What are your thoughts on the requirements for Structured Self Development (SSD) and how it impacts each grade for promotion?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 08:09:23 -0500

Response by SGM Billy Herrington made Feb 16 at 2015 10:18 AM

SGM Billy Herrington — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 10:18:48 -0500

I'm not a fan of it and here's why.

First, in ALC the same subjects covered in SSD 1 and 2 are covered again. This isn't us, this is Benning and their POI's. It's redundant, remove those things and give the 11C guys more mechanical time, or give the 11B guys more FTX/STX time.

Second, the fiasco that is now SSD 2. It was contracted through blackboard which limited the number of enrollments. If someone wasn't trapped in AFAM they didn't get it. Now it was supposed to go to ALMS last month; now it's supposed to hit ALMS in April. I say that to say this, the way our state's promotion system works (whole different argument) some are going to be left off the SGT-SSG promotion list. This is through no fault of their own. The message that came out said SGT's will not be enrolled, priority to SSG's needing ALC.

Admittedly this is probably a more unique state problem regarding the promotion criteria, however, are there any others in this same boat?

Once it hits ALMS all will be good. It will be just like all the other SSD's and be seamless, but still redundant in the resident portion of the NCOES it's supposed to enhance.

End rant

Response by SPC Neil Hood made Feb 16 at 2015 10:21 AM

SPC Neil Hood — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 10:21:24 -0500

I think the Army needs to go to MOS specific testing instead. Similar to the Air Force.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 1:21 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 13:21:59 -0500

One question.

Why aren't we doing the same in the commissioned side? Wouldn't it make sense to move some of their military career education to online like the enlisted? If not, why not?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 3:32 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 15:32:19 -0500

IT SUCKS

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 7:55 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 19:55:14 -0500

As a NCO who has completed ALC Common Core, SSD2 and SSD3 I will say it is mostly uneeded training and/or trouble. Maybe I'm just an old school type but online classroom training is not useful to me. Nearly all the lessons contained in SSD2 were repeat of either OJT, lessons learned or from some sort of other mandatory briefing. SSD3 on the other hand actually taught me a few things, however the overall delivery of the training is enough to want to make a soldier quit the Army. Knowing that SSD is a requirement for me to further my career, I suffered threw it and got it completed with no help from the ATHD. Overall it is another failed execution of a decent idea in my opinion.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2015 8:41 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 08:41:49 -0500

if Soldiers take their time through the material, they actually learn a lot.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2015 10:30 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 10:30:28 -0500

SFC Foster,

I believe that the content in the SSDs are useless and provide no real results as far as knowledge gained is concerned. I do beleive that with the recent requirments to have it or lose your promotable status it was able to help us weed out some potential bad leaders. I am a SSG that does not need SSD 2 since i completed common core. I was still tracking for months that Soldiers were going to lose promotable status. If you failed to complete it in time you shouldn't get promoted. So it can still be used as a tool to see who really wants to make it to that next level and who is content to just be.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2015 10:42 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 10:42:59 -0500

Speaking from a subjective opinion, I am struggling to find the relevance of these courses. I am wondering if this is an attempt for the 'one size fits all' course. Thereafter, do NCOs who do these courses actually utilize this information or is it a brain dump where you forget everything that you've learned after you have completed it?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2015 11:17 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 11:17:59 -0500

Self development is something that you do by choice because you want to better yourself and stand out among your peers. The current SSD program is not by choice. You are required to attend NCOES course which as most can attest have much room for improvement, SSD is essentially a waste of time that either teaches thing you should already know.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2015 11:21 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 11:21:07 -0500

I found i was able to just test out of 75% of those modules. Just 5 question check on learning, and most of it you just know already. By far one of the biggest waste of time. Just seems like another "check the block" measure. But we were instructed to knock it out before we graduate to avoid what last class had to go through. They were technically "ALC graduates" after completing the Q-Course but couldnt actually pcs to gaining units because they didn't have CC/SSD2 finished.

Response by SFC Marcus Belt made Apr 18 at 2016 3:48 PM

SFC Marcus Belt — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 15:48:24 -0400

One of the largest wastes of time EVER. The guy who sold this to the Army should be prosecuted for waste fraud and abuse. And then shot. Twice. With small caliber rounds in places that hurt a lot.

On the other hand, SLC was incredibly useful, so maybe the fleas come with the dog?

But seriously, whoever thought of the SSD idea...I'd fight that dude if I met him.