2015 — The NCO Guide

Book: Soldier for Life, the story of SMA Jack L. Tilley

November 11, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

Soldier for Life This book is more than just an autobiography of Jack L. Tilley, the 12th Sergeant Major of the Army, it is a series of leadership lessons based on selected stories from his more than 35-year career. The last Vietnam veteran to serve in that position from 2000-2004, SMA Tilley was at the Pentagon when terrorists crashed a... Read More

Epi. #14, Getting Back to Basics

November 7, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

Back to Basics In this episode CSM (Ret.) Dan Elder discusses getting back to the basics and attempts to identify a few foundational techniques company grade noncommissioned officers should master. Key to a professional leader’s style are in being grounded in the way that they operate, those basic behaviors that set them apart from others. The way we perform is usually influenced by... Read More

Neck Medal Bling

October 26, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

Last week I had the chance to attend the premier professional development forum for soldiers, the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army. Full disclosure here, it is no secret that I am AUSA Senior Fellow and long-time supporter so let me just get in a plug. I believe regardless your profession that you should align with... Read More

The NCO Induction Ceremony

October 19, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

This is an excerpt from my original 1998 Noncommissioned Officer Induction Ceremony that eventually was added to the updated Army Noncommissioned Officer Guide FM 7-22.7 (TC 22-6) as Appendix F. The yet unofficial Aug 2014 edition has removed the ceremony and it once again becomes an unrecognized informal ceremony. -Dan Induction Ceremony The concept of inducting newly promoted noncommissioned officers into the... Read More

What is NCO Business?

October 16, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

Recently at the NCO Historical Society I was asked: I would like to know the origin of the phrase "That's NCO Business". I found a reference to it as Sergeants Business during the 1989 Year of the NCO article but no definitive start or reason for the phrase and it's prevalence. I had to tell the person that unfortunately there... Read More

The Changing Role of the Command Sergeant Major

October 15, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

This is from a presentation I gave to the US Military Historian’s annual meeting 8/6/2006 while serving as the 12th command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. The Changing Role of the Command Sergeant Major Command Sergeant Major Daniel K. Elder Frederick von Steuben, author of the first drill manual for George Washington’s Army, wrote in 1774 that the Sergeant... Read More

Enlisted Promotions woes, 2001

September 24, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

The only lesson of history is that men never learn anything from history. -George Hegel. This is a reprint of my Winter 2000-2001 article on the state of affairs concerning proposed changes to the semi-centralized promotion system, and some historically significant data points that reinforced assertions. It also highlights how we got to where we were (at the time). Though it... Read More

Epi. #13, Techniques for Transmitting Information

July 21, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

Transmitting Information In Episode #13 I talk about transmitting orders and information, and offer up a tool for building better relationships by using storytelling as a method. The NCO Guide is a forum for the host CSM (Ret.) Dan Elder and his guests to discuss topics of interest to US Army noncommissioned officers and to enhance the dialog between professionals,... Read More

The Officer/Noncommissioned Officer Relationship

March 31, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

This is an excerpt from a paper published by the US Army Sergeants Major Academy as a research submission by CSM Terwan Crawley, the senior enlisted advisor of the 589th BSB, Fort Hood, TX. This article was in response to a course requirement and this excerpt is reprinted by permission of the author. The disparity between officers and noncommissioned officers (NCO) in the... Read More

Epi #12, Why the Specialist Rank doesn’t Work

March 22, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

Why the Specialist Rank doesn’t Work This episode I talk about providing customized advice via podcasts and explain how the Specialist ranks came to their ultimate demise, and why it was not good for the Army. IMHO, now is not a better time to bring them back, either. I introduce two new segments, This year in NCO History where I... Read More

Epi #11, The Newly Promoted Sergeant

March 13, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

The Promoted Sergeant After an almost 1-year break, our podcasts are back. This edition we bring you Episode 11 with a new format and a different way to start the conversation, we hope you the listener engages with us and our listeners at our site NCOGuide.net. In this shortened episode host CSM (Ret.) Dan Elder answers a question about NCO leadership... Read More

Bring back the Specialist Rank?

March 12, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

The Specialist Rank I was recently browsing through a 1-year old topic that is trending again on a military forum that I belong to where a member posted the oft asked (and usually not researched by the OP) question “Why doesn’t the Army bring back the ranks of specialist again?” Like they often do the writer emphasizes the divergence of technical versus leadership, and reminds... Read More

History: 1SG Percival G. Lowe, 1828-1908

March 3, 2015January 17, 2018 Dan Elder

This is an excerpt from a paper published by the US Army Sergeants Major Academy as a submission for the General Haines Award for Excellence in Research by CSM Joe Parson, the senior enlisted advisor of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, Fort Eustis, Virginia. This article was in response to a course requirement and completed Oct 15, 2005. This excerpt is reprinted by... Read More