NCO Academy prepares Army leaders for the modern fight

Published May 2, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Tammie Ramsouer
JBER Public Affairs

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The Sgt. 1st Class Christopher R. Brevard Non-Commissioned Officer Academy on JBER-Richardson changed its curriculum recently, adding to the long tradition of training and developing the Army's future, leaders.

The mission of the NCOA is to deliver world-class professional military education to U.S. Army and international military exchange soldiers in a resident or deployed environment for the purpose of developing poised and competent small-unit leaders rooted in the Warrior Ethos and Army Values. The changes made to the curriculum build upon strong values and skills.

"Some of the new duties that a graduate should be prepared for include counseling junior Soldiers, leading physical training in accordance with Army regulation, and understanding the importance of their new roles as part of 'the backbone of the Army,'" said Spc. William Stanley, an infantryman from 1st Squadron (Airborne), 40th Calvary Regiment.

The class added land navigation to the WLC course. Aims of the class include increasing wilderness abilities and how to navigate from one point to another. There have been two graduating classes since the content was added.

The NCOA offers the Warrior Leader Course for future Army non-commissioned officers, and the course is designed to introduce leadership skills to new leaders and NCOs.
"Previously, the course spanned a 17-day period; this has been extended to 22 days," said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Minnix, senior instructor at the Army NCO Academy.

The NCOA also includes a program for international students from allied countries. This program was enacted to strengthen ties with foreign militaries as well as share ideas and build better military and operational strategies.

The WLC, formerly known as the Primary Leadership Development Course, is the first course of study in the U.S. Army Non-Commissioned Officer Education System. WLC trains specialists, corporals and sergeants in the fundamentals of leadership. The course curriculum includes instruction in leadership skills, training skills and warfighting skills.

"Teaching methods focus on the 'big picture' concept by using models that require students to not just know what to think, but how to think," Minnix said.

The classes included correspondence writing and how to write a memorandum using the Army style of writing.

Learning how to inspect a squad is another class in the curriculum, as well as teaching drill and ceremony commands, and physical training.

Land navigation teaches how to navigate over varied terrain with a map and a compass. The test for the land navigation class is hands-on to show they know how to navigate in unknown places. The test is used to strengthen the navigational skills of students and show their leadership abilities on direction and resilience.

Students are tested on the subjects they learn through the WLC course. The many exams the students take ensure they know the curriculum that will help them progress in their careers.

These tests include a leadership exam, training exam, a warfighting exam and a field training test.

"The course was designed to fix any insecurities a leader might have towards developing and training Soldiers," Stanley said.

Another class that has been changed was the sexual harassment response program. The class is intended to give the students the most up-to-date information when it comes to sexual assault prevention and sexual assault response.

Graduation from WLC is a requirement for promotion to the rank of staff sergeant and is intended to instill and refine leadership skills considered vital to decision making processes at junior leadership levels, according to academy officials.