Sgt. 1st Class Fetineiai Valai, top, of Fort Campbell, Ky., breaks away from her highlighted manual to ask a question of a student presenter during the Train the Trainer sessions on the new NCOER. In the foreground are Staff Sgt. Carolyn Smith of For...

Master Sgt. Lelanya Watson of the Hawaii Army National Guard looks for clarification on the new NCOER from student presenter Sgt. Maj. Bryan Novak of U.S. Army Africa, posted in Vicenza, Italy. This week, NCOER trainers had to demonstrate their prese...

It took two tries for some of them, but all 408 Soldiers training to become experts on the new NCO evaluation system have passed a rigorous test on the document.

This week, they're running another gantlet -- demonstrating their ability to train their fellow trainers in 45-minute sessions, so all become eminently familiar with the new NCOER through constant repetition.

"They've heard those presentations several times -- or, perhaps, they've actually memorized it themselves," said Sgt. Maj. Stephen McDermid of the Army's Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Ky. The HRC coordinated with Fort Jackson's G1 to offer two weeks of classes to Train the Trainers across the Army.

"Hopefully, when they train (others), it'll come across as natural and conversational," McDermid said.

The trainers -- who hold ranks from sergeant to lieutenant colonel -- will return to their postings as emissaries for the new NCOER, which brings evaluations of NCOs in line with those for commissioned officers and attempts to ensure that NCOs receive feedback in a timely fashion. Some of the trainers will have to train their superiors, so instructors wants to be sure they're well prepared.

The Army will implement the new system in September.

Because those rating Soldiers on their chances for promotion no longer will be able just to tick off a number of checkmarks, trainers also must be adept at giving writing tips.

"We have short bullet comments" to check off, McDermid said of the old NCOER. "Those bullet comments have been shared, pasted, (so) all the reports said essentially the same thing."

With the new evaluation, "writing style is very critical." So, senior raters will be rated on the effectiveness of their own communication as they evaluate their NCOs.

Sgt. 1st Class David Talamantes found the training "challenging for a person who really hasn't worked with NCOER for a while, except on (my) own." Talamantes, posted at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, said he had to pace himself so he wouldn't "rush through" the training and miss something crucial.

He feels excited to begin training others, although he wonders whether the more detailed written evaluations will lead to "hurt feelings" on the part of those who will be evaluated more thoroughly.

Sgt. Maj. Tiffany Basley of G1 at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, echoed Talamantes's excitement.

"The instruction that I received was phenomenal," she said. "I think we're moving in the right direction" -- ensuring that those deserving to be promoted will be.