Posted on Dec 18, 2013
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To what extent should a Warrant Officer be making on the spot corrections? By that I mean at what point does the disconnect of "NCO business occur". Too often I hear the phrase "that's NCO business Chief" but I have an inability to simply walk past a deficiency, honestly believing in the cliche' that "if you walk past a violation of standard, you just created a new one". Perhaps it is just this station, but it feels like a daily battle here, I am not able to go to the shoppette or the gym without running into a soldier who doesn't have the slightest clue what the 600-5 is much less what's contained inside of it. I'm not on a power trip by any means, I would much rather the NCOs square away their soldiers, but again, at what point is the disconnect between general policing and "NCO business"? I have a lot of non prior enlisted aviators in my unit who don't understand the struggle and choose to just ignore deficiencies. Honestly, am I outside of my lane by policing up as I see it. For example, just today as I entered the shoppette, I spoke to a SSG who was smoking right next to the door, I politely asked him if he knew he was within 50ft of the entrance/exit of a building, he told me "I see everyone else doing it all the time". Is it just a Korea-ism I've failed to grasp?
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Responses: 15
1SG Michael Blount
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Lax enforcement leads to a lax Army.  NOT ON MY WATCH!
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SSG John Erny
SSG John Erny
9 y
Spoken Like a true 1SG
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SSG C Ied & Irw Instructor
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<p>CW2 McCollum,</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>You are never wrong in making a correction.&nbsp; Any NCO who tells you otherwise is wrong....people seem to forget that there's this little thing called "General Military Authority" and making an on the spot correction is everyone's responsibility.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>If you inform a soldier of a correction that needs to be made, you've done exactly what you're supposed to.&nbsp; Now if you were to stray over into the corrective action side of it, I could see an NCO telling you it was his business as the direct supervisor of said soldier.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Keep up the fight for standards Chief, there's an abundance of leaders in the Army who don't care to do so.</p>
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COL Strategic Plans Chief
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Chief...by the time you found that issue, it is highly likely that a number of NCO's had seen it and done nothing about it. I'm the only LTC in my Squadron footprint, but for some GD reason, I am picking up trash all the time. How many enlisted and NCO's have walked that ground before me?? FAIL. By the time you got there, it BECAME officer business, because multiple NCO's decided they didn't want to make it NCO business. Anyone who is offended and tells you that it's NCO business needs to have a good skull-dragging. "No SGT...it used to be NCO business. Now it's officer business...and you're going to get some too." Grr. I should have been a CSM.
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1SG Eoc Ops Coordinator / Ga Certified Emergency Manager
1SG (Join to see)
>1 y
COL (Join to see) and CW3 (Join to see) : This brings back memories of days as a first sergeant. I used to make almost the exact same statement to both NCOs and Officers of my units and it was part of my and the commanders inbrief. If an officer has to make the on the spot correction or pick it up, then it does mean an NCO and Soldiers have let it pass. The next NCO that tells you that it's NCO business, I hope you will be sure to pass along with LTC Halvorson said. Well Said Colonel and well done Chief.
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CPT Operations Officer (S3)
CPT (Join to see)
9 y
Sir,
I try to remind my NCOs that there's no "NCO business", if/when I get involved....it now becomes a "leader's business".
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COL Strategic Plans Chief
COL (Join to see)
9 y
CPT (Join to see), I believe in NCO business. I believe there are things that all leaders CAN do, but there are things they shouldn't be concerned about at some point...because they trust their subordinates to do it, and in turn, those subordinates make it happen, enjoying the freedom of maneuver provided. Now...when those things fail to happen, it's a leader's job to get it done, no matter what your rank. I've seen a 2 Star General pick up a piece of trash and then skull drag a 1SG for not picking it up in front of him. Back to the idea that NCO business is necessary and important. If I spent all my time as a leader scuffing up people for not wearing their gear correctly or not topping off their vehicles, I wouldn't have time to do what a LTC needs to be doing. NCO business is what makes our Army amazing...because it allows officers to do what needs to be done in our lanes.
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CPT Operations Officer (S3)
CPT (Join to see)
9 y
Tracking, Sir!
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