What It Means To Be An NCO

By SGT Peltier, Victor D.

Non commissioned officers have been around in the United States military forces since the establishment of the continental army in 1775. Since then they have been the cornerstone, or the backbone as it has been said, of our military forces: from the United States Army to the United States Marine Corps and all branches in between. They have been the leaders at the forefront of battle and the teachers in the times of peace. With all the accomplishments that have followed the impressive history of the NCO, what does it actually mean to be a non commissioned officer? Why are they important to the continuation of our armed forces and the structure of our military today? What exactly makes an NCO the backbone of the military, a proven asset to all commands? Being an NCO carries many duties and responsibilities along with the authority given to you by the United States military. One key factor in understanding the meaning of being a Non Commissioned Officer is to understand the elements that are integral to being an NCO. These things can be seen under the properties of BE, KNOW, and DO. Being an NCO means that you must BE many things. One of the most important things an NCO must be is a leader. As a leader, it is a non commissioned officers duty and responsibility to, not only see to the welfare and concerns of the soldiers under their care, but to train them to be better soldiers themselves. As an NCO it means that you have to be the example, the role model that your soldiers look up to. Your actions are the ones that your soldiers are watching and emulating for future members of

the armed forces. These actions can also be the ones they emulate as ambassadors of the United States. NCOs must always strive to set the best example for their soldiers to learn from. As an NCO, you have to be honest, not only to your soldiers, but to yourself and your command. It means having the integrity and intestinal fortitude to tell the truth to all those you serve with including subordinates, peers, and those in charge. Even when those individuals don't want to hear the honest truth, they will see the character you show for it and respect you for it as well. Being an NCO means being a teacher and a mentor to the soldiers under you. It is your responsibility to teach them the jobs that they are to do every day and ensure that they practice the basics so that they are never forgotten. It is an NCO responsibility to also exercise their authority in making sure that their soldiers learn these important basics. It is the duty of a NCO to mentor soldiers to look towards the future and one day becoming NCOs themselves and passing on the legacy that comes with becoming a non commissioned officer. The next property to look at is KNOW. Being an NCO means that you must know a great deal to be able to successfully lead soldiers. This means that first and foremost a non commissioned officer must know their job. This means, not only must an NCO being a subject matter expert in their specialty field, they must be proficient in all the equipment that are essential to the success of the unit, from the vehicles to the weapons systems. An NCO must not only know the skills of their own field, they must also know the skills of the soldiers beneath them. For an NCO to ask their soldiers to perform a task, they must be willing and able to do the task themselves. This goes hand in hand with being the example. Being an NCO also means that an NCO most KNOW themselves. If an NCO knows that they are lacking in some manner, for example knowledge over a particular important subject, then they must know themselves well enough to accept this and seek guidance and knowledge to improve themselves.

Being an NCO means knowing to be adaptive. The world is ever changing and for non commissioned officers to be effective, they must be able to change, adapt, and overcome all obstacles that my come up. As an NCO, not only must you know yourself, you must know your soldiers as well. This doesn't mean just know what they can do, but know who they are, not only as a soldier but as a person as well. This means getting to know what makes up the character of the soldier, what has built up their inner core. It means getting to know their likes and dislikes, their dreams, their fears, their hopes and their goals. It means knowing their families and understanding them on a personal level. It show that you care about them and builds layers of trust that become the foundation of the relationship of your team. It builds the camaraderie that will allow for the mission to be accomplished because it is known that the whole team can count on each other. The last property to look at in what it means to be an NCO is DO. This means that an NCO is to take action, for their soldiers, unit, and country. Actions such as motivating the troops. An NCO must be the driving force for soldiers. When things get tough, stressful, or overwhelming, a non commissioned officer is the that beacon that keeps them moving forward in the face of adversity. An NCO provides that boost of energy to the troops when they may seem too exhausted to move.