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EDINBURGH, Ind. (4/3/2012) — The sum of the whole is greater than
its parts. Taken in manageable pieces to enable memorization, this
is the introduction to the Creed of the Non-commissioned Officer
that most soldiers receive at their Warrior Leadership Course. Put
it all together, and it is a guide to how to conduct the primary
duties of an NCO, regardless of career field in the Army; a lengthy
job description, as it were. Or rather a blueprint, a set of
guidelines that set out, in macro scale, what NCOs are and do.
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First Sgt. Steven Hampton, of Indianapolis, with the 38th Infantry Division, spots targets for Spc. Ana Tyree, of Indianapolis, with the 38th Infantry Division, at an M4 carbine range during the Indiana Army National Guard's Soldier of the Year competition held at Camp Atterbury
Joint Maneuver Training Center, Ind., March 31, 2012. Training
soldiers seeing to their welfare is one of the many responsibilities
non-commissioned officers fulfill. Photo by Army Staff Sgt. David Bruce
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“The Creed of the Non-commissioned Officer is a bunch of
phrases that when put together, makes perfect sense,” said
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Smith, of Plainfield, Ind., an infantry
squad leader with B Company 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry.
“And it's not until you become a senior NCO, that you really
understand it. A young sergeant recites it because someone
told him to, but sometimes I don't think they really listen
to what it is. It's our creed; it's what we live by.”
Once the rote memorization is over, implementation of
the creed occurs, according to Command Sgt. Maj. John
Watson, of Indianapolis, command sergeant major for 38th
Infantry Division.
“It starts to mean something and
you can see how you're applying what the words of the creed
really mean as far as taking care of your soldiers and the
people you work with and accomplishing the mission; doing
your job so the officers don't have to, leaving them to
their planning and preparation while we're executing the
mission with the soldiers,” said Watson. “That's what it's
all about.”
According to Smith, everything that an
NCO should be and do is mentioned in the creed and it should
be a guide to being a leader and taking care of soldiers. It
can be seen in simple things that leaders do, like knowing
the facets of a soldiers life. Or, as stated in the creed: I
know my soldiers and will always place their needs above my
own.
“It's important to know, as a leader, everything
about your soldiers,” said Smith. “Everything, from how many
kids they have, to where they live, where they work; a
leader is supposed to know that. If he doesn't, he's going
to miss something, somewhere.”
While leadership can
be learned, help along the way from those that came before
helps create good leaders, said Smith.
“In order to
become a good leader, you have to have good mentors,” he
said. “Even if you have bad leaders, you learn from them as
well, what not to do as a leader. So any way you go, you're
setting yourself up for success if you just pay attention.”
Smith said he had the benefit outstanding leadership
that helped shape his leadership style, and when finally put
in a leadership position, he wanted to excel and take care
of his soldiers.
“I had some great mentorship
throughout my career,” he said. “I've worked for brigade
sergeants major; I've had great readiness NCOs and platoon
sergeants. I saw my first team leader from when I was a
private, even today I still think about his leadership style
and some of the great things he did. He was a very hard team
leader, but I learned so much. Having great leadership will
make a big difference in your career as you come up in the
NCO corps.”
The Army is in a state of flux. Mandated
reductions, policy changes and budgeting conspire to create
a sometimes uncertain future. A few of these changes are
reflected in revised evaluation and education system for
NCOs.
Regardless of changes to the evaluation and
education system for non-commissioned officers, NCOs will
continue to lead and train soldiers, said Watson.
“It
still boils down to basic leadership skills where the first
line leader has to be engaged with their soldiers, and has
to look them in the eye when they are together, whether it's
on a drill weekend or during mobilization, and talk to them
directly and frankly as to what the expectations are, what
the goals are, what the mission is and how to achieve it,”
said Watson. “The NCOs are always going to be there and have
to keep motivating the soldiers to achieve the mission and
take care of each other.”
According to Watson, it
will always go back to those basic things that NCOs have
always done.
The actions of NCOs are noted by the
soldiers they lead and they matter, according to Justin
Garrett, of Martinsville, Ind., with B Company 1st
Battalion, 151st Infantry, who will be deploying to
Afghanistan with Smith later this year.
“I wouldn't
want to deploy with any other squad leader, said Garrett.
“He cares about soldiers, they come first and he'll do
anything in his power to help you out. He has standards and
abides by them and no one gets special treatment. I like
those leadership abilities in an NCO.”
It has been
said that we train our replacements as NCOs. Today's private
may eventually become a sergeant in a few years and
leadership provided early in that private's career will
shape the future NCO he or she will become.
“I take
all good things NCOs give me and make the most of it. I try
to apply it in my own way,” he said.
As leaders of
soldiers, NCOs are watched by supervisors, peers and the
soldiers, said Garrett.
“Warrior Leadership Course
got me spun up on the standards and lets us know that we are
looked at, at all times no matter what you're doing. People
don't realize how much it is a two-way street, every single
move you do is watched. With every move being watched is
where integrity comes in. Being a good NCO is having that
integrity.
While the Creed of the NCO is not
necessarily an all inclusive treatise on leadership in and
of itself, it serves a foundation that guides the Corps of
NCOs as we execute our duties, accomplish the mission and
see to the welfare of soldiers.
By Army Staff Sgt. David Bruce
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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