Why become an NCO? What was your first time being one like?

I wanted to guid soldiers. I wasn't happy with my leadership or the way they were caring about the troops, so I became an NCO Soni could guide them and be there for them. I also had my standards and I would push them too, just lollygagging did not work for me.

Being an NCO is your first chance to actually give back to the army that made you the person that you are. Holding that position give you the right, the mission, the almost sacred task of training and producing the very same soldiers who you will one day have to trust with taking up the mantle of leadership in the military. At the same time, you too are being groomed by your superiors to take up their torch. It is an honor to serve as an NCO.

For me it's all about being able to help those that are getting their feet wet in the military. Able to take them under your wing and mold and foster a cohesive and morale section who will want to work because you can make it fun.

My whole career I've lived by "work hard, play hard" and it shows. Gives Soldiers a light to see that's it's not all about working.

If you like responsibility and think you can help folks to reach their goals and teach them how to stay alive the go for it. The 1st step is always the hardest. Me, I had seen great NCO's and a few losers, I wanted to be a great NCO- so I take every school/correspondence course I could, and then stuck my nose out. It worked, or at least my troops and superiors said it did.

I was ordered by my training range Officer to the NCO Academy shortly after arriving at Ft.Polk as an instructor, wasn’t my idea ,as a Spec 4 life was pretty good, but I did find his decision really changed my life from then on,I was forced to really learn my trade and impart that knowledge to the Soldiers going to where I had been,I am grateful for the opportunity given to me.

I am a medic and part of my job is to instruct CLS or TC3 to other soldiers. The more personnel who know first responder stuff, the better, especially for a deploying unit. I liked teaching, being a mentor, shaping these guys and gals to be confident in emergency care skills and in themselves if crap ever really hits the fan. Answering their questions of what if my battle buddy goes down, what do I do?" I let them know that it may happen, but suppress the enemy, secure the area, take care of your battle, TQ high and tight if need be, etc. After class, they understood what intervention to use and when and in what situation. I needed them to understand, for themselves, for each other, and for me (who treat the medic when the medic goes down?). That 'aha' moment they understand what a pressure dressing is used for versus a tourniquet, is what great that they knew and I came away sensing I accomplished something.

Being an NCO is much like that; mentorship, enforcing standards, discipline, ensuring those around you (and not just your specific soldiers) have a clear understanding of objectives and how to accomplish the mission or task. It goes beyond that though, not just army stuff. I have helped soldiers prepare for a college entrance exam, study for the board, tutored with math or computer homework, offered to help when their spouse goes into labor, cooked chicken soup when their family is sick with the flu, etc. And yes, I even had to be the 'bad guy' and discipline soldiers for failure to follow standards, regulation, and whatnot, even for tactless communication and lack of military bearing. Being an NCO is both rewarding and demanding, but to me it is worth it because at the end of the day I know I did something positive. I helped someone. Be it they pass a class, or they know how to properly clean a rifle, or I had to discipline them for being late (better I discipline them versus the platoon sergeant)...I made a difference, no matter how minute.

If you have plans on staying in and have that job security then becoming a Sergeant is the only other way to that path. Being an NCO is something that you need to dig deep because it means you will be responsible for Soldiers' lives more so than not. I didn't have any subordinates for over a year when I got my stripes (I was the subordinate) but I've learned from when I was a SPC... If the military is just a stepping stone then it's all up you.

I wanted to be a positive influence in someone’s life. After I joined the military I found that so many people cared, they were truly invested in who I was and who I was to become. It was not always covert action, it was often subtle in comment or deed that I felt their influence on my daily activity. Soon I vegan to feel their influence even when I was off duty. I slowly grew into this Sokdier, from a civilian. Don’t get me wrong, I thought of myself as a good person before I joined. But suddenly I was in a world where I committed my very life to a cause, a cause of freedom. These people who were influencing me and shaping me into a Soldier and an even better person were Non-Commissioned Officers. I am the first to admit that they were all not stellar, but they all served and were prepared to give their lives, and they all influenced me. This is the core of who I became, and I every time I assisted, guided, supported Soldiers and their Family members I remembered their faces and their voices. I will not drone on, it was the influence, the care and compassion in the midst of chaos that made me want to do the same. Thank you for your service.

I went from E-1 to O-6 having to choose either E-5 or O-1 in '76. There are a number of creeds out there amongst the services a for various ranges of ranks and specialties. Take a look at some through Google. First notice there are some common aspects. Creeds center on what you are, how you behave, and what's important. These different creeds are designed to help the SM focus on the most critical aspects of responsibility and leadership. It's a big deal in the Army to excel at your job, not be a burden, and make sure you take care of your folk. If you look at it, if everyone around you is focusing on their applicable creed, the job gets done and people live.
Back in my time, hitting E-4 wasn't as focused creed wise as the current one you're looking at. It had a lot to do with the primary focus being on my technical specialty skill and as part of an integrated ship's warfighting crew. I had to be very skilled to jinx those inbound Styx missiles. Got scary realizing I was the only one keeping 276 men out of Davey Jones Locker, but that feeling came afterwards. The "scary" went away when the Skipper bought a cup of coffee into my Electronic Warfare shack for me and said "Not bad Ball, not bad at all."
What I'd say to anyone looking at what it means to move up and wondering if you have the grits is this. Life is rather boring if you're not moving forward, taking some risks, and helping others. Worry less about what you may be able to do and focus more on discovering how far you can go. If you get up every day moving forward, it'll be one hell of a ride and you'll do things you never dreamed.

I wanted to be the change I wanted to see in my unit. I had a few good leaders such as my Squad Leader(who later became my Platoon Sergeant) and a small handfuls of other NCOs, but that was as far as it went. NCOs were abusing their ranks to get out of tasks, PT, and duties, etc.,and it just didn’t sit right with me. When I got my stripes I vowed to emulate the few good leaders I had and mold myself to be the NCO I always needed so that way my soldiers can learn from me and become good leaders too. It’s all what you put into it.