I have been asked personally and by mail about the Noncommissioned Officer Candidate Course. Specifically, some concern has been expressed about the course graduates being promoted to corporal and honor graduates becoming sergeant, while men in Vietnam with the same service, plus combat experience, may not be promoted.

First of all, the course will not reduce the number of promotions that may be made in Vietnam. At the present time, qualified soldiers in Vietnam can be promoted to fill position vacancies in grades E-4 through E-6 without regard to DA promotion quotas. In addition, outstanding soldiers in Vietnam can be promoted to E-5 and E-6 without regard to the normal time in grade and time in service criteria. Each month, such promotions are authorized totaling 2% of the authorized E-5 strength and 1and 1/2 % of the authorized E-6 strength. Thus, soldiers in Vietnam who demonstrate leadership will continue to advance rapidly.

Even these policies, however, have not satisfied the requirement for qualified squad and fire team leaders in Vietnam. Therefore, the Army has decided to identify soldiers who demonstrate outstanding leadership potential and send them to leadership school. First, they will be given 12 weeks of intensive Vietnam-oriented leadership instruction. After completing this phase, they will be assigned to Army Training Centers for eight or nine weeks of seasoning as squad leaders and assistant platoon sergeants. Completion of the additional five months of training will prepare them to assume leadership positions immediately upon arrival in Vietnam.

Individuals will be promoted to grade E-5 upon graduation. The honor graduate may be promoted to E-6 upon graduation.

The program will allow the Army to derive maximum benefit from the first two years of an outstanding soldier’s service. A soldier selected for the Noncommissioned Office Candidate Course at the end of advanced individual training will spend most of his first year in service undergoing leaderships training. During his second year, he will serve as an NCO leader in Vietnam.

The course is an extension of the longstanding Army policy to identify and reward outstanding soldiers. It is not designed as a substitute for combat experience, but will provide leadership training for men with proven leadership ability before they go to Vietnam. The promotions given to men who complete the course will not directly affect promotion possibilities of other deserving soldiers in Vietnam or other parts of the world.

                                                                                         William O. Wooldridge

                                                                                                 Sergeant Major of the Army