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NCOs learn skills online

Nov 6, 2009

By Eve Meinhardt/Paraglide

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Soldiers preparing for the Advanced Leader Course, formerly called the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, will notice a significant difference in the training they receive. The common core phase that Fort Bragg Soldiers of all military occupational specialties previously attended at the Fort Bragg and XVIII Airborne Corps NCO Academy went to an online format Oct. 1.

"We previously taught 14 cycles a year for the common core," said Sgt. 1st Class Jared Matthews, chief of operations at the Fort Bragg and XVIII Abn. Corps NCO Academy.

"Now that it has transitioned over, there will no longer be any future ALC phase one courses held at the academy, everything will be blackboard."

According to the Army Training Requirements and Resources System Web site, completing the blackboard phase one portion of ALC is required before attending the resident portion of the career management field phase two training.

The online training is taken using the Army Learning Management System that is taken on the Soldier's schedule.

The course helps current and future staff sergeants acquire the leader, technical and tactical skills needed to lead squad size units in both a field and garrison environment. It is non-MOS specific. Soldiers learn the skills specific to their career field at phase two with their peers.

Depending on the Soldier's MOS, there may be more than two required phases.

Sgt. Maj. Sharon Opeka, XVIII Abn. Corps Public Affairs sergeant major and a former BNCOC instructor, said she sees advantages and disadvantages with the new system.

"I have mixed feelings about phase one going strictly online," Opeka said. "It's good from the perspective of making it easier on Soldiers who need to go to professional development classes, but have difficulty getting slots because of deployment schedules. This will make it easier on them and their units.

"But, as a sergeant major and a former instructor, I feel that the students are missing out on the value added by face-to-face interaction. There is a lot to be learned by having conversations with your peers and drawing from the knowledge-base and experience of your instructors," she added.

(Editor's note: This is the final installment of a four part series about Fort Bragg's Noncommissioned Officer Academy with a focus on the academy's mission, the Warrior Leader Course and the changes to the Advanced Leader Course.)