MFMC/NCO
This page is for the NCO Manual Revision Project. All changes to the manual will be listed in Red.
NCO MANUAL
Contents |
Chapter 1
The NCO's Role
:The Non-Commissioned Officer's (NCO) origins can be traced back to the Roman Legions of Old Earth. The Romans' success in war was due to their march formations, camp preparations, and response to instructions in battle. A Roman soldier's training was long, detailed and intense. The Roman commanders had found that the tactical and administrative requirements of drilling and fielding a successful army absorbed all their time, thus necessity caused them to turn to the ranks for assistance. The upper echelons of Roman leadership picked exceptional soldiers to be leaders of 10 other soldiers, and assistants to commanders of 100 and 600 soldiers. In these roles, they were to supervise individual training, carry out their commander's plans, and perform administrative and logistical tasks. As such, they were the first "noncommissioned" officers called Principalis". In the military sense, "Non-Commissioned", then as is now, means that entry to or occupation of a position of responsibility and authority is based not on 'education and commissioning', but upon demonstrated competency and continued performance, and that personnel in that position are key or essential for the effective operation of units.
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Genesis of the Modern NCO's Role
- Genesis of the Modern NCO's Role
The historical NCO we would recognize most easily today, can be traced back to Terran Year 1775 on Old Earth. The early organization of the American Continental Army was patterned after the British: officers were appointed / elected from the aristocracy, and in turn, sergeants were appointed / elected from the ranks. But there was little uniformity in qualifications, duties, responsibilities, authority and standards for these positions. General Washington's newly-appointed Inspector General, Baron Von Steuben, began working to correct these deficiencies at Valley Forge, where Washington's disheartened troops were then encamped. Steuben's "Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States" appeared on 29 March 1797, and for the next 33 years, was the official manual of the US Army. Commonly known as "The Blue Book", it contained about 100 small pages setting forth clearly and simply the fundamentals of guard duty, organization, field operations and drill. There were instructions for leaders from the Commandant of a regiment down to the lowly Corporal, they clearly established guidelines for selection and outlined the duties of the non-commissioned officer, that have proven valid over the years and is still used to this day.
Steuben's instructions for the commandant of a regiment states:
"The choice of non-commissioned officers is also an object of the greatest importance....The order and discipline of a regiment depend so much on their behavior that too much care cannot be taken in preferring none to that trust but those who by their merit and conduct are entitled to it.
Honesty, sobriety, and a remarkable attention to every point of duty, with neatness to their dress, are indespensable requisites; a spirit to command respect and obediance from the men, an expertness in performing every part of the exercise, and an ability to teach it are also absolutely necessary.
These regulations also gave instructions for sergeants and corporals, impressing on them the importance of their duty and responsibility toward discipline and order of the company. They cautioned against "too great familiarity with the men" but insisted that each soldier "be treated with great regard". A further word of caution was "by a contrary conduct they forfeit all regard, and their authority becomes despised".
The NCO Today
- The NCO Today
The NCO was and is promoted from the ranks and charged with duties that assist and complement the officer in the discharge of his or her own duties. In legal terms, the NCO serves as an agent of the officer, and other organizers of the Corps, and derive a arge measure of their legal authority from those sources. The complexities and diversity of leadership requirements call for the allotcation of specific types of tasks to various levels in the military hierarchy. A clear understanding of those specific responsibilities is essential to permit leaders to discharge their own assigned tasks, and such an understanding is also essential to avoid interfereing with the accomplishments of other leaders, or tasks, which are their assigned responsibilities.
NCO Responsibilities
- NCO Responsibilities
Below are the responsibilities of the NCO. It is the duty of the NCO to faithfully and completely fulfill their obligations with regard to the responsibilities.
- NCO Responsibilities
- Execute orders according to established policies and procedures; attain set standards in accomplishment of assigned tasks and missions.
- Establish and maintain noncommissioned officer standards
- Exercise his or her authority with restraint, leading through example, professional competence and persuasion.
- Prepare subordinates, and thus the unit, to accomplish missions by:
- Training subordinates in the basic skills and attributes of a marine, and in skills appropiate to their MOS and duty assignment.
- Insuring that the individual arms and equipment of subordinates, and all other property issued to the unit is properly maintained and accounted for at all times, and that discrepancies are promptly detected, corrected, and if appropiate, properly reported.
- Accounting for the location and actions of subordinates while on duty status.
- Insure that subordinates attain and maintain established standards of personal hygiene, proper wear of the uniform, and military courtesy.
- Supervise the care and maintenance of enlisted billets and billet areas, of unit work areas and the operation of recreational and other facilities for the primary use of enlisted personnel.
Qualities of the NCO
The NCO is the most vital link between the commander and the troops; the person who sees to it that the job gets done. The NCO reacts in two ways: 1. to the commander and 2. to the troops under his supervision; because, in reality, the NCO works for both. The NCO is a leader, administrator, advisor, teacher specialist, and most importantly, a manager. The NCO is one of the most important persons in the MFMC in terms of getting the job done.
As a leader, the NCO must possess these fundamental qualities:
- Self-awareness and self-improvement
- An understanding of the job and how it fits into the unit's overall goals and objectives
- An ability to accept and properly delegate responsibility
- An ability to make sound and timely decisions
- Interest in the welfare of subordinates
- Fairness in dealing with subordinates
The NCO is expected to be able to do just about anything and everything, his duties and responsibilities as sergeant major, first sergeant, platoon sergeant, squad leader, or section chief require a variety of skills. Though NCO's may be specialists in such areas as administration, personnel, supply, maintenance, transportation, communications, their primary responsibility is the managing of the indivual Marine within the framework of the unit's mission. In certain aspects, the NCO performs a Public Relations function for the Maquis Forces Marine Corps. The way in which they manage, the example they set, and the attitude they have towards the Corps are all influencing factors in a person's decision to remain in the Corps. The career NCO has always regarded themseves as professionals, however to many NCO's, this meant merely looking and acting the part. Professionalism in today's MFMC is much more than that...the MFMC regards professionalism for all ranks, in terms of competence, responsibility, and dedication.
Chapter 2
Basic Responsibilities of the NCO as a Leader
Marine NCO's have two basic esponsibilities as a leader of troops: accomplishment of the mission, and the welfare of the marines under their command. These two basic responsibilities are of equal importance, they deserve equal consideration and dedication in the NCO's allocation of their own time and efforts. In those rare instances in which the two basic responsibilities come into conflict, the completion of the mission takes priority. To adequately meet these responsibilities, Marine NCO's must develop expertise in Military Leadership, and must be well aware of the concept of Mutual Expectations. These are absoulte requirements, since the sole reason for the existance of the MFMC is to protect and defend the Maquis general populace.
Regardless of assignment or branch, MFMC Non Commissioned Officers all have responsibility for a small but important portion of the total defense effort. The marines of the MFMC demand and deserve total dedication from their NCO's.
MFMC NCO's must accomplish missions assigned to them, and attain true mission readiness, and in doing so, must perform their duties and exercise their authority in such a manner as to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of their subordinates and the peoples of the Maquis. This crucial requirement demands the development and self-disciplined exercise of that degree of moral courage, which unswervingly instills loyalty to the MFMC.
Mutual Expectations
We are all aware of the fact that each of us have differing expectations of what the MFMC has to offer. Together, these form what is called "mutual expectations" in other words, what we expect from the Corps, and what is expected of us. Mutual expectations operate around the basic idea that both the MFMC and the individual marine have certain legitimate expectations in regards to each other, and that these expectations and their fulfillment are just as important as the fulfillment of any forml agreements they might have.
The NCO's leadership skills are crucial for meeting mutual expections of both the Corps and the Individual marine; the NCO is the chief intermediary between the two. Among the individual's expectaions are: challenge, worthwhile or meaningful work, fair treatment, and goal opportunity...the degree which an NCO, as a reprentative of the MFMC, fulfills the expectations of the individual directly relates to morale levels and espirit de corps of an individual. High morale and espirit de corps helps to create a climate of motivation, making a mission-effective unit.
Military Leadership
The process of military leadership is the way NCO's fulfill their role as a leader to achieve mission effectiveness, taking into account actions and orders that a NCO must take,which will have an impact upon the unit. In order to learn and refine leadership skills, NCO's must take into consideration three basic variables in the leadership equation: the leader (NCO), the subordinate, and the situation. These three variables interact within a larger structure, generally referred to as the environment.
This environment is comprised of a wide variety of elements, including the society at large, geographic location, the MFMC, and unit organization. While these aren't all of the elements, they all have a high degree of relevance to the leadership process. In any leadership environment, NCO's must analyze the three basic variables and determine what the requirements of the mission with which they are charged, and what resources and skills (their own and that of their subordinates) are available for use in meeting those requirements. Based on that analysis, the NCO then determines what action must be taken, and what orders to be issued, then supervise the subordinates in the accomplishment of the unit's mission. Throught this process, the NCO must maintain effective 2-way communications within the unit, thus insuring both officers and unit subordinates are accurately informed at all times...feedback from subordinates is the means by which the NCO can determine that his / her instructions and information are understood correctly by unit members. In order to determine a unit's probable mission effectiveness, NCO's must assess the unit with four indicators of unit effectiveness: morale, espirit de corps, discipline, and proficiency. Upon completion of the assessment, the NCO must take action to maintain and develop the strengths of a unit and correct the weakness in order to to develop a mission-effective unit.
Fundamentals of Leadership
While procedural methods and techniques employed by NCO's in the execution of their actions, orders, supervision and communications vary widely between units, and between situations, there are certain fundamental considerations which pertain to all situations for all NCO's. The considerations, while not appearing obvious, merit review and reflection-not just now, but continuously throughout the exercise of the NCO's authority.
Briefly, these fundamental considerations are:
The Actions of an NCO must be....
*Legal
- Ethical
- Rational
- In consonance with unit mission objectives, priorities, and NCO Responsibilities
The Orders of an NCO must be....
*Legal
- Ethical
- Clear
- Concise
- Complete
- Reasonable-fit unit mission capabilities & priorities
- rational-inclde rationale for order if time permits, following up to determine if understood by subordinates.
NCO supervision must....
*Be sufficient to insure timely and adequate mission accomplishment, allow maximum freedom of action to, and allow for professional development of subordinates.
NCO's communication must be...
*Clear
- Concise
- Complete; including consideration of all systems of interpersonal communications within the unit, providing for feedback to determine effectiveness, and be adequate to overcome any obstacles.
The NCO's Influence
At its most essential, "influence" is power over others. NCO's are only effective when they able to exert influence over their subordinates. It is through this influence that the NCO can exercise their leadershp in order to attain organizational goals or objectives. MFMC NCO'S influence their marines to accomplish the mission via the exercise of power over their subordinates.
NCO's must become the driving force in this process......in order to accomplish this, the NCO takes action and issue orders which facilitates their becoming the primary influence in the process, guiding the unit to higher levels of unit efficiency. Thusly, the NCO's influence plays the basic role in the process of melitary leadership.
The NCO's influence is derived primarily the the following three areas: technical & tactical proficiency, position of power, interpersonal skills.
Technical and Tactical Proficiency
The tecnological and tactical proficiency of the NCO is expertiese-based upon knowledge and application of skills. From a narrow perspective, technical & tactical proficiency has a rather limited meaning, relating to skills such as understanding terrain, assembly / disassembly of weapons, and other technially-based skills. There are, however, skills related to leadership which also falls under this area that can be learned.
Position of Power
Position Power is what every NCO has gven to them, by virtue of postion and rank within the organization.They are the legitimized authority to either reward and recognize or discipline and punish within certain guidelines. While it is a legal basis for leadership, it will NOT help a poor leader. A position of power can enhance but not replace leadership skills, for being in a leadership position does not automatically make one a better NCO.
To be an effective NCO, to actualy have leadership influence on your marines, you MUST know your job and show by your actions that you can be trusted with the responsibility of leadership....for Non Commissioned Officers SET the example that their subordinates follow.
Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills are communications and relationship skills that allow non-comms, of all branches, to be able to understand subordinates and situations, and selecting the appropiate communication and motivation for them....otherwise, being good at knowing and working with others. Referent power is derived, in part, from the personality of the NCO and is effective as a means of influencing subordinates....
*by the extent which they respect and admire the NCO for demonstrating fairness and competence
- the NCO's concern for the welfare of their subordinates
*by their confidence in them
Having influence is less dramatic than how that influence is used by the NCO....this is where interpersonal skills come into play. Every NCO has their own basic leadership style based upon their personality, which can be measured with a relative degree of confidence. As different situations and subordinates call for different styles of leadership, proficient NCO's must be able to recognize their preferred style versus which style would be most effective in any given situation.
In addition to leadership styles, other interpersonal skills can affect how NCOs exert influence. For example, NCOs must behave in accordance with the ethical standards associated with military leadership....this also includes counseling, decision-making, supervising and communicating. It is through communicating (be it oral, physical or some written form) that NCOs take action and issue orders to their subordinates. As a NCO, you must be aware of your dual role: a) accomplishing the mission and b) taking care of your marines. Striking the proper balance between these two responsibilities constitutes a major challenge for all NCOs. Ultimately, mission accomplishment is the highest priority, however, effective mission accomplishment also relies heavily on your proper care of the marines under your supervision.
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Chapter 3
Evolution of Commissioned Officers
Officer Responsibilities
Chapter 4
Duties and Traits of Marine NCOs
In the MFMC, enlisted personne are designated as grades E-1 through E-9, with the grades of E-4 through E-6 (Corporal - Staff Sergeant) being Junior NCOs, while the grades of E-7 through E-9 (Gunnery Sergeant - Sergeant Major) are Senior NCOs. Their duties and traits are explored below.
Duties of the NCO Ranks
Each rank and / or NCO position in the MFMC has a variety of duties which are listed below, these are general guidelines only, further tasks vary by MOS (Marine Occuapational Speciality), unit type, etc. However, this should give the enlisted person or junior NCO a better feel for what will be expected of them at the higher echelons.
Sergeant Major of the Maquis Forces Marine Corps (SGM/MFMC)
The title of Sergeant Major of the Maquis Forces Marine Corps designates the senior-most enlisted position in the MFMC. It should be noted that while the title is a duty assignment rather than an actual rank, the SGM/MFMC is still an E-9 like any other SGM.
The SGM/MFMC carries out policies and standards of performance, training, appearance and conduct of enlisted personnel. He/she advises and initiates recommendations to the MFMC Commandant and General Staff in matters pertaining to the NCO support channel. Enlisted marines who attain the distinction of being slected by the Commandant for the positon of MFMC Segeant Major have reached the epitome of their careers. Perhaps slightly more wiser and experienced than Regimental, Brigade and Battalion Sergeant Majors, the SGM/MFMC is expected to function completely without supervision. Like the ancient sage, the Sergeant Major's counsel is expected to be calm, settled, unequivocally accurate, but with an energy and enthusiasm that never wanes....even in the worst of times.
The SGM/MFMC provides information on problems affecting enlisted personnel and proposed solutions to these problems; on standards, professional development, growth and advancement of NCOs, morale, training, promotions and quality of life for marines and their family members. By utilizing command information channels, the SGM/MFMC keeps Marines current on enlisted issues and through the public media, informs the general public of the MFMC's mission, Marine accomplishments, and future enlisted trends. Other functions of the SGM/MFMC include: presenting the enlisted viewpoint to the MFMC Council, boards and committees, meeting with representatives of military and civilian organizations to discuss enlisted affairs, and recieving enlisted personnel at appropiate ceremonies.
E-9 Sergeant Major (SGM)
Sergeant Major is the position title designating the senior NCO of the command/taff element at the Regiment, Brigade, and Battalion level. While the senior NCO in a MarDet may indeed be a SGM, at the Battalion, Brigade and Regiment level, SGM is actually a job description. In fact, the Sergeant Major is the key enlisted member of the staff element of the Battalion, Brigade and Regiment. The SGM's experience and ability are equal to that of the SGM/MFMC, but the sphere of influence regarding leadership is limited to those directly under his charge.
The Sergeant Major gives advice and initiates recommendations pertaining to enlisted personnel and affairs to their commander and/or staff The also direct acivities of enlisted personnel through an enlisted support channel via written or oral communications through appropiate channels. The Sergeant Major is responsible for the development of the NCO's and enlisted personnel within their command.....as the senior NCO of the battalion, brigade or regiment, the Sergeant Major is the training professional within the unit.
E-8 First Sergeant (1SGT)
The position of First Sergeant is similar to that of the Sergeant Major in importance, responsibility, and prestige. The primary difference is the sphere of influence....while the SGM leads the enlisted force of the battalion, brigade or regiment, the 1SGT leads the company. Even as far back as the Revolutionary War period on Old Earth, First Sergeants have enforced discipline and fostered loyalty an commitment from their subordinates. When you talk about the First Sergeant, you are talking about the life-blood of the MFMC, there can be no substitute of this position or any question of its importance.
When First Sergeants are exceptionional, so their units are also. Regardless of any other single personality involved, it is the 1SGT at which almost all unit operations merge....the 1SGT holds formations, instructs platoon sergeants, advises the unit commander and assists in the training of all enlisted members of the unit. Through NCO development programs, performance counseling, and other less formal guidenance, the First Sergeant is the MFMC's most important mentors in developing subordinate NCOs. This position requires outstanding leadership and professional competence....while the 1SGT may swagger and appear to be, at times, somewhat of an exhibitionist, he is not egotistical.....he is proud of the unit and, quite understandably, wants others to be aware of its success. For the first time, the title of address for this grade is no longer simply "sergeant" but "First Sergeant"....here is a unique relationship of confidence and respect that exists between the 1SGT and the commander not found at any other level within the MFMC. In the German Army of Old Earth, the First Sergeant was often referred to as the "Father of the Company." He is the provider, confidant, disciplinarian, wise counselor, sounding board, the tough and unbending foe.....everything that we, as Marines, need in a leader during our personal success or failure.
E-7 Gunnery Sergeant (GSGT)
The position of Gunnery Sergeant is another key in the MFMC's command structure. The Gunnery Sergeant, or "Gunny", generally leads one or more platoons and may have several Staff Sergeants (SSGT) who work under his direct leadership. This is the first level that the term "Senior NCO" properly applies.
The GSGT generally has many years of military experience and is rightfully expected to bring that experience to bear in quick, accurate decisions that are in the best interest of the mission and the marines under his control or infuence. Utilizing tough, realistic, intellectually and physically challenging performance-oriented training to excite and motivate marines, the Gunny ensures the the standards of the MFMC are met and maintained, while conducting training to promote critical wartime skills and to also evaluate unit effectiveness.
The GSGT is expected to embody all the traits of a good leader and also provide training feedback to the commander and First Sergeant during after-action reviews on all training. Watching a successful Gunnery Sergeant operate on a daily basis is unforgettable...on one hand, he is training the platoon or section in their collective tasks, on the other he is checking maintennce and readiness.....the GSGT is constantly planning and executing-a perpetual motion machine, a blur; the Gunny is the personification of military leadership.
E-6 Staff Sergeant (SSGT)
This grade closely parallels that of the Sergeant (SGT) in duties and responsibilities. In fact, the basic duties and responsibilities of all NCO ranks never change, but there are differeces-significant differences-between this step in the NCO structure and the preceding one...understanding these differences is vital. The SSGT is a more experienced leader of marines, he has considerably more time in the MFMC than the SGT. It is proper to expect that the Staff Sergeant can bring the benefits of that experience to bear in any situation.
The major difference between the SSGT and the SGT is not, as often mistakenly believed, authority, but rather the sphere of influence. The SSGT is in daily contact with large numbers of marines, and will often have one or more Sergeants who work under his direct leadership; he is responsible for their continued successful development as well as that of the other marines in the platoon.
More often than not, a lack of misunderstanding of the function of this important NCO position by leaders is the cause of disruption and failure in small unit training. If NCOs are the "Backbone of the Corps", then SSGTs are the vertebrae. The cmplexities of the SSGT's job increases as the responsibilities broaden....how well the Staff Sergeant develops, maintains and uses the full range of potential of his marines measures his professional competence. The success of the SSGT, more than any other NCO rank, leads the path to the Corps' success, and the footprints you see behond those of our greatest military leaders are probably those of a Staff Sergeant, where he stood confident, proud, and eager to assist.
E-5 Sergeant (SGT)
The Sergeant operates in an evironment where the sparks fly; where the axe meets the stone. Although not the lowest level of rank where command is exercised, this level is the first at which enlisted soldiers are referred to as "sergeant," and out of all the NCO grades, this one, very possibly, has the greatest impact on the lower ranking marines. Like the Staff Sergeant, the Sergeant is respnsible for the individual training, personal appearance, and cleaniness of their marines.
The rank of SGT is not a position for apprenticeship, while a new sergeant certainly will be developing new skills, strengthening old ones and generally getting better, he IS a Sergeant! And therefore, is no less a professional than those grades of rank to follow. The Sergeant is responsible at the squad level and has several teams under their authority.
E-4 Corporal (CPL)
This rank, along with the rank of SGT, are the only ranks that have not disappeared from the NCO Corps since the days of Old Earth. The rank of Corporal has always been placed at the base of the NCO ladder. For the most part, Corporals serve as the smallest unit leaders in the MFMC. Principally Team Leaders, like Sergeants, CPLs are responsible for individual training, personal appearance and cleanliness of their marines. As the SGM/MFMC is known as the epitome of success in the Corps, the CPL is it humble beginning.
Traits of a NCO
While the duties of NCOs may vary widely from rank to rank and post to post, the traits of a good Marine NCO stay remarkably the same all the way up the ladder; the same traits that makes a Gunny successful also make a CPL successful. Here, then, are some of the vital common traits among successful NCOs:
- COMMUNICATION: An effective NCO is able to recieve and interpet information from superiors and subodinates; issue clear and concise oral and written orders and provide input on personnel actions affecting subordinates....they make every effort to not only put their point across, but also to double-check for understanding of their message.
- SUPERVISION: Effective NCOs enforce the MFMC's standards of appearance and cnduct; teach common leadership skills; provide feedback through appropiate correspondance; foster spirit and confidence; develop and mentor subordinates.
- DECISION MAKING & PROFESSIONAL ETHICS: Effective NCOs accurately interpets information, and uses sound and ethical prblem-solving an decision-making processes. They also lead by example, demonstrating high moral standards and continually practice professional ethics.
The NCO Creed
===A NCOs Definition of Rank Structure===
