|
The staff sergeant grade of rank closely parallels that of the sergeant in duties
and responsibilities. In fact, the basic duties and responsibility of all the NCO
ranks never change, but there are differences, significant differences, between
this step in the NCO structure and the preceding one. Understanding these
differences is vital. The staff sergeant is a more experienced leader of soldiers.
The staff sergeant has considerably more time in the Army than the sergeant. It is
proper to expect that the staff sergeant can bring the benefits of that experience to
bear in any situation and under all circumstances. The major difference between
the staff sergeant and the sergeant is not, as often mistakenly believed, authority,
but rather sphere of influence. The staff sergeant is in daily contact with large
numbers of soldiers and generally has more equipment and other property to
maintain. The staff sergeant will often have one or more sergeants who work
under his direct leadership. The staff sergeant is responsible for their continued
successful development as well as that of other soldiers in the section, squad or
team. More often than not, the lack of understanding of the function of this
important NCO position by leaders is the cause of disruption and failure in small
unit training. If NCO are “The Backbone” of the Army, then staff sergeants are the
elements of which backbones are made. The complexities of the job of the staff
sergeant increases as the responsibilities broaden. The staff sergeant’s
professional competence is measured by how well the staff sergeant develops,
maintains and uses the full range of human potential of his soldiers. The staff
sergeant’s success, more than any other grade of the NCO rank, leads the path to
the Army’s success, and the footprints you will see behind those of our greatest
military leaders are probably those of a staff sergeant, where he stood confident,
proud and eager to assist.
|
|
