Should the cadence calling be left to the enlisted and NCO's?

NCO and enlisted only

So, question for the masses:

What if the Officer is a former NCO, knows how to call a pretty decent cadence, and does so from time to time? Not taking over the task from the NCOs. Just interjecting himself into the process of Soldiering.

The Officer simply wants to stay connected to the Troops, and build that team.

What is everybody’s thoughts???

I commanded a BCT company at Ft Knox. Cadence calling was left to the Drill Sergeants. However, My unit received the swine flu vaccination during one cycle and one day we had 2 drill sergeants and myself to march the company back to the barracks. 4 years of being on the drill team in college helped me tremendously. On a good day, jody would never knew what hit her.

I honestly believe this is enlisted business. I grew up in a unit where PFC through Sergeant was a requirement you sing cadence. It allows you to get out of your comfort zone and be in charge of something to get over what ever it is you may be nervous about. As a SPC I went to PLDC and had no problems singing cadence or performing the D&C requirements because I was mentored and molded to do it early in my career. I seen some MOS's that this was there first time ever in front of any size element and I thought it was sad then. This is something I hold near and dear to my heart and enforce within my Platoon regularly...

I personally love cadence Calling when we run during PT even though I am not exceptionally good at it. It motivates me anytime we run and helps me forget the pain during the run. I think beside Rank, we are all soldiers and I think it will be nice for Officers to call Cadence. I have officers in my previous command call cadence when we run even though it if frown upon. I can mention CPT Ackah of 54th QM CO out of Fort Lee, Lt. Stern also out of the same company. I think most officers want to but the culture prevents them from doing so.

Moving troops and calling cadence has always been part of the NCO tradition and it should remain that way. Some things are just NCO business and officers should keep their noses out of it, and calling cadence is one of those things.

Yes.

If I'm in that run, I'm calling cadence. I have no idea why Leaders are scared to get out there. All you have to do practice when you run by yourself or in small groups. When i was a PSG, when we do PLT runs ALL my Soldiers call cadence. That's when my guys practice so when its troop/company run time the Soldiers already have confidence. Even if its just left, right, left. My guys would go out there and get it done.
Only time an officer will call cadence is when my commander gives me that "I'm calling cadence, this is my troop, move out the way" look. He was pretty good too but he WAS prior enlisted. lol.

let me start off by saying that i have misunderstood what we was talking about when it came to calling cadence and when i said that a officer can not train a NCO i was looking at it when you go to boot-camp where the drill sergeant call all cadence's or when you go to OCS school if my words have made anyone upset or think other wise i am sorry about that and i can say this anyone can train

The "Unspoken" rule that NCOs are the ones calling the cadence is based on Army tradition. We as NCOs are responsible for leading training on all aspects. We are the ones responsible for our Soldiers, so we do this.

Can an officer call cadence? If his NCO counterpart (1SG for Company commander, PSG for PL and so on) is ok with it, then party on. However, it is the NCO's responsibility to ensure that officer is not counterproductive to the Soldier's fitness training. If the PSG sees that the PL is far better equipped to lead PT than he/she is, it is then the PSG's prerogative to utilize that PL to run PT so his Soldiers get the best training possible, while the PSG works to improve himself/herself to remedy this shortcoming.

It is also our responsibility to understand the PURPOSE of cadence: timing and motivation. This is where our current Army is lacking, many units have decided to stop calling cadence because the same cadences over and over again are not motivating, or it is counter-motivating to be reduced to politically correct ONLY cadences. If you as an NCO know that a formation run in step at the pace of the slowest man will NOT benefit your Soldiers, (by "know" i mean: you can justify it and back it up) then it is your responsibility NOT to do it. At the same time, if you realize that you need your Soldiers to slow down, stay together, move as a single unit, whether it's just a matter of all screaming together for the sake of it, or to help push the slowest in the group to push just a little harder just a little bit more, then it is your responsibility as the NCO to run in formation with cadence.

Have a group that hates cadence running? challenge them to make up their own? Offer prizes in categories for craziest, funniest, most/least politically correct, etc. and let the prize be a 3-day pass, or throw a pie at the PL's face at the next FRG function.