Posted on Feb 26, 2016
What do you do as a Squad Leader/SR NCO to prepare your Jr Soldiers for NCOES?
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I've been seeing more and more questions being asked by our Jr Soldiers (SPC/SGT's) on how to best prepare themselves for NCOES. That has gotten me to thinking. What are units doing to prepare their Soldiers? I'll only speak from what we do in my unit.
NCOES
Mentorship
Leadership
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 5
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SFC (Join to see), this is a great question to ask. I would like to think that the NCO Corps has improved their training and preparedness techniques for any NCO planning on attending any NCOES since 2005 when I was last a PLDC instructor. Every cycle, I had at least 5-10% of the NCO hopefuls show up vastly unprepared and most of the time, there sponsor was chewed up too.
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CW4 (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see), your spot on. APFT is always the big one. Height/weight is another issues that we always saw. Being over on body fat by 1% is one thing but we had jokers show up very overweight and some unit Command team and Battalion/BDE S-3 supposedly verified and signed off on the packet too. It use to blow my mind.
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CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025
I recall a LTC, a War College graduate being RTU by the school he reported to due to overweight. His career was OVER!
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CW4 (Join to see)
Oh trust me CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025, we have some Warrant Officers that also fail to meet the standards, it's not just NCO's.
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SFC (Join to see)
CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025 I know of 2 2LT's that can't be sent to BOLC. Both failed APFT AND Height/Weight......
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For my unit.
A. 30 days out from school date we give them a APFT to ensure they can pass to standards.
B. Welcome packet, ATRRS print offs are given to all Soldiers. Double checking the packing list.
C. Soldiers have directions/contact information for the school house.
D. Some refresher training on map reading and D&C.
E. We stay in contact with them all thru out the entire course seeing how they are doing.
A. 30 days out from school date we give them a APFT to ensure they can pass to standards.
B. Welcome packet, ATRRS print offs are given to all Soldiers. Double checking the packing list.
C. Soldiers have directions/contact information for the school house.
D. Some refresher training on map reading and D&C.
E. We stay in contact with them all thru out the entire course seeing how they are doing.
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SGM Billy Herrington
When I was in a unit we did the same. I gave an APFT 60 days out first. Then at 30 days they must pass with a minimum of 70% in each event. I documented everything on a counseling form to cover my ass because when I was doing it, the training NCO would get a letter of reprimand if a soldier failed an NCOES for APFT.
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SFC (Join to see)
Damn a LOR? We're not that vicious..lol. If we have one that fails at 30 days out we have a unit level OML for the next available to send.
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SGM Billy Herrington
It was effective and harsh. Our USR numbers went up until they were allowed to graduate with a marginal for APFT/Height weight failure.
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SFC (Join to see) Tell them it is a hard life, if they don't prepare, it is their own fault. You warned them! CSM
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I spent a LOT of time with my soldiers who were preparing to go. We did "sergeant's time" every day when schedule allowed, we did lanes, we did boards, we did weekly APFTs...basically everything possible to set them up for a good experience at schools. A soldier's success or failure reflects upon leadership.
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I have them sit with Soldiers that have recently attended and have has success. I can't utilize my own experience because it was quite a bit ago that I graduated from PLDC. I make sure that they understand the basic fundamentals of the new PRT program and how to research AR's and FM's digitally. You'd be surprised how many Soldiers don't know how to search through regulations without going through every page. Also I make sure that their APFT scores are squared away. If you are barely passing your APFT I will not recommend you for any NCOES. Better to wait until you improve your scores that to go to school and end up failing.
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