Back to Basics…The Lost Art of Basic Combat Fundamentals

[Infanteer]

i think there may also be something to be said for the age and skill level of z Commonwealth or Brit NCO, compared to ours. They are more competent, and wayyyyy more confident in many of my observations, due to age and years of service.

In working with the Brits, Australians and Canadians, I haven't noticed a huge discrepancy in the averages (we have some really young outliers, and they have some rally old outliers) when you consider he duty positions assigned. What I mean is that, yes, their Sergeants are much older than ours, but they aren't really equivalent-- their Sergeant is a platoon sergeant, more like our Sergeant First Class; their Corporal is a section leader, about like our Staff Sergeant; When you look at it that way, they aren't nearly as much older or more skillful than our NCOs.

Brits, Americans and Canadians all have different names for each rank level (Canada broke with British tradition in the 60's in a wierd period of our history where we tried to burn all things Brit - meaning, to us, everything) - the important thing to consider is the relative experience of the guy doing the same job - ie: Section Commander/Squad Leader.

Any comparison will end up being painted with a broad brush, but some generalities can be made. Two big factors at every level that have to be considered are the training that a person at that level gets and how the career structure informs what a person has done prior to being appointed to that position - these are the two gateways of experience and training.

In Canada, NCOs at the section and platoon level tended to have lots of experience - generally 10-20 years combined with many qualifications within their trade (ie: for infantry, a specialization like mortars, some advanced courses like winter warfare, etc, etc). The general argument is that when compared to their American counterparts, Canadian NCOs were more experienced and had more extensive training. However, with the dynamics of the last 10 years of warfare and changing demographics, we are seeing this "picture" of a Canadian NCO change. We now have lots of younger, less "qualified" (in the formal sense) but more experienced (in the operational sense) NCOs.

A good example is the Canadian Infantry Section Commander's Course (which goes through a name change every couple of years). A pretty intensive course, this is given to potential junior NCOs (Corporals) to qualify them to be 2ICs of a section, let alone a commander. My understanding of the American system is that squad leaders will not recieve comparable training until they've been in the billet for sometime - is this still the case?

As for the British Army, as I understand it there are constraints emplaced by the 22-year career model, which means guys get pushed to the next level much faster then here in Canada. One Senior Officer I know, who has commanded both a Canadian and British Company, commented that he'd take a Canadian Company Sergeant Major over a British one due to the relative levels of experience.

I've also seen a good comment on where skills are truely learned - in the school house or in the unit while on exercise? In Canada, we've had a real "school house" approach; loooong courses to build up skillsets. I thing we'll see a change in things - does a Recce Section Commander develop his skills on an Advanced Recce Course or doing many exercises as a Recce Section Commander in a Battalion?

Again, these are generalities and there are always exceptions but there are some interesting observations to be drawn from them.

[Red Rat]

My company sergeant major (CSM) had 16 years experience (excluding his pre-18 year old 'Junior Leader' experience (two years)). This means that he is on the 'glide path' for WO1 and has picked up promotion first time every time. Some CSMs will have more experience, very very few will have less (and I cannot recall any in my experience). The enlisted soldier career progression aims to get the soldier to WO1 (Warrant Officer Class One) at the 20 year point and CSMs will have to do at least one further appointment before they are able to be boarded for WO1.

Not sure how that compares with Canadian or US equivalents.

[Red Rat]

Some of the best infantry SNCOs I have ever served with have been German. Experienced and well trained, they are often found commanding platoons. I got the impression that the Germans educated (professionally) their SNCOs much better then we (the Brits) did.

[Infanteer]

My company sergeant major (CSM) had 16 years experience (excluding his pre-18 year old 'Junior Leader' experience (two years)). This means that he is on the 'glide path' for WO1 and has picked up promotion first time every time. Some CSMs will have more experience, very very few will have less (and I cannot recall any in my experience). The enlisted soldier career progression aims to get the soldier to WO1 (Warrant Officer Class One) at the 20 year point and CSMs will have to do at least one further appointment before they are able to be boarded for WO1.

Not sure how that compares with Canadian or US equivalents.

To give you an idea, a Canadian CSM would typically have 20+ years of service. Due to our common heritage, I'm willing to bet career paths are almost identical between the two only in Canada guys will spend more time in each rank level (thus longer exposure on the "experience curve"). Canada does not have any overarching circumtances like the Brit career progression models or the US Up-or-Out system.

Some of the best infantry SNCOs I have ever served with have been German. Experienced and well trained, they are often found commanding platoons. I got the impression that the Germans educated (professionally) their SNCOs much better then we (the Brits) did.

Interesting - I have no experience with the German Army. The only thing I've heard is anecdotal from early ISAF experience. It isn't flattering (and they probably think the same thing about us), but it's probably the end result of an oversized multi-national HQ in Kabul with nothing to really do. I don't know if its still the case (Fuchs?) but don't German NCOs command 2 of the 3 Platoons in a Company?