P-385-63 US Army Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Guide Download
Page 14 of 65
10 DA PAM 600–25 • 11 December 2018 they can translate the commander’s intent into actionable plans and manage the organization while those plans are exe- cuted. Executing these fundamental responsibilities is key in allowing the officer corps to perform their strategic role within the military. 2–10. Noncommissioned officer roles Noncommissioned officers serve four core roles: trainers, mentors, advisors, and communicators. They conduct the daily operations of the Army. They are relied on to execute complex tactical operations, make intent-driven decisions and operate in joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational (JIIM) operational environments. They are responsible for maintaining and enforcing standards and a high degree of discipline. Among many other duties they process Soldiers for enlistment, teach basic Soldiers skills, are accountable for the care of Soldiers, and set the example. The ALDS focuses on a trained and educated quality NCO corps while expanding the NCO corps’ role and professionalism, by improving per- formance today and building the force for tomorrow. The NCO must be fully capable of executing unified land operations and adapting in an era of unpredictability. The Army’s vision for the NCO corps blends its past heritage with emerging future characteristics: "An innovative, competent, professional, enlisted leader grounded in heritage, values, and tradition that embodies the Warrior ethos; champions continuous learning, and is capable of leading, training, and motivating Sol- diers.” The NCO must be an adaptive leader proficient in the full range of joint and combined expeditionary warfare and operations. 2–11. Noncommissioned officer learning areas a. Integrated throughout and supporting the four core roles are six vital learning areas in which NCOs must develop knowledge and skills. These outcomes broadly define the expected performance level and, when combined with critical tasks, serve as a basis for building a lifelong learning curriculum. Learning outcomes are progressive, and Soldiers should fully achieve competency at their current rank prior to promotion to the next. The supporting skills for each learning area are not an exhaustive list of all the knowledge, skills, attributes, and behaviors required to become competent; rather the skills listed represent areas of current emphasis. The six learning areas are: (1) The Army profession. NCOs exemplify the professional Soldier by demonstrating competence, moral character, and commitment while fulfilling their duty to the Nation. NCOs develop, maintain, and uphold the traditions of the pro- fession through discipline and ethical application of combat power. As professionals, NCOs continuously assess and im- prove the competence, moral character and commitment of themselves and their Soldiers. NCOs develop understanding and empathetic application of the seven Army Values and exemplify the characteristics of servant leadership. The warrior ethos and NCO Creed serve as the basis for their actions. They serve as role models and standard-bearers, and hold them- selves, peers, and subordinates accountable for their actions. NCOs influence and sustain positive, ethical command cli- mates and cultures that allow open discussion; they embrace new ideas and instill Soldiers’ professional identities. (2) Professional competence. NCOs employ appropriate technical, tactical, operational, and strategic skills in unified land operations to accomplish the mission and support the commander’s intent. NCOs understand the tenets of mission command philosophy, are experts on weapons systems and train their subordinates to be tactically competent as well. They are technical experts in their occupational specialties, and continue to develop technical skills in themselves and in their subordinates. As NCOs progress in their careers, they focus less on technical and tactical skills and place more emphasis on a broader set of leader skills applied at operational and strategic levels. (3) Team building. NCOs create high-performing groups by leading and motivating individuals, and by collaborating to work toward common goals. NCOs earn the trust of their superiors, peers, and subordinates and encourage trust among others. They model and reward behavior that sustains the trust of the American people. NCOs understand team dynamics and take appropriate action to foster cohesion and cooperation and to use principles of group facilitation to develop subor- dinates. NCOs express themselves clearly and succinctly both orally and in writing, and use social skills including inter- personal tact that allows them to work effectively with other Soldiers and civilians in varied cultural and JIIM contexts. NCOs are sensitive to social behavior patterns, and beliefs of individuals from other communities and countries. (4) Fitness and resiliency. NCOs develop and maintain their physical, emotional, social, Family, and spiritual fitness and foster these attributes in their subordinates. NCOs display confidence, physical, mental, and emotional persistence as well as moral courage when faced with adverse conditions. They are resilient in recovering from difficult situations. (5) Learning. Certification in the Army profession is a lifelong learning process. NCOs must maintain technical ex- pertise within their MOS and strive to develop themselves and their subordinates. NCOs facilitate effective training and instructional environments for individuals and groups, train, and coach Soldiers in acquiring “how to” knowledge and skills, and strive to instill values associated with competence, character, and commitment while encouraging professional and personal growth. NCOs understand the fundamentals of how to help Soldiers learn and the technologies they can leverage to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of training and education. As coaches and mentors, NCOs have open and honest discussions with Soldiers that lead to setting and achieving personal and professional goals. As self-learners,