How do we as leaders change a failing military?

Start with trust. Train your Soldiers, then trust them to do what needs to be done.
With junior NCOs, give that young CPL or SGT the leeway to make some mistakes along the way in their path of learning.

Unless a failure on their part is going to jeopardize life, limb, or eyesight, let them lead unencumbered by micromanagement. Trust them. Give them the endstate and let them figure out how to get there, but be supportive if they seek help or more guidance. Like 1SG Dennis Hicks said, start with your bubble or sphere of influence.

Back in late 2017 Marine Commandant General Robert Neller recognized this was an issue with the Corps. He directed units to "..go back and do fundamental, basic Marine skills that they may not have in thier training plans. The focus on this is not to behind a computer screen or filling out Scantrons, but for NCOs to be training and evaluating their Marines at the small unit level." Part of his solution was to mandate new annual Battle Skills testing for all Marines. This was supposed to start back in 2018.

Around the same time, I started to think about where the Soldiers in my own unit were in regards to AWT. I got together with my 1SG and we devised a plan to look into it. We started with an anonymous survey that asked the troops their rank, and to rate their ability or comfort level with common warrior tasks pulled from Commo, Survive, Lifesaver, Navigate and Miscellaneous categories.

After we compiled the results we established a soldier development program that was rooted in the old Sergeant's Time blocks of old. Pulling together the Enlisted, we asked for volunteers and/or volun-told Soldiers to prepare to teach a block of instruction each weekend day of battle assembly. Some of the more "field friendly" tasks were reserved for Weapons Qual weekend.

With our new first sergeant, this has evolved into NCODP. Under his direction and guidance, we are now teaching to our NCO peers who will in turn, teach their sections the next day or next weekend.

We did this on our own accord and told the Commander that we will dedicate blocks of time on the schedule for Soldier development. He is all for it, for he knows it benefits the whole unit. We even invite the officers who want (need) refreshers to join the classes. If you are feeling that you are not getting the needed support on this I suggest going higher in the NCO support chain. But, and this is key to making these work, you need to have a good plan in place to present and convince the leaders that this can work and is beneficial to the unit.

What is basic soldiering skills??? What I have seen in the past is that NCOs tends to train BS training (easy for the NCO) and the soldiers get bore, or don’t care for such training... Leaders must training skills that improved the soldiers readiness and the unit’s mission... once in back in my days, as a SGM I was assigned to a support maintenance division (section), that had over 100 soldiers. This battalion had 4 divisions/ sections and each division/section had a SGM in charge. During my 1st day of “Sergeants time” training, I notice that only junior NCOs were the trainers and I didn’t see any senior NCOs around. I questioned why there weren’t any senior NCOs and was told that they “senior” never came to the training... I gather old my Senior NCOs and made them aware that from that point on, they will be in the section training and they will be the primary trainers. I informed them “seniors” that prior their training day, they will,brief me first on the topics been train on... right there and them, I was made aware why the “seniors” didn’t want to teach/train their soldiers.. These group of “seniors” lacked the ability to select the training topics that would make their soldiers more efficient in the unit’s mission. They selected training topics that were easy for them, but boring for the junior soldiers... sooo, I went back to the battalion’s mission, selected training that supported such mission and included individual training so my soldiers could participate more.... eventually, I got rid of some of those “dead weight” senior NCOs. The turn around of NCOs help change the “good old days”... but, as always, when thing we’re getting better, got my CSM nomination and move for my new Squadron and deployed/move to Korea... I always asked the junior soldiers, “how can we make our training better and more efficient” they always gave me an answer that was the beginning of a great unit assignment...

Back in the mid 70's the Army came out with what was called Skill Qualification Test. It consisted of a book with all the skills a E-4 and below should know, a study guide and a list of 5 hands on skills to master. The unit would send us to the woods everyday to study the test. I took the study guide and went over all the skills listed from the manual. I spent 90% of the time on the written tests and 10% on the hands on skills. Most squads did the opposite. Months later when the results came back, my squad had the highest results in the Army, 96% and I placed 98% at my skill level. I was awarded my 2nd ARCOM. My point is not to state how smart I was but how smart I trained my Soldiers. You already know what skill they should have, train them to understand them spend any time time going over those skill as a group. If you do not process those skills then you will never bring them up to standards. Soldering is not easy, Teaching Soldiers is hard if you don't know what they have to know. If you can navigate by map and compass and teach your subordinate the same, then you can teach them any Soldier Skill..

Better question- Justr what are you doing with your troops to ensure they are properly trained not only for their level, but at least the next higher level? That is the job of every NCO, don't worry about other folks do want you can in your realm, and hope that everyone else is doing the same.

Prince harry is a jerk. He should work at WalMart as a waiter

I was a NCO. SSG in 3 years. Saving Pvt Ryan. BS. Saving Pvt Urban. But I did not have a Captain trying to find me.

same is happening now

You are right. After nam the Army was a joke. Ike was a Jerk. IRS want after Joe Louis. The never went after Ali. He was a criminal.

Define "Basic Soldiering". Is it being proficient in your MOS? If so then the Army needs to bring back the SQT test for all E1 - E6. The Army is the only service that doesn't, as far as I understand, test Soldiers on their specific MOS after AIT.