Posted on Feb 22, 2014

What Is Your Definition Of A Leader? Is A Leader Someone Who Is Always A Subject Matter Expert In Their MOS?

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Not too long ago I was denied going to the E-5 board by my NCO (SGT). I have 2 years 7 months in the Army and 3 weeks before this conversation we had I was moved to her section. The last section I was in, my NCO was a SFC and he recommended that I get ready for the bored because he says I did great work and I have a lot of leadership potential and he was gonna sponsor me. I let my new NCO know all this information and she said she would talk to my previous NCO about it. He told her I was board ready and 80-85% NCO ready.

She denied me going to the board because she said that: 1. I have not had enough time to evaluate you and send you to a mock board. 2. I know your good at PT and you help out others soldiers, take college classes, and have completed A LOT of correspondence classes but a year of being in your MOS is not enough time to grasp this job and be able to teach it to others.

I let her know I have been to two soldier of the month boards and had held an NCOIC position in the SSO office for 5 1/2 months prior to being in her section. I also told her that while knowing my MOS very well is really important, I don't believe that what she sees as a lack of time in my MOS determines if I am ready to be an official leader in the Army.

I look at leadership as a process a person takes to motivate and guide others to achieve a common goal. When it comes to the Army I see leadership as the same while at the same time earning the respect and trust of your soldiers and letting them know that you will help them accomplish their goals as well.

I explained to her that while I was in AIT there were some E-4s and a few E-5s that were there with us getting their second MOS qualification and after the course most of the were immediately promoted to the next rank after returning to their units or PCS'ing. They did not know the job so what made them a leader?

Anyways, I was pretty disappointed at her decision and felt like she made it not because I don't know my job as well as she thinks an NCO should know it but more because she didn't trust my board skills and did not want to sponsor me because she felt I might make her look bad for being my sponsor. Just on a side note, she was promoted to E-5 at 2 1/2 years.

Do you feel she made a sound decision in this situation? If an E-7 tells you someone is ready would you go against that or tell that SFC to sponsor the person? Do you think that a short period of time in an MOS should disqualify you from being able to go to the board?

If you feel this was a good question please vote up my post and leave your honest opinions thanks! - SPC Gamble.

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Edited 12 y ago

Posted 12 y ago

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Responses: 14

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SPC Jack Coons

Posted 12 y ago

i found this to many times one nco likes your work, they leave incoming is threatened by you they use there positions to hold you back...

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SGT (Join to see)

12 y

I tried to keep my biased out as much as possible Battle haha, it did not work in anyway shape or form but, YES I honestly feel that she is for some reason threatened by me and I get screwed because she has the power that she has, and no amount of me "playing the game" will do any good when it is this way. I knew she felt threatened by me when she kept bringing up the fact that I am 25 and she is 21 and I should not try to throw my life experience around like it has any weight in the Army...? I am sorry that my past experiences can help me help others sergeant, said no one ever....

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SGT (Join to see)

12 y

Well, clearly doesn't have your best interest at heart. If a SFC sees the potential, and she doesn't, and you know your experiences..don't take no for an answer. Again, talk with her at the lowest level, express how you feel, then if she still doesn't want to send you, use the open door policy.

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SFC (Join to see)

12 y

I'm not sure I've seen anyone attend a promotion board immediately upon arriving to a section/unit. It is well within a Leader's duty to ensure that a Soldier is ready, before sponsoring them in such events. While it might seem you got the short end of the stick, SPC Gamble, that's just one of the things that happens when you switch units, you start over. Best advice would be to prove her assumptions wrong, by performing above and beyond her expectation, and by blowing her out of the water at a mock board. Unless of course your prior supervisor is willing/able to sponsor you....

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SSG (Join to see)

12 y

SGT Marshall,

I think you're looking at this from a one sided perspective. Unless you know SPC Gamble's NCOIC and can offer insight about their decisions from a first hand basis making statements like "Clearly doesn't have your best interests at heart" are unprofessional and work to undermine the NCO Corps.

Just because one leader sees potential and another doesn't, does not disqualify either leader as a good (or bad) leader.

I can understand SPC Gamble's frustration, but putting stripes on is a huge deal (or it should be) and requires more than just knowing your job or being high speed...it requires a lot of sacrifice and experience. A lot more is expected of you when you put stripes on.

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SSG Brian Carpenter

Posted >1 y ago

First you only have less than three years in. I do not believe anyone needs promoted to SGT that soon and you should know your job as a leader. As a SGT you are not going to be put in a straight leadership role but in your section as a leader you must know your job and your subordinates better than anyone. I ended up being a Platoon Sergeant as a SSG but I had years of experience and knew the jobs of every soldier in my platoon.

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SFC (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

All too often I hear Soldiers say things like, "I'm up for promotion, why didn't I get my Chevrons but such and such did, I deserve to be a NCO I can do this much better, and so on." Bottom line is, if you think your ready isn't the same as "Do others think your ready?". That drive to be a leader, maintaining that level of commitment, and bringing your A game everyday is what others want. Initiative, you have to fall in love with it. Knowing the equipment you support and being a subject material expert, at least in WTT, is vital for leaders, training is what the NCO does best.

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MSgt (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

No disrespect, but 2 years and 7 months in the military is definitely not enough time to even be considered to be an NCO. All too often we promote people who just arent ready. Simply checking the boxes arent enough. In order to be an NCO you must lead and inspire. Im not saying you havent, but with limited experience it is difficult to assess that.

Second, your new NCO did the right thing by wanting to have a first hand look at how you performed prior to stamping her name on you as ready to be an NCO. Being an NCO is not something to be taken lightly. You are expected to be able to do certain things. Simply going to school and doing great at PT arent enough.

Get out there and show her you are the leader you say you are and you will have you day.

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What Is Your Definition Of A Leader? Is A Leader Someone Who Is Always A Subject Matter Expert In Their MOS?

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