Posted on Dec 8, 2013
Does the current Structured Self Development course system efficiently promote Professional development?
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Seems unfair since all you really have to do is go to Wiki Answers and get the answers. The website seems like it is non-user friendly as well.
SSD
Professional Development
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 80
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I think the Commanders constantly get nagged about not having soldiers 100% on school stuff to include SSD. So in order to get the monkey off their backs they put it on the Soldiers.
I think Soldiers should get at least an hour a day to work on it, that's what my current command does anyway. And while it may not be important to the Soldier at the time they may discover down range that they want to continue on and are going to be delayed in that until the work is done. I know it's time consuming and I question whether I really learned anything from it, but the Army says I need to do it so it is done.
I think Soldiers should get at least an hour a day to work on it, that's what my current command does anyway. And while it may not be important to the Soldier at the time they may discover down range that they want to continue on and are going to be delayed in that until the work is done. I know it's time consuming and I question whether I really learned anything from it, but the Army says I need to do it so it is done.
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SFC (Join to see)
SFC,
At what point is a Soldier responsible for his/her own actions or inaction? We often forget that young Soldiers are not kids. The more we enable them by taking away personal responsibility the more we are limiting their development as leaders.
At what point is a Soldier responsible for his/her own actions or inaction? We often forget that young Soldiers are not kids. The more we enable them by taking away personal responsibility the more we are limiting their development as leaders.
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MSG (Join to see)
I'm not suggesting that Soldiers aren't responsible for their own actions, and I agree that enabling them does take away from personal responsibility. However as leaders it is our responsibility to step in if a Soldier isn't doing their job. I look at SSD as part of a soldiers job because it is something the Army says we need to do. When I worked in the S3 shop in my previous unit I had to put slide decks together for my commanders conference calls and one of the main topics was SSD. My Commander had to explain why each soldier who was not 100% on SSD for whatever the reason. He got tired of it, counsled Soldiers across the board and gave them the required resources to do it. At a certain point it's not so much enabling as self preservation. If I don't want to keep answering for a soldiers actions or lack there of I need to step in and force their hand. I could be wrong in my thought process.
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SFC (Join to see)
Thank you for your response. You hit on a point that I mentioned in an earlier post. Why should a commander waste his time explaining why PFC Snuffy did not complete SSD?
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I would agree that commanders should put some sort spotlight on this. But at the same time, if it is that important to them that the Soldiers complete it; then the command group must be willing to give up the time in the training schedule to complete it.
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SSD has its pro's and con's for me I did learn some new things; along with how to do a few things I thought I knew better. It also had some lessons in their that we as leaders use on a day to day bases. However every leader is different and the lessons I believe could be removed another leader could say they needed that lesson.
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I think SSDs are the greatest military course ever!!!!!
I now know how to lead my soldiers and do my job!!!!!
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One disappointment? You get all of this information from the SSDs, but there is no way to reference it. Once you graduate, you're locked out. It'd be great for graduates to still have a Quick Reference link.
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SSG (Join to see)
SSG Stanley, you can do one of two things. The first is fairly obvious which is to download the regulations from the site or from the APD site. The second is a bit unorthodox but it still works. As you go through the slides in one of these type of classes, take a picture of it with either your camera or phone then download the pics into a folder on your computer. I do this quite often if the subject is worth saving.
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Personally, I think for the lower echelons it is a good tool. I'm speaking only from my experience, but I think the higher levels are a bit common sensical. I was super motivated before it was blocked, thus allowing me to complete through SSD IV. As a lowly SGT, I did learn a little bit, but most of it was common knowledge. I also think it may be better if it were a continued thing rather than a one time completion. This day in age, so much is changing that I'm sure the SSD IV would be much more evolved and relevant in the future. I would actually be ok with it being something done every other year or so. I also feel that initially, so much emphasis should not be placed on it. I could be a dirtbag that completed it and thus have an advantage over a better leader that did not. The modules contained were not make or break. I do feel that SSD I should still be required to be promoted to SGT, though.
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I think SSD is beneficial towards NCO development. I finished up SSD3 last summer, and I learned a few things from it. I did get frustrated with technical problems using the website, as I had to repeat a few lessons because it crashed. Overall, it was a good experience though and I did feel it helped me out.
One thing I wish it gave me the option to do was to 'test out' of certain lessons. There was the occasional topic that I was already familiar with and didn't get much out of it. I would have liked the option to take the quiz without having to sit through the training. I also understand that this may not always be ideal because there could still be something that I didn't know about a subject, regardless of how familiar I may be with it.
In the end, I think that as long as technical issues with the website are worked out, requiring Soldiers to complete the SSDs to qualify for promotions is a very good thing. They cover very relevant topics that one might not experience on a day-to-day basis, but need to know if they want to be effective leaders.
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MSG (Join to see)
Testing out would have been good. Also, being able to go back to questions on the test would be good when testing.
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MSG Kepler,
We had a big push last year to knock it out, at first I was apprehensive but then I found that it was a great tool. It helped renew my knowledge that I had let slip away. The other Platoon Sergeants had the same thoughts.
V/R
1SG Haro
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SSD is a good tool to bridge the gap, or in layman's term, continually educate oneself, on NCOES topics...you keep learning.
Because it's 'forced', Soldiers will (and have) initially rebel; that's just human nature. Over the next year or so, SSD will improve (content and connectivity) and Soldiers will get into the routine...all will be right in the world.
Because it's 'forced', Soldiers will (and have) initially rebel; that's just human nature. Over the next year or so, SSD will improve (content and connectivity) and Soldiers will get into the routine...all will be right in the world.
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MSG (Join to see)
Properly executed and relevant NCOPD can do this as well or better than SSD ever will in my opinion.
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I think this is a good thread for those we are trying to get to join can see the substance of some things we discuss between us as current and former military, soft spoken as well as informational and mentoring types of postings.
We also have fun at times while remaining professional.
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I am not a advocate of the old saying, "if you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin'." Its pretty disturbing that Soldiers are skipping the actual studying part and opting for googling the answers or looking at Wikianswers. Ultimately this is about people who may be in a position to make decisions that affect other's lives later on in their military careers.
Prior to retiring I completed SSD IV, and I found it useful. I learned a lot of stuff, and then there was stuff that I could proceed directly to the post test because of experience. But I doubt the integrity of the actual learning process in SSD when there isn't actual testing either on paper or on a computer that is offline with computer-based testing. I fear that the Army may begin to find a disparity between what level a Soldier has completed in SSD, and what they actually know when they show up at the parallel level of NCOES, because of the lack of integrity in testing. Assuming that the point of SSD is to bring an individual to a level where they can hit the ground running when they get to WLC, ALC, SLC, SMA.
I would want to see is continuation of the online learning experience, but with a testing program initiated by DA and officially administered within brigade level, where certified brigade testers go to the subordinate units and conduct the testing either on scantron answer sheets or laptops that have the test loaded (offline). What would make it really exciting and really single out individuals who wanted to excel is if the test scores were integrated into the promotion point worksheet and the score was a mandatory bullet on NCOERs. It would be reminiscent of the old SQT and SDT days.
Prior to retiring I completed SSD IV, and I found it useful. I learned a lot of stuff, and then there was stuff that I could proceed directly to the post test because of experience. But I doubt the integrity of the actual learning process in SSD when there isn't actual testing either on paper or on a computer that is offline with computer-based testing. I fear that the Army may begin to find a disparity between what level a Soldier has completed in SSD, and what they actually know when they show up at the parallel level of NCOES, because of the lack of integrity in testing. Assuming that the point of SSD is to bring an individual to a level where they can hit the ground running when they get to WLC, ALC, SLC, SMA.
I would want to see is continuation of the online learning experience, but with a testing program initiated by DA and officially administered within brigade level, where certified brigade testers go to the subordinate units and conduct the testing either on scantron answer sheets or laptops that have the test loaded (offline). What would make it really exciting and really single out individuals who wanted to excel is if the test scores were integrated into the promotion point worksheet and the score was a mandatory bullet on NCOERs. It would be reminiscent of the old SQT and SDT days.
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LTC Jason Bartlett
Some great ideas. The SQT/SDT required some actual effort, with the SSD the Soldier has the ability to just cut and paste.
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Suspended Profile
SSD seems like it is down more times than it is up. It seems like it is up when I do not need it, but when I get around to try to work on it, the system does not want to cooperate.
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I think that the information in the Structured Self-Development is really great! However, the narrator is SUPER monotone! The lessons are very dry and some of the practical exercise questions are not even totally revealed in the learning pages. There is a lot of work to be done on these websites to really make them legitimate. Also, some of the material although very useful information is way beyond the pay grade of the SM. For instance, lucky for me I was a SGT or SSG when I completed SSD1 but the information in SSD1 is a lot about CNO/CAO duties and the Six-Sigma. I feel that learning about the CNO/CAO duties is a really good thing to know and I appreciated the lesson but I will have nothing to do with CNO/CAO until I make SFC, why is it being taught to skill level 1? And the six-sigma, where do I even start on that...unless a skill level one soldier is a supply clerk or something I do not see that even applying. I deal very little with ordering things and budgets as a SSG Squad Leader, how much does the average Joe have to deal with that? Overall I think the concept is good but the system is flawed and the material a bit advanced for the level.
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What ever happened to NCOPD, SGT's time training, and mentoring? I believe the Army realized that this was not being done so they devised an online training course to help in the process. NCOPD was a much better way to train and mentor junior NCO's.
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This is just the newest version of getting the necessary steps to getting promoted, this is not new, do any of the old-timers on here remember when your units used to have the floppy disks, cds or print-outs that had the answers to the infantryman correspondence course that were worth hundreds of credit hours that could get you up to 100 promotions points back in the day depending on what level courses and how many you took. The Army and Marines had the same courses for almost 2 decades and the answers were passed around during the 90s like it was a right of passage from E6 to E5 to E4 for so long it was common knowledge, so much so that PSBs didn't even question the point addition sheets when they came in for point adjustments.
This is supposed to be more and better controlled, but in reality it is just a newer version, I have seen the electronic versions at the schoolhouse @ Fort Lee for these courses for QM,OD, and TP for the last few years.
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I think SSD is a great idea in theory but it comes down to the individual motivation of our soldiers. Most of the Specialists I talk to think of it as a chore or something they don't look forward too. Also the course software is very glitchy, as far as cheating NCO can always supervise the training of those on active duty. For reserves we are on the honor system because if we relied on computers at the drill hall no one would ever be able to finish them.
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I think time restraints and having the 'right' presenter might be difficult at times - but I believe it would be more beneficial for everyone to have these courses in a classroom type environment where personal interact can take place an ideas more properly instilled.
The only online courses I think are worthwhile on their own were the skillport e-learning ones that gave you actual college course material and ebooks allowing you to go through (what would be offered at a college) at your own speed and convenience. Which then gave you the chance to possibly either 'clep' out of a college course or be able to just go for a certification test (like for computer type ones).
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Dissenting opinion: I did not Google the answers, I slogged through every bit of it, and I like learning, but this was beyond wasteful. I was a staff NCO when I completed SSD3, and while I can usually "dig in" and find something useful from just about anything, this was the most useless online training I've ever encountered.
No, I lie.
It's the most useless training I've ever done. Period.
Whoever thought of it and implemented it is secretly on Da'esh's payroll.
No, I lie.
It's the most useless training I've ever done. Period.
Whoever thought of it and implemented it is secretly on Da'esh's payroll.
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I feel that SSD is a complete waste of time. I completed SSD 1,3 and 4 within a one week period when they were available for self enrollment. There is nothing that makes soldiers have to actually try in the course. You can skip all the slides and take the test as much as you want so there is no incentive to actually learn anything from it. I feel that if the SSD tests only gave you a few chances to pass than it would motivate soldiers to actually pay attention to the training, but on the other hand how long did it take for people in your units to have a powerpoint with a screenshot of every question and answer that they could just pass around so everyone could just "Check the Bock" on SSD.
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One of the biggest problems in my unit is that we are given several NCOES slots and can't fill them due to incomplete prerequisite SSD. The CSM with the support of the commander has directed all E1-E5 to complete SSD 1 unless they are exempt (which is the case for some of the E5s). Most of my junior enlisted are either completed or near completion. The NCOs in our BN are encouraged, but not required to complete further SSDs, because it is incumbent on the Soldier to take charge of any further career advancement. Of course, those Soldiers who want to advance to the next grade will complete the required SSD.
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Check out ALARACT 104/2014 if you have E-4 and below they have time to complete SSD 1 dont let your Soldiers rush it. They can be used to do OJT and CTT training instead of SSD 1 right away. The Army has discontinued PFC and below entry into WLC.
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