NATO NCO Development &

The Bi-SC Document

Mike McDonald SGM OR-9 CAN (A)

NATO Unclassified mcdonald.michael@natoschool.nato.int
NATO School
 CWO (SGM) Mike McDonald OR 9 CAN (A)

Field Artillery 1977

RSM Field Artillery School

RSM 1 RCHA

Brigade SM 1 CMBG

MNB SM RC(S) Afghanistan

FCWO LFDTS (AT SM)

Arty Career Manager

Trials Officer LFTEU

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 Aim

Discuss NCO development and the NATO Non

Commissioned Officer Bi-SC Strategy and
Recommended Guidelines

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 Objectives

The NCO

Future Issues

Strategy

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 The NCO

What is a Non-Commissioned Officer?

A Senior NCO?

NATO Definition: OR-6 is the first of the NATO Senior NCO ranks

What are their responsibilities?

Relationship with Officer Corps?

Command Team (Honesty, No yes-man, Challenge, Loyalty)

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 the International Setting
Different Perceptions

Leader Advisor Adjutant

Disciplinarian Warrant Officer

Senior NCO
Trainer / Educator

Corporal Command Team Partner

Everybody who isn't an officer
Commandant / Commander
NATO Unclassified NATO School
 What does the International NCO look like?
Differences in Rank structures
Differences in Experiences
Differences in Rules & regulations
Differences in Cultures
Differences in Career opportunities
Differences in Role-position- responsibilities
Differences in Leadership & NCO concepts
Educated and trained in own national system

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 STANAG 2116
WO
NATO codes of grades of military personnel

Different
Ranks
same OR

SGM
Competence levels OR 1 - 9
Different
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities OR levels
same Rank
SGM
NATO Unclassified NATO School
 We are different in a lot of areas
What does the International NCO look like?
BUT
Differences in Rank structures
There is a need to standardize the NCO Corps
Differences in Experiences
Differences in Rules & regulations
Differences in Cultures
Differences in Career opportunities
Increased
Differences in Operability in
Role-position-responsibilities
Multi-National
Differences in Missions
Leadership & NCO concepts
Educated and trained in own national system

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 Scanning the Future

Pace and nature of change influencing

environment.

More demand on NCOs.

Radical changes in nature of conflicts and

application of military force.

More involvement and responsibilities of NCOs on
tactical, operational and strategic levels.

Future military forces will be agile, joint and

expeditionary.

Professional Development & training of NCOs are key.

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 NATO Bi-SC NCO Strategy
& NCO Guidelines

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 Three mainGains
Potential themes (Gaps):
from Bi-SC
Differences
1. in Rank structures
NCO Guidelines
Differences in Rules & regulations
Differences in Cultures
2. Professional
Differences in Military Education
Career opportunities
Differences in Experiences
Differences in Role position responsibilities
3. CSEL
Differences in Leadership & NCO concepts
Educated and trained in own national system

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 NATO NCO Bi-SC Strategy
Conclusions

Aiding nations to develop NCO initiatives and reforms

Creating synergy among the diverse NCO Corps within NATO Alliance
and partner nations

Establishing NATO NCO education complementing national

programmes

Establishing Command Senior Enlisted Leaders (CSELs) where NATO

needs them

Empowering CSELs to lead NCO Professional Development

Setting expectations about the qualities required of NCOs (ORs) in the

international environment
NATO Unclassified NATO School
13
 Key Note Address

NATO Senior Officer Policy course

&
Command Senior Enlisted Leader
Key note Address

Future Forces need to be agile, joint and expeditionary. Forces will be smaller,
hence NCOs can bring professionalism, flexibility and experience to the table.
NCOs are the critical link in the operations, therefore ACT will strongly support
NATO NCO development.
VADM OF8 Pottinger USA (N)
Oberammergau, DEU, 19 Sep 2011
NATO Unclassified NATO School
 Guidelines for NATO NCOs

OR 9 Most experienced, key advisor to commander,

SGM ensures compliance (policy, standards, performance)
monitors the Domain of the NCO
OR 8 Enhanced leadership, broad experience, planning,
MSGT advises unit commander, mentors, supervises
OR 7 Key element in structure, effective management,
SFC larger numbers personnel and equipment
OR 6 First NATO Senior NCO ranks, increased admin-
SSGT & supervisory responsibilities, greater experience

OR 5 Leadership by example, enforcing standards,

SGT appearance, training & welfare
OR 4 First level of supervisory leadership
OR 1-3 Basic entry ranks
NATO Unclassified
Soldiers, Airman &NATOSailors
School
 Education Opportunities
NCO Programmes Department, NSO
M1-84 2 weeks

NATO Command Senior

1. Residential Courses 2 iterations 15 EA Enlisted Leader Course

2. Advanced Distributive Learning NATO CSEL

2 weeks
M1-95
3. Member Portal 3 iterations 28 EA
NATO NCO Advanced
Leadership Course

4. METTs Advanced Leadership

2 weeks
M1-82
5. Lecture Support 4 iterations 28 EA
NATO NCO Intermediate
Leadership Course

a. Internal Intermediate Leadership

1 week
M7-83
b. External NATO NCO Instructor Course
3 iterations 24 EA

NCO Instructor all courses

are
1 week
M7-98 UNCLASSIFIED
2 iterations 24 EA NATO Academic Instructor Course
and have
Pre-learning
Academic Instructor ADL modules
1 week
M5-33
5 iterations 80 EA NATO Senior NCO Orientation Course

NATO Orientation
NATO Unclassified NATO School
 NCO Professional Military Education Model
(PME)

Senior OR 9

Professional NCO
OR 8
Advanced

Technical Competence
NCO Core Competence

OR 6 Pillars will

Profession of Arms
be
Leadership

allocated to
the
OR 7 subsequent
Intermediate
levels
OR 5

Primary OR 6

Foundation (OR 1 3 ) OR 4

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 Establish a CSEL Structure

Responsible
Move from
Unlimited
Defined
Advisor
Commander for the
Carrying
access quality
out
to their
responsibilities
to the Commander
and NCO to of him/her
based
next on
to his NCOs;
Supervising
Commanders,
onmatters,
all their
and Development,
Monitoring
subordinate
level(Command
of position.
especially focussed
those
Team)
Training,
on
withthe
units Discipline,
Domain
and CSELs
(Empowered)
Involving NCOs.
basically ofon
access Counseling,
thehigher
NCO
to same(NCOs
levels Detection
(NCO
information. andofSelection.
lead NCOs)
Chain
(Trust) Support)
(Domain)

Empowered Advisor
... NATO Structure

CHoD

Services

Domain
. . .. .
Trgn Com Nat Com Op Com

.
Corps Corps

Network
Trust
NCOs lead NCOs
Batalion
.
. . . .Brigade

Batalion
Division

Brigade

Batalion NATO School

NATO Unclassified
 CSEL Course

Lead Professional Development

Direct International Ceremonies

Communicate on NCO Issues

Intro
Provide Advice to Commanders

Prepare for challenges
Share experiences

Get out of comfort zone
Understand differences

New Techniques/concepts Role Play

Network/relationships

Lectures
NATO Unclassified Syndicate Work Luncheon
Guest Speakers
NATO School
 CSEL Course

Lead Professional Development

Direct International Ceremonies

Communicate on NCO Issues

Intro
Provide Advice to Commanders

Role Play

Lectures
NATO Unclassified Syndicate Work Guest
Luncheon
Speakers
NATO School
 CSEL Expectations Advisor/Leader

GOBI

General Officer Bright Idea

Communication

Honesty

Challenge

No Yes Man

Loyalty

Respect

One Team Concept (Command Team)

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 CSEL Expectations Advisor/Leader

GOBI

General Officer Bright Idea

One Team Concept (Command Team)

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 Summary

NCOs - General

What is an NCO

International issues

Differences Culture, education, rank, leadership concept, rules,
opportunities

Development

Bi SC Document

Guidelines for NATO NCOs, Role, Position, Responsibilities

Improve Education and Training opportunities

Establish a CSEL structure NCOs next to the Commander

NCO Curriculum Development

NCOPD

NATO Unclassified NATO School

 Questions

NATO Unclassified NATO School