beats that face to face meeting of another person that you feel at ease talking with or trust.
Next the subject of NCO's not knowing how to write NCOER's and Awards. And not processing them on time. Okay, I would be lying if I said that I never had that problem as a 1SG. But as the Senior Enlisted NCO, it was my duty to correct or fix the problem. So, what I did was reminded the Section Leaders (Platoon Sergeants and Platoon Leaders), what was due by close of business on Friday! I also informed the Commander (because Platoon Leaders will by right go through the CDR) that I had a plan to get all of my NCOER's and Awards turned in on time, from now on. CDR gave me his approval. S1 informed me at 1500 hours that we were missing NCOER's and Awards (for whatever reason). Back then we always had closeout formations on Fridays (which also included Maintenance (vehicles and weapons), Counseling packets, and weekend and Holiday Safety Briefings.
I ordered dinner for all of the Platoon Sergeants and the CDR ordered dinner for all of the Platoon Leaders. We released the Unit and we all went up to our conference room, ate dinner together (broke bread) and then we passed around all of the NCOER's for comments and review. Made all of the necessary corrections (with a lot of input from some of the stronger writers to the ones who were lacking. On Monday and Tuesday we were able to get all of the Unit NCOER's and Awards turned into our higher on time. Now I must admit that it made some personnel upset that they had to be forced to help others who were lacking, but it also made them feel better about helping each other (they started rotating their NCOER's and Awards through the other Platoons) before the CDR and I saw them.
And that is how my Platoon Sergeant trained me as a Squad Leader (I would let as many people as possible, that I trust assist and guide me). And it doesn't matter, you can be the best writer in the world, another's input could always be helpful.

SGM, I wish more people cared....that is what I see lacking now. We are becoming the "get along gang" which is fine if everything is going well. I took a few classes that really opened my eyes, Leadership in Change and Organizational Behavior. ..WOW! Either in NCOES, NCOPD, or self-development, we need to get this knowledge out there! Experience is a great teacher, but evaluated experience is an even better teacher. ..MENTORSHIP!! I have enjoyed all 24 years of my career so someone is getting mentored whether they like it or not! !