Saturday, December 8, 2012

Army Celebrates Year of the NCO in 2009

It's not a controversial statement to say that Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs) run the military. Many civilians mistakenly believe that officers have the biggest impact, but it's the Sergeants and Chiefs who know the personalities of their units, and it is they who make sure that an officer's orders are put into action.

In honor of its NCOs, the United States Army has declared that this new Year will be the "Year of the NCO." In doing so, the Army will honor the legacy of the senior enlisted Soldiers who have been decorated in battles at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Omaha Beach, Vietnam, Iraq and everywhere in between.

The purpose of the year's commemoration will be several initiatives to raise the country's awareness of the sacrifices that NCOs have made in support of the Army and the country. The Army has highlighted two large goals:

    Make sure that Congress and the American public understand of roles and responsibilities of today's NCO
    Build on the development of NCOs through education, fitness, and leadership development In the area of education, the Army wants to make sure that its NCOs have increased access to both military and civilian career training so they can develop and be at the top of their game. In 2009 the Army plans to initiate the following NCO education initiatives:
    The Army Career Tracker pilot
    Phase one implementation of Structured and Guided Self Development
    Launch of the Warrior University website, which includes College of the American Soldier
    Transformation of NCO Education System

The Army is also looking to increase the number of online colleges under the Service Members Opportunity Colleges Army Degrees (SOCAD).

And online college degree programs are something that is not only available to Army NCOs, they are available to service members of every pay grade and every service branch though Military Tuition Assistance (TA).

While many NCOs enroll in a college degree to advance into the highest enlisted ranks of the military, a college education goes beyond the military. Whether one is a buck private or a master sergeant, a service member will eventually get out and have to face the civilian job market, which makes getting an associate or a bachelor's degree a good idea.

Online college degree programs are particularly helpful for service members, because the distance education format allows service members to study while still serving on active duty. Military personnel can pursue an online college degree whenever they have time off - all that's needed is a computer and an Internet connection.

And the best way to pursue a college degree is to have Uncle Sam pay for it by using your TA funds. TA benefits provide service members with up to $4,500 a year in funds for accredited, online college courses. One can enroll in an associate or bachelor's degree. Service members do not have to enroll in programs that are related to their MOS to get the funds.

Kim Yanez is a writer of nationally accredited online university for military offers certification programs and associate and bachelor's degree programs. Pursuing your career education in certificate and degree programs through the convenience and affordability of distance online education.

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