Transcript Duties, Responsibilities and Authority of a NCO

Duties, Responsibilities
and Authority of a NCO
“AS A LEADER, AS A TRAINER AND AS A TEACHER, THE NCO
EMBODIES THE ARMY’S PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.”
- FM 7-22.7 The Army Noncommissioned Officer Guide
Instructor: ???
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Identify factors that must be considered
when assuming a leadership position.
• Define the terms duty, responsibility and
authority.
• Discuss Noncommissioned, Commissioned
and Warrant Officer relationships.
• Inspections and Corrections
• The Noncommissioned Officer Support
Channel
• Levels and Duties of the Noncommissioned
Officer Ranks
REFERENCES
• FM 7-22.7
The Noncommissioned Officer Guide
• FM 6-22
Army Leadership
• AR 350-1*
Army Training and Leader Development
• AR 600-20
Army Command Policy
• DA PAM 600-65
Leadership – Statements and Quotes
* Supersedes AR 350-17 Noncommissioned Officer Development Program
THE NCO VISION
An NCO corps, grounded in heritage, values, and tradition,
that embodies the Warrior Ethos; values perpetual
learning; and is capable of leading, training, and
motivating Soldiers.
We must always be an NCO corps that –
Leads by example.
Trains from experience.
Maintains and enforces standards.
Takes care of Soldiers.
Adapts to a changing world.
Assuming a Leadership
Position
When assuming a leadership position, some
things to identify include:
• Determine what your organization expects
from you.
• Determine who your immediate supervisor is
and what he or she expects from you.
• Determine the competence level and the
strengths and weaknesses of your Soldiers.
• Identify the key people outside of your
organization who are willing to support you in
accomplishing your mission.
Tasks to Assume a
Leadership Position
• What is the organization’s mission? How does it fit
in with the mission of the next higher organization?
• What standards must the organization meet?
• What resources are available to help the
organization accomplish the mission?
• What is the current state of morale?
• Who reports directly to you and who do you report
to?
• When and what do you talk to your Soldiers about?
DUTY
A duty is something you must do by virtue of
your position and is a legal and moral obligation.
• It is the supply sergeant’s duty to issue
equipment and keep records of unit supplies.
• It is the first sergeant’s duty to hold
formations, instruct platoon sergeants and
assist/advise the commander.
• It is the squad leader’s duty to account for
his soldiers and ensure they receive necessary
instructions and are properly trained.
“OFFICERS OF MY UNIT WILL HAVE MAXIMUM TIME TO ACCOMPLISH
THEIR DUTIES; THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH MINE.”
- CREED OF THE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER
THREE TYPES OF DUTIES
SPECIFIED
DIRECTED
IMPLIED
“NCOs SHOULD MAKE IT A POINT TO DROP BY THE BARRACKS ON
AND OFF DUTY TO VISIT SOLDIERS AND CHECK ON THEIR
WELFARE.”
- SMA JACK L. TILLEY
SPECIFIED DUTIES
Specified duties are duties
related to jobs and positions.
Those duties are “specified” by
Army regulations, DA general
orders, soldier’s manuals, MOS
job descriptions, etc.
Example: AR 600-20 says that NCOs
must ensure that their Soldiers get
proper individual training and maintain
personal appearance and cleanliness.
DIRECTED DUTIES
Directed duties are passed down
from a superior, either orally or
written, and are not specified in
MOS duty descriptions, Army
publications, or as part of a job
position.
Example: Staff Duty NCO, DFAC
Headcount, Unit Mail Clerk, Training NCO
IMPLIED DUTIES
Implied duties often support
specified duties. They may or may
not be written but ARE implied in the
instructions. They improve the
quality of the job and help keep the
unit functioning at optimum level.
Example: While not specifically directed to
do so, you inspect the uniform of your
Soldier appearing before the promotion board
to ensure it is in accordance with AR 670-1.
RESPONSIBILITY
Responsibility is being accountable for what you
do or what you fail to do.
• NCOs are responsible to fulfill their individual duties,
and to ensure their teams and units are successful
• NCOs are accountable for their own personal conduct
and that of their Soldiers
• Any duty, because of the position you hold in the unit,
includes a responsibility to execute that duty
“MY TWO BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES WILL ALWAYS BE UPPERMOST IN
MY MIND- -ACCOMPLISHMENT OF MY MISSION AND THE WELFARE OF
MY SOLDIERS.”
- CREED OF THE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER
TWO TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITY
COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY
“BEING RESPONSIBLE SOMETIMES MEANS PISSING PEOPLE OFF.”
- GENERAL COLIN POWELL
COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY
Refers to collective or organizational
accountability and includes how well the unit
performs their missions. The amount of
responsibility delegated to the NCO depends
on the mission, the position he holds, and
their willingness to accept the responsibility
A detachment commander is responsible for
all the tasks and missions assigned to the
detachment. His superiors will hold him
accountable for completing them and the end
results.
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY
Individual responsibility as a
noncommissioned officer means that you are
accountable for your own personal conduct.
All Soldiers have their own responsibilities
and are accountable for their actions, to their
fellow Soldiers, to their leaders, to their unit
and to the United States Army.
A soldier without a car decides to live offpost with his family is responsible for
securing his own transportation to and from
his place of duty.
AUTHORITY
Authority is defined as the right to direct Soldiers
to do certain things.
• It is the legitimate power of leaders to direct Soldiers or
to take action within the scope of their position.
• Using good judgment when exercising authority is
imperative. Know what authority you have and where it
comes from.
• NCOs do not have the authority to impose non-judicial
punishments on other enlisted Soldiers.
“I WILL NOT USE MY GRADE OR POSITION TO ATTAIN PLEASURE,
PROFIT, OR PERSONAL SAFETY.”
- CREED OF THE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER
TWO BASIC TYPES OF
AUTHORITY
COMMAND AUTHORITY
GENERAL MILITARY AUTHORITY
“IT TAKES GUTS FOR AN NCO TO USE INHERENT AUTHORITY AND
RESPONSIBILITY IN TRAINING, MAINTAINING, LEADING AND
CARING FOR SOLDIERS.”
- SMA GLEN E. MORRELL
COMMAND AUTHORITY
Command authority is the authority leaders
have over Soldiers by virtue of rank or
assignment. It originates with the President
and may be supplemented by law or
regulation. NCOs’ command authority is
inherent with the job by virtue of position to
direct or control Soldiers.
Examples of Command Authority Positions
Tank Commander
Sergeant of the Guard
Team Leader
Cannon Crew Chief
GENERAL MILITARY
AUTHORITY
General military authority is extended to all
Soldiers to take action and act in the absence
of a unit leader or other designated authority.
It allows leaders to take appropriate
corrective actions whenever a member of any
armed service commits an act involving a
breach of good order and discipline.
You have the military authority, and a duty, to:
stop a fight between Soldiers, correct violations
of AR 670-1, correct violations involving
military customs and courtesies, etc.
DELEGATION OF
AUTHORITY
Commanders and their staffs, at all levels of
command, are responsible for ensuring
proper delegation of authority to NCOs by
their seniors. This is true regardless of
whether the senior is an officer, warrant
officer, or another NCO. Just as Congress
and the President cannot participate in all
aspects of armed forces operations, most
leaders cannot be directly involved in
handling each and every action.
Abu Ghraib Prison
Walter Reed
KEY POINTS ON
AUTHORITY OF AN NCO
• Your authority plays an essential part in military discipline.
• Combination of the chain of command and the NCO
support channel provide you authority to get the job done.
• The chain of command backs up the NCO support
channel by legally punishing those who challenge the
NCO’s authority.
• Use of mature, sound judgment is critical when exercising
authority. Not only for NCOs, but for officers as well.
“The message is that better soldiers demand more from their
leaders. In this sense authority flows from competence,
not rank.
- GEN. MAXWELL R. THURMAN
NONCOMMISSIONED,
COMMISSIONED AND WARRANT
OFFICER RELATIONSHIPS
An important part of your role as an NCO is
how well you relate to commissioned officers.
To develop a successful working relationship,
NCOs and officers must know the similarities
of their respective duties and responsibilities.
There is naturally some overlap of duties and
responsibilities between officers and NCOs. This
is a necessary and desirable outcome of close
cooperation and should be a source of strength for
a unit rather than the cause of friction.
COMMISSIONED OFFICER
Commissioned officers hold a commission
from the President of the United States,
which authorizes them to act as the
President’s representative in certain military
matters. As such, commissioned officers
carry out the orders of the Commander in
Chief as they are handed down through the
chain of command. In carrying out these
orders, commissioned officers get
considerable help, advice and assistance
from NCOs. Both share the same goal of
accomplishing the unit’s mission.
COMMISSIONED OFFICER
• Commands, establishes policy, plans and programs the
work of the Army.
• Concentrates on collective training, which will enable the
unit to accomplish its missions.
• Is primarily involved with unit operations, training and
related activities.
• Concentrates on unit effectiveness and unit readiness.
• Pays particular attention to the standards of performance,
training and professional development of officers as well as
NCOs.
• Creates conditions – makes the time and other resources
available – so the NCO can do the job.
• SUPPORTS THE NCO.
WARRANT OFFICER
As leaders and technical/tactical experts,
warrant officers provide valuable skills,
guidance and expertise to commanders and
organizations in their particular field. They
can and sometimes do command
detachments, units and activities as well as
lead, coach, train and counsel Soldiers. The
relationship between the warrant officer
and the NCO is similar to the commissioned
officer…they rely on each other for help,
advice and assistance to accomplish the
unit’s mission.
WARRANT OFFICER
• Provides quality advice, counsel and solutions to support
the command.
• Executes policy and manages the Army’s system.
• Commands special-purpose units and task-organized
operational elements.
• Focuses on collective, leader and individual training.
• Operates, maintains, administers and manages the
Army’s equipment, support activities and technical system.
• Concentrates on unit effectiveness and readiness.
• SUPPORTS THE NCO.
NONCOMMISSIONED
OFFICER
Noncommissioned officers , the backbone of
the Army, train, lead, and take care of
enlisted Soldiers. They represent officer and
sometimes DA civilian leaders. NCOs ensure
their Soldiers, along with their personal
equipment, are prepared to function as an
effective unit and team members. While
commissioned officers command, establish
policy and manage resources,
noncommissioned officers conduct the
Army’s daily business.
NONCOMMISSIONED
OFFICER
Conducts the daily business of the Army within
•
established orders, directives and policies.
• Focuses on individual training, which develops the
capability to accomplish the mission.
• Primarily involved with training and leading Soldiers and
teams
• Ensures each subordinate team, NCO and Soldier are
prepared to function as a effective unit and each team
member is well trained, highly motivated and ready.
• Concentrates on standards of performance, training and
professional development of NCOs and enlisted Soldiers.
• Follows orders of officers and NCOs in the support
channel.
• GETS THE JOB DONE.
OFFICER/NCO RELATIONSHIP,
POINTS TO REMEMBER
• Officers, warrant officers and NCOs depend on each
other and work together to accomplish unit missions.
• It is impossible for officers to command an effective
unit and accomplish the mission if the NCO doesn’t
ensure the Soldiers know their jobs.
• Officers, warrant officers and NCOs must advise,
assist and learn from each other.
• Although the officer is held accountable for all that
the unit does or fails to do, only by working with the
NCO can he assure that the job will get accomplished.
INSPECTIONS AND
CORRECTIONS
Why Do We Have Inspections?
• To prevent carelessness and
lackadaisical behavior in
Soldiers
• To correct minor deficiencies
and maintain the Army
standard
• Serviceability of uniforms and
equipment
• To promote healthy, safe
living and work environments
TYPES OF INSPECTIONS
In-ranks: Inspection of personnel and
equipment while in unit formation
In-quarters: May include inspection of
personal appearance, field equipment,
displays, maintenance and sanitary conditions
PCC/PCI: Inspection of personnel, equipment
and mission knowledge prior to conducting
training or combat ops
CORRECTIVE TRAINING
• The training, instruction, or correction given to a
Soldier must be directly related to the deficiency
• Orient the corrective action to improving the Soldier’s
performance in the problem area
• Corrective measures may be taken after normal duty
hours, but must not be construed as punishment
• Corrective training should continue only until the
deficiency has been overcome
• All levels of command should take care to ensure that
training and instruction are not used in an oppressive
manner to evade the procedural safeguards in
imposing non-judicial punishment
• Do not annotate deficiencies in Soldier’s official
records that have been satisfactorily corrected
ON-THE-SPOT
CORRECTIONS
One of the most effective administrative
corrective measures; used in making the quickest
correction to training or standards deficiencies.
• CORRECT THE SOLDIER
• ATTACK THE PERFORMANCE, NEVER THE SOLDIER
• GIVE ONE CORRECTION AT A TIME. DO NOT DUMP
• DON’T KEEP BRINGING IT UP. WHEN THE
CORRECTION IS OVER, IT’S OVER.
NCO SUPPORT CHANNEL
The NCO support channel is subordinate to and
supportive of the chain of command; it is not
an independent channel. It is a channel of
communication and supervision from the
Command Sergeant Major, to the First
Sergeant, and to other NCOs within the unit.
In addition, the NCO support channel is used
for executing the commander’s orders and
getting routine, but important, jobs done. It is
used most often to put into effect policies and
procedures and to enforce standards of
performance, training, appearance and
conduct.
NCO SUPPORT CHANNEL RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Administering and monitoring NCODP and other unit
training programs
2. Accounting for and maintaining individual arms and
equipment
3. Achieving and maintaining courage, candor,
competence and commitment
4. Transmitting, instilling and efficacy of the professional
Army ethic
5. Training enlisted Soldiers in their military occupational
specialty as well as in the basic skills and attributes of
a Soldier
NCO SUPPORT CHANNEL RESPONSIBILITIES
(CONTINUED)
6. Teaching Soldiers the history of the Army, to include
military customs, courtesies and traditions
7. Teaching Soldiers the mission of the unit and
developing individual training programs to support the
mission
8. Planning and conducting the day-to-day unit operations
within prescribed policies and directives
9. Caring for individual Soldiers and their families both on
and off duty
10. Supervising unit physical fitness training and
ensuring unit Soldiers comply with weight and
appearance standards
11. Advising the commander on rewards and
punishments for enlisted Soldiers
CORPORAL
The Corporal is at the base of the NCO
Corps. Along with the Sergeant, it is the
only rank that has never disappeared from
the NCO rank structure. Corporals serve
as leaders of the smallest Army units,
typically as Team Leaders. Like Sergeants,
Corporals are responsible for the training,
personal appearance and cleanliness of
their Soldiers.
SERGEANT
Of all the NCO ranks, the Sergeant, very possibly
has the greatest impact on lower-ranking
Soldiers. Privates, who are the basic manpower
strength of the Army, usually have Sergeants as
their first NCO leaders. The rank of Sergeant is
not a position where one learns to become a
leader...there is NO APPRENTICESHIP.
Although the new Sergeant will be learning new
skills, strengthening old ones and getting better,
he or she is a Sergeant, and possesses authority
equal to that of any other NCO.
Responsible for the individual training, personal
appearance and cleanliness of their Soldiers
STAFF SERGEANT
The Staff Sergeant closely parallels the Sergeant in duties and
responsibilities, but is usually a more experienced leader of
Soldiers. The major difference between the two is not the
level of authority, as so often believed, but the scope of
influence. The Staff Sergeant is in daily contact with large
numbers of Soldiers and generally responsible for more
property and equipment.
Staff Sergeants usually have one or more Sergeants working
under their direct leadership. In addition to the continued
successful development of the Sergeant, the Staff Sergeant is
responsible for the continued development of everyone else in
their section, squad or team.
The Staff Sergeant’s success leads to the Army success more
than any other NCO grade.
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS
Otherwise known as a platoon sergeant, key to the command
structure of the Army. Platoon sergeants generally have
several Staff Sergeants working under their direct leadership.
The platoon sergeant is the key assistant to the platoon leader
and commands the platoon in his absence.
Whether platoon sergeant or Sergeant First Class, this is the
first level at which the term Senior NCO properly applies. He
usually has 15 to 18 years or more of military experience and
is rightfully expected to bring that competence to bear in
quick, accurate decisions that are in the best interest of the
mission and the Soldier.
The Sergeant First Class is expected to embody all the traits of
a leader.
FIRST SERGEANT
When you are talking about the First Sergeant, you are talking
about the life-blood of the Army. There can be no substitute of this
position nor any question of its importance. When First Sergeants
are exceptional, their units are exceptional, regardless of any other
single personality involved. Perhaps their rank insignia should be
the keystone rather than the traditional one depicted here. It is the
first sergeant at whom almost all unit operations merge. The First
Sergeant holds formations, instructs platoon sergeants, advises the
Commander, and assists in training of all enlisted members.
The first sergeant may swagger and appear, at times, somewhat of
an exhibitionist, but he is not egotistical. The First Sergeant is
proud of the unit and, understandably, wants others to be aware of
his unit’s success.
For the first time, the title of address for this grade is not sergeant,
but first sergeant! There is a unique relationship of confidence and
respect that exits between the First Sergeant and the Commander
not found at another level within the Army.
MASTER SERGEANT
The Master Sergeant serves as the principle NCO in staff
elements at battalion and higher levels. Although not charged
with the enormous leadership responsibilities of a First
Sergeant, the Master Sergeant is expected to dispatch
leadership and other duties with the same professionalism and
to achieve the same results as the First Sergeant.
COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR
Enlisted soldiers who attain the distinction of being selected as
Command Sergeants Major are the epitome of success in their
chosen field, in this profession of arms. There is no higher grade of
rank, except Sergeant Major of the Army, for enlisted Soldiers and
there is no greater honor. The Command Sergeant Major carries
out policies and standards of the performance, training,
appearance, and conduct of enlisted personnel. The Command
Sergeant Major advises and initiates recommendations to the
commander and staff in matters pertaining to the local NCO
support channel. Perhaps slightly wiser and more experienced
than the First Sergeant, the Command Sergeant Major is expected
to function completely without supervision. Like the old sage of
times past, the Command Sergeant Major’s counsel is expected to
be calm, settled and unequivocally accurate, but with an energy
and enthusiasm that never wanes, even in the worst of times.
Assignable to any billet in the Army, the Command Sergeant Major
is all those things, and more, of each of the preceding grades of
rank.
SERGEANT MAJOR
The Sergeant Major is generally the key enlisted member
of staff elements at levels higher than battalion. The
Sergeant Major’s experience and ability are equal to that
of the Command Sergeant Major, but the sphere of
influence regarding leadership is generally limited to
those directly under his charge.
SERGEANT MAJOR OF
THE ARMY
Established in 1966, the Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA)
is the senior enlisted position in the United States Army. He
is the senior enlisted advisor and consultant to the Army
Chief of Staff, providing information on problems affecting
enlisted personnel and proposing solutions. Specific areas of
concern include standards, professional development, NCO
growth and advancement, morale, training, pay, promotions
and quality of life for Soldiers and their families. His exact
duties vary, depending on the Chief of Staff, though he
generally devotes much of his time to traveling throughout
the Army observing training and talking to soldiers and their
families.
The SMA directs NCO support channel activities through
MACOM CSMs by using written and verbal communications.
WHAT SOLDIERS EXPECT
FROM THEIR LEADERS
• BE A GOOD LISTENER
• DEMONSTRATE TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL
COMPETENCE
• TEACH THEM
• TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY
• STRESS THE BASICS
• SET THE EXAMPLE
• SET AND ENFORCE THE STANDARDS
RANDOM QUOTES
USMILREP NATO
“All of us who are fortunate enough to be in leadership positions now,
and those who aspire to lead soldiers in the future must hone our skills
so that we can be the best leaders possible. Our soldiers want leaders
who are willing to share their hardships, who are totally concerned with
their welfare, and who are willing to place personal ambitions secondary
to the needs of their troops or units. We must provide the direction,
the counsel, and the good example to insure the concepts of excellence
are firmly established in those under our supervision.”
–– GEN Roscoe Robinson, Jr.
Unknown Source:
“Soldiers coming into the Army expect their leadership to
provide training and direction, provide discipline, administer
justice fairly and equitably, set the moral and ethical example,
give counseling and career guidance, and to be a font of
knowledge and experience from which to draw from If we, as
the leaders in the Army, don’t do this we are failing the soldier
and the Army.”
––SGM Vallair
“There is a lot of material on what should be done regarding
leadership, but it takes intestinal fortitude to do what is right.
It takes guts for an NCO to use inherent authority and
responsibility in training, maintaining, leading, and caring for
soldiers. Young noncommissioned officers are the ones who call
the shots; it is on their knowledge, initiative, and courage that
our success in battle rests.”
-- SMA Glen E. Morrell
“It is difficult to be a good noncommissioned officer. If it had been
easy, they would have given it to the officer corps.”
-- SMA William A. Connelly
“The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you
have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that
you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is
a failure of leadership.”
-- General Colin Powell