Should NCO's play a larger role in Soldiers lives?

2015-07-17T08:51:56-04:00

My previous Company Commander called in all the E-4(P) and above to see how they can stop the trend of DUI's from going any further. A lot of the Senior NCO's talked about how they used have a bigger involvement in Soldiers lives. They explained that they used to know everything that was going on with a Soldier from Professional, to Family, to the deep personal things going on in a Soldiers life. My previous 1SG once said that while once in the barracks he knew who his soldiers were dating/seeing for the night.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Jul 17 at 2015 8:57 AM

2015-07-17T08:57:12-04:00

Of course they should! Knowing your Soldiers is always a good thing. You will better understand how they might react to situations down range as well as know if there is something going on that might require assistance from someone like drinking and driving. You still want to allow that Soldier to have space to do things but maintain a professional over-watch. I think if you do that, we would see a reduction in a lot more than DUIs.

Response by LCpl Jeremy Hebert made Jul 17 at 2015 8:57 AM

2015-07-17T08:57:51-04:00

Fraternization has put a stop to the higher ups knowing more because both parties can get into trouble.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Jul 17 at 2015 9:14 AM

2015-07-17T09:14:48-04:00

SFC Private RallyPoint Member It used to be the NCO was expected to know all aspects of their soldier's lives. I think it is important to have a deep knowledge of your soldiers lives but not necessarily 'live it' with them.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2015 9:16 AM

2015-07-17T09:16:07-04:00

One of the Princibles of leadership use to be Know your soldiers ad look out for thier well-being, im sure thiers still something like that, But yes i knew thier family IE wifes name, kids, girlfriends, where they grew up, parents. We kept that info in a book that was in my top left pocket. We also talked to them, find out what going on in thier lives, whats the big weekend plans, i knew thier likes and dislikes. I knew my soldiers, that had nothing to do with Fraternization, i wasnt out partying with them as i had my own life, but i knew thier life and once again i knew my soldiers.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jul 17 at 2015 9:32 AM

2015-07-17T09:32:43-04:00

SFC Private RallyPoint Member I was a former NCO and I carried a book with me everywhere I went with all the information on my soldiers. I would fill in the pages every chance I got to speak with them. I use to call it "Hulka Time" just like the SFC Hulka in the movie "Stars and Stripes". You have to sit down and spend time with your soldiers to get to know them formally and informally. You have to be genuine in your approach and when they need your help you have to be there. If you can't help them or answer questions for them, then you let them know you will get the answers and you get back to them. Don't leave them hanging. You’re not a babysitting, but you are an NCO responsible for the welfare of your soldiers under your direct authority. There are some great NCOs currently serving with a lot more information and experience then me, hopefully they will provide you with more TTPs

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2015 10:56 AM

2015-07-17T10:56:35-04:00

NCOs should always be playing a large role in the lives of their Soldiers....without micromanaging. You cannot properly take care of your Soldier if you do not know your Soldier.

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2015 11:14 AM

2015-07-17T11:14:22-04:00

Since this is such an obvious answer in going to share an experience. When I was a young airman, deployments consisted or working, eating, lifting and playing cards together. We played more euchre and spaded in a 6 month period than a person should in a lifetime. My last deployment consisted of all the same things except the cards. Airmen would head to their bunk, throw on headphones and watch movies by themselves. Didn't matter how many events we planned and leadership, there was zero interest. Same is happening at home station. NCO s and airmen sit side by side on their phones in their own individual lives. Until NCOs put their phones down and demand the same of their troops the trend of out of touch NCOs will continue and in a few years they will be out of touch SNCOs.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 19 at 2015 11:45 AM

2015-07-19T11:45:11-04:00

I am surprised this isn't happening more already. As a specialist, I knew all my fellow soldiers' wives and children's names as well as that of the superiors in my section. (We had a section of about 12 people.)

On the issue of DUIs, I think it more about openness. The old 1SG used to always say before anyone drank and drive that they should call him and he would pick them up. It was always taken as some sort of joke and quietly understood that the soldiers would more than likely call nobody before they called the 1SG. I think that had more to do with the company culture than the actual 1SG, but I could be wrong. Personally, I always extend a hand to my coworkers now, regardless of rank, that I am willing to pick them up if they are too drunk to drive. I would like to think they believe me also.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 27 at 2015 4:59 PM

2015-07-27T16:59:05-04:00

Absolutely. We need to take care of our soldiers.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 28 at 2015 7:40 AM

2015-07-28T07:40:18-04:00

Yes. Lead by example!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 28 at 2015 11:20 AM

2015-07-28T11:20:44-04:00

I put special emphasis on the E-5 as first line supervisors to mentor the soldiers professionally and personally, and take or them like they gave a damn.

Response by SGT John Rauch made Jul 28 at 2015 12:48 PM

2015-07-28T12:48:14-04:00

yes, to a certain extent. there are some things that are family business, not NCO business.personally, I did not want my wife or any of my family in contact with my unit except for emergencies. my wife did not want to be a part of the FRG and I was completely fine with that. A lot of NCO's need to realize that even though a soldier is a soldier 24/7/365 that his or her family are not. I had multiple occasions where I was ordered to bring my wife to FRG functions and I refused. unless a soldier is doing something that negatively effects unit cohesion, after hours is after hours. A genuine concern is a good thing, and if your soldiers are willing or trusting enough to be open with you, that is great, but digging into someones perfectly legal, non military business is not necessary

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 31 at 2015 8:38 PM

2015-07-31T20:38:17-04:00

Sometimes leaders are surrogate parents and soldiers should not be intimidated to ask for help or advice. I had a policy that soldiers who were impossibly too far to make it in by formation can call and get a reprieve. I preferred having a live and late soldier than a dead soldier because he was traveling hundreds of mile in the early morning. By the way, nobody abused this policy.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 2 at 2015 5:59 PM

2015-08-02T17:59:01-04:00

The commander and 1SG set the culture, the NCOs execute that culture, and it better have taking care of soldiers as a priority. The soldiers will respond to caring leadership which will increase morale and will sometimes respond with positive behavior when an unsavory mission is to be accomplished. They will sometimes boost up the leaders with their loyalty.

Response by SPC Paul Rogers made Aug 3 at 2015 5:19 AM

2015-08-03T05:19:54-04:00

I believe too many senior leaders try to take the "No Fraternization" policy too far. I once had a PLT SGT who told the NCO's that they shouldn't hang out with the Joes or even smoke with them. How can you expect to "know your soldiers" if you are only allowed to handle them professionally? There are soldiers, and NCOs, out there that don't understand the difference between personal and professional but what is needed is training and instructions for those individuals not a mass policy to remove any non-professional contact. My section was one of the largest and we rarely got soldiers in that were of our MOS so our promotions generally came from within, it wasn't unusual for some one to arrive at the unit as a fresh out of training E-2 and leave a SGT or even SSG, so we would would always hang out outside of work as well but every single one of us understood that what happened professionally and what happened personally were two separate things. We may bitch about certain things our NCOs would make us do or getting smoked if we screwed up but there was no personal or long lasting dislikes, let alone hatreds, and each of us knew damn near everything about each other, both NCOs and soldiers.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2015 9:40 PM

2015-08-03T21:40:00-04:00

They should always play a larger role in soldiers lives. Depending on how many soldiers are under you should determine how in depth you should get in my opinion.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 4 at 2015 4:21 PM

2015-08-04T16:21:19-04:00

Apr 19, 2011 - Yet, the NCO cadre has effectively ceased to exist in Russia, and ... The Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Colonel-General ... Arguing that for more than fifty years the US systematically worked on developing the world's finest NCO ... In an interview in Rossiyskaya Gazeta. NCO's are a constant in a sea of variables.

Response by GySgt Moses Lozano made Aug 4 at 2015 10:40 PM

2015-08-04T22:40:11-04:00

NCO's used to help keep the junior troops in line but now they no longer have the power or the authority!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 9 at 2015 9:16 PM

2015-08-09T21:16:02-04:00

I always empowered the NCOs because I would not be able to do their jobs. In my mind NCOs have a tremendous responsibility an power.