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.
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 80
I think this shares some similarities with completing online college courses. If you are invested in your military career as much as you are in college when you are completing those courses, SSDs shouldn't be treated any differently. I think the leadership has recognized it to be very difficult to be able to get EVERY individual into certain training courses and this is one way they can all everybody to be able to get training in. It really is a "Get out of it what you put into it" type of training. For the younger Soldiers SSD one is very helpful. My Soldiers are all intelligence analysts. The military writing style block of instruction is extremely helpful in establishing a baseline for their report writing to do their job. It goes more in depth when you complete ALC Common Core and SSD 3. I believe they are great tools if emphasis is put on them.
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Personally I think we officers could stand to have a few thrown our way. Learning should never stop.
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I completed SSD 4 while I was deployed and it was good information. I hadn't attended a NCOES school since 2003 so it was a good refresher for me. I took my time and got as much out of it as I could. I actually enjoy learning so I thought it was time well spent.
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I just recently completed SSD IV. Some of the information covered was familiar to me already so it wasn't too bad. Generally appropriate for what I should know and/or be concerned with. Having the links to the publications covering the lesson topics was helpful. There were a few modules that covered information I believed to be irrelevant to either my current or next rank or to my current or future duty descriptions. I agree with others that the web system is slow. Painfully slow. I read fast and waiting for the slides to allow me to proceed with each lesson was annoying.
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Suspended Profile
It is the biggest waste of time and money. Not sure why the army decided to use online courses (much like ALC phase 1) but it doesn't help us as leaders to simply Google the answers and not actually learn/retain the information. Honestly, I would prefer to do things the old school way and have this taught in a classroom. You're actually discussing things with an instructor and obtaining new ideas from your peers. It's complete crap and they should get rid of it.
I think that SSD comes from a decent enough idea, the problem is implementation. Commands are requiring Soldiers to complete SSD on the commands time table, which is usually an arbitrary quarter. So what happens is Soldier do not even attempt to do SSD in a manner in which learning is the goal. They are simply trying to get it done to get command off their backs. The other problem that this causes is NCOs lose a method of determining which Soldiers are motivated. Because Soldiers are required to do it all at one time by the CoC it vanillas the whole concept. So when these same Soldiers are enrolled in ALC CC or SSD 3,4, etc they do the same exact thing they did with SSD 1.
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Waste of time, I don't know anyone who is actually reading or retaining any of the information. It is a check in the block long ass assignment. Even if the answers at the end where changed to fill in the blank no one would retain the information. It would be seek the answers via google, pretty much like it already is.
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SPC Christopher Smith
I still think this is one way of training that should just die off. Can anyone put a bug in someones ear and get rid of the SSD courses?
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SGT (Join to see)
I disagree. if you compare the information in ssd 1 with the information you learn in wlc, you'll see that it is identicle. If you or your peers won't take it seriously enough to actually do it for your own good, that's on you. I was glad I had it before going to WLC.
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Honestly SSD 3 wasn't that bad. Some of the information was refreshing and it was nice to see a writing portion. I found that the only way to really pass the tests were to pay attention and do the class. Over all it was probably the best online training I have taken so far. Granted that is like being the tallest midget but still not a bad class over all.
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What about Army Reserve Soldiers, they get paid for completing SSD. Should they be forced to complete it if they get paid.
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SSG (Join to see)
I am not sure if you meant Army Reserve or were including the National Guard as part of the reserves, however, I did not get paid for completing my SSD.
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COL Vincent Stoneking
Yes, USAR Soldiers can get paid to complete SSD. Don't have the instructions with me, but I have paid Soldiers for doing so. Note: you cannot double dip. You should NOT be paid separately for SSD if afforded drill time to complete.
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Seems to easy to me. Just google the answers.
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