Duties , Responsibilities and Authority of the NCO

1. Professional Military Education Basic NCO Course Duties, Responsibilities and Authority of the NCO

2. Professional Military Education Basic NCO Course Reference: Army FM 7-22.7US Army Noncommissioned Officer GuideChapter 2: Duties, Responsibilities and Authority of the NCO

3. NCO Duty • Something you must do by virtue of your position and is a legal or moral obligation. • Three kinds of duty: • Specified Duties • Directed Duties • Implied Duties

4. Specified Duties • Related to jobs and positions. • Directives such as VDF regulations, VDF soldier’s manuals, VDF Training and Evaluation Program publications and job descriptions specify the duties.

5. Directed Duties • Not specified as part of a job position or MOS or other directive. • A superior gives them orally or in writing. • Include serving as sergeant of the guard, staff duty officer, and company training NCO where these duties are not found in the unit’s organization charts.

6. Implied Duties • Often support specified duties, but may not be related to the MOS job position. • May not be written in the instructions. • Improve the quality of the job and keep the unit functioning at an optimum level. • Depend on individual initiative. • Improve the work environment and motivate soldiers to perform because they want to, not because they have to

7. Responsibility • Being accountable for what you do or fail to do. • Two types of responsibility: • Command Responsibility • Individual Responsibility

8. Command Responsibility • Collective or organizational accountability • Includes how well the unit performs missions • Commanders give military leaders the responsibility for what their sections, units, or organizations do or fail to do • NCOs are to fulfill individual duties and ensure their team and unit are successful • Responsibility depends on mission, position held and willingness to accept responsibility

9. Individual Responsibility • Accountable for your personal conduct • VDF soldiers have their own responsibilities • Individual responsibility cannot be delegated • Soldiers are accountable for their actions, to their fellow soldiers, to their leaders, to their unit and to the VDF. • Ensure that your soldiers understand clearly their responsibilities as members of the team and as representatives of the VDF

10. Authority • Authority is defined as the right to direct soldiers to do certain things • Know what authority you have and where it comes from. • Three kinds of Authority: • Command Authority • General Military Authority • Delegation of Authority

11. Command Authority • Authority leaders have over soldiers by virtue of rank or assignment. • Command authority originates with the Governor and may be supplemented by law or regulation. • Even though it is called “command” authority, it is not limited to officers • Inherent in position such as 1SG or team leader • NCO command authority is inherent with the job by virtue of position to direct or control soldiers

12. General Military Authority • Extended to all soldiers to take action and act in the absence of unit leader or designated authority • Originates in oaths of office, law, rank structure, traditions and regulations • Allows leaders to take appropriate corrective actions due to a breach of good order or discipline • Applies even if none of the soldiers are in your unit.

13. Delegation of Authority • Officers may delegate authority to NCOs • NCOs may further delegate that authority • Unless restricted by law, regulation, or a superior, leaders may delegate authority to subordinate leaders • Delegation must fall within leader’s scope of authority • Cannot delegate authority they do not have • Subordinates may not assume authority that superiors do not have, cannot delegate, or have retained • Task or duty to be performed limits the authority of the leader to whom it is assigned

14. Officer Relationships • General Duties: • Commissioned Officers • Warrant Officers • Non-Commissioned Officers

15. Officer Relationships • An important part of your role as an NCO is how you relate to commissioned officers. • To develop this working relationship, NCOs and officers must know the similarities of their respective duties and responsibilities.

16. Commissioned Officer • Commands, establishes policy, plans and programs the work of the VDF. • Concentrates on collective training, to enable unit to accomplish its mission. • Involved with unit operations and training • Focus on unit effectiveness and unit readiness • Focus on standards of performance, training, and professional development of officers and NCOs • Creates conditions so that the NCO can do the job • Supports the NCO

17. Warrant Officer • Provides advice, counsel and solutions to support the command. • Executes policy and manages the Army’s system • Commands special-purpose units and tasks-organized operational elements • Focuses on collective, leader and individual training • Operates, maintains, and manages equipment, support activities and technical system. • Concentrates on unit effectiveness and readiness. • Supports the NCO.

18. Noncommissioned Officer • Conducts the daily business within policies • Focus on individual training • Involved with training and leading teams • Ensures subordinate team, NCO and soldier functions as effective unit • Ensures each team member is well-trained, highly motivated, ready and functioning. • Focus on standards, training and professional development of NCOs and enlisted soldiers. • Follows orders of officers and NCOs in support channel. • Gets the job done

19. NCO Support Channel • Begins with command sergeant major • Through first sergeants • Ends with team leaders • Exchange information • Provide reports • Issue instructions, directive in nature

20. NCO Support Channel • Accomplish activities in accordance with policies and directives • Execute established policies, procedures, and standards • Regards performance, training, appearance, and conduct of enlisted personnel • Power rests with the chain of command

21. NCO Support Channel • Connection with chain of command is senior NCO. • Orders issued through chain of command • Senior NCOs issue implementing instructions • 1SG and CSM not part of formal chain of command • Leaders should consult them on enlisted soldier matters and individual training

22. NCO Support Channel • Successful leaders have good relationships with their senior NCOs • Senior NCOs have experience in completing missions and dealing with enlisted soldier issues • Senior NCOs can monitor organizational activities at all levels • Senior NCOs can take corrective action to keep organization within commander’s intent

23. NCO Support Channel • Assists chain of command: • Transmitting, instilling and ensuring ethics • Planning, conducting day-to-day operations • Training enlisted soldiers in their MOS • Training soldiers in basic skills and attributes • Teaching soldiers history and military customs and courtesies

24. NCO Support Channel • Assists chain of command: • Teaching soldiers the mission of the unit • Developing individual training programs to support the mission • Accounting for and maintaining equipment • Administrating NCO professional development and training programs • Advising on rewards and punishment

25. NCO Support Channel • Use the chain of command or the NCO support channel (as appropriate) to help solve problems, whether small or large. • Chain of command and NCO support channel provide the means to communicate a problem, suggestion, complaint or commendation to leaders who need to know

26. Professional Military Education Basic NCO Course Case Study from Instructor Discussion led by Instructor