SSD1 Should it be thrown out?

2015-12-12T07:39:20-05:00

Response by SSG Keven Lahde made Dec 12 at 2015 7:39 AM

2015-12-12T07:39:53-05:00

Any and all input, positive and negative is welcome!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 8:11 AM

2015-12-12T08:11:12-05:00

SSG Keven Lahde How do you feel about it? SSDI was supposed to be a safety net to catch people until they could get back to work. It has become instead a way of life for some. The answer depends on whether a person is honestly disabled or not. It's the same argument some have against people they feel are using the system in gaining and keeping VA disability benefits.

Response by SPC Matthew Birkinbine made Dec 12 at 2015 9:01 AM

2015-12-12T09:01:31-05:00

I don't know, if I have my joint service transcript translated, I stand to get more points from completing the online SSD I than I do from a month long leadership course (WLC).

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 9:28 AM

2015-12-12T09:28:59-05:00

No! It is preparing you to acquire the knowledge before going to the schools. I think it is a good tool.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 10:40 AM

2015-12-12T10:40:44-05:00

SSD1 is as useful as the soldier who takes it makes it. If soldiers actually study, Instead of googling the answers and then bragging about how fast they got done, a lot more of them would find useful info in the course. I believe that it will also be more useful now that BLC is required for promotion to SGT, as there should be less time between completion of SSD1 and BLC. However, most of BLC is directly based on what you learned in SSD1, so even if a lot of time passes, between completion of SSD1and BLC, the instruction at BLC will be jogging your memory, not introducing new concepts. I also understand, that much of what is taught at BLC will be very familiar to most students, however, the material that is familiar or even second nature for a 42a is completely different than the instruction that I (a 12b) was already familiar with. In other words even if the instruction in SSD1 and BLC is redundant for you, it has to be.

As for how difficult it is to complete SSD1 on a personal computer? If you don't have the determination and motivation to overcome a frustration like that, you don't deserve stripes.

Edited for spelling.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 12:49 PM

2015-12-12T12:49:25-05:00

I HATE SSD!
It is cumbersome, difficult to navigate and make work, consumes far more time than it should thanks to dumping your answers when it refreshes...

If the Army can ever make a website that can function properly, I will reevaluate my opinion. The content is fine; the execution sucks.

Response by SPC Brendan Kearns made Dec 12 at 2015 1:38 PM

2015-12-12T13:38:34-05:00

They just need to fix the website, so people don't get so frustrated they throw computers through walls

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 2:06 PM

2015-12-12T14:06:43-05:00

SSG Keven Lahde maybe for someone that has been in for a while, let's say a SPC with 3-4 TIS, it will look useless. But for young Privates like me, I finished it last year as a PV2, it was very useful and gave me some info I didn't know at the moment. Maybe now I would see it differently but still, I think is a good tool.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 3:52 PM

2015-12-12T15:52:06-05:00

Nope, you CAN actually learn something from it. And the Army has these little required courses in place so that junior Soldiers can complete them and show that they want to get promoted. Same principal as showing future employers that you worked hard to achieve a goal and receive a degree, etc. It does suck completing it, though. But there is a method behind the madness.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 3:58 PM

2015-12-12T15:58:09-05:00

No. if you take it seriously, it should provide a solid foundation from which to grow. If you're already striving to be your best, it will be but a review. Therefore, WLC will be more of an interactive test.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 4:21 PM

2015-12-12T16:21:47-05:00

I'd say it just needs refined. There's a lot of subjects broached in it that aren't really applicable or useful. I doubt any e5's are making use of Lean Six Sigma.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2015 6:24 PM

2015-12-12T18:24:26-05:00

Yes. In its current form the SSD's classes are just another check the block online training thing that we are required to do. I think that we are spending far to much time on mandatory online training. Most soldiers are just getting threw them as fast as they can to get to the next one. That and the computer issues with SSD's are or when I did them were very bad. I have done SSD1-3 and there was very little value that I got out of them. I spent most of my time fighting the computer.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2015 6:52 PM

2015-12-13T18:52:56-05:00

I dont object to SSD, it fills a gap; however, the fact that it's need puzzles me. In years past the topics covered in SSD at all levels were the subject of Sergeants Time Training and NCOPD. That said, it seems to have been created as the result of a perception that the NCO corp has become weak. I don't agree and advocate constant squad level training augmented by platoon and company level exercises. The basic strength of SSD is that it provides the same training to everyone. There is very little variation between units as there once was and the Reserve and Guard have the same access.