Robust Leadership Development: Lessons Learned from the British Army’s Platoon Commanders’ Battle...

"During a given class, three separate Companies from across the active British Army, provide NCOs. Both the units, and the NCOs on the assignment, hold the detail in high regard. On multiple patrols, the Platoon and Company Commanders from these units accompanied the instructors to evaluate the performance of the NCOs.

Integrating NCOs and Officers in the American institutional realm has been implemented on a limited basis before. And the results are generally positive. However, it is not regularly programmed into the US course, and students are left playing the roles of team leader, squad leader and Platoon Sergeant throughout the field problems. One comment often heard from IBOLC cadre, is that students become too familiar operating with their peers as subordinates. This creates an unrealistic training environment and causes issues with evaluation. IBOLC students don’t experience an empowered NCO, executing disciplined initiative as a subordinate leader. Without witnessing this, many students enter the larger force without a realistic understanding of their subordinate leaders’ capabilities. Having the NCO Academy provide NCOs for scenario driven phases, for instance, will allow students to better understand the core tenets of Mission Command. "