FORT GORDON, Ga. (March 20, 2015) -- Several Soldiers at the Signal Corps Regimental Noncommissioned Officer Academy received the Army Basic Instructor Badge during the Army Instructor Development and Recognition ceremony held March 13 in Alexander Hall.
"This is the first of this kind of recognition at the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon," said Command Sgt. Maj. Robert A. Daniel Jr., the RNCOA commandant. "The instructor badge consists of two parts. First you have the development phase and then you have the recognition phase."
"In the development phase, the NCOs have to meet certain requirements in accordance with U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Regulation 600- 21," Daniel explained. "Once the Soldiers meet those requirements what I have done to enhance the professionalism of the small group leaders was to create an internal certification board, which they must go before as well. The purpose of this board is to mentally prepare them to instruct. The instructor certification board covers critical areas of focus that include test control, dismissal procedures, and classroom instructions."
"During the instructor certification board, NCOs have to demonstrate their proficiency through hands on task such as taping a Soldier," Daniel said. "The board is challenging and the average time for an NCO to complete the board is one hour. When the NCO completes and passes this board I know and the leadership within the academy knows, that the NCO is prepared to teach, coach, and mentor NCOs that are coming to our academy to learn from the best that the Army has to offer. When an SGL departs the academy, the operational Army is getting a top notch NCO; the instructor badge that the NCO wears will identify him or her as the cream of the crop."
Maj. Gen. Stephen G. Fogarty, the U.S. Army Cyber CoE and Fort Gordon commanding general and guest speaker, took an exception to the first stance of the instructor creed recited by past and current instructors at the ceremony. He indicated he didn't like the wording in the first sentence -- "You have a solemn responsibility to prevent mediocrity."
"I don't like that," Fogarty said. "I think your solemn responsibility is to inspire and lead excellence. That is what this is all about. We have Soldiers, who are excellent. We have warrant officers who are excellent and we have officers who are excellent. This is tough business we are in whether it is building, operating or maintaining the network or leading troops in combat."
The general emphasized during the program, there is no such thing as "tenure". "Much like a badge earned on the weapons range, an instructor badge can be easily downgraded if an instructor becomes too comfortable or lets the skills he learned decay with time," Fogarty said. "If he fails to remain qualified he can also lose the badge all together. The Soldiers here today have shown themselves dedicated to their craft. I would charge each of you to continue to hone the talents you have shown in the classroom … the Army needs more of you."
Back in June 2014, the U.S. Army TRADOC implemented the Army Instructor Identification Badge. The badges are earned by certified noncommissioned officers who work as instructors within the Noncommissioned Officer Education System. The Army Instructor Identification Badge system is designed to be part of the Instructor Development and Recognition Program and come with promotion points for pay grades E-5, sergeant, and E-6, staff sergeant.
The Army Instructor Identification Badges are awarded in three levels: basic, senior and master. To earn the basic badge a Soldier must meet the instructor requirements outlined in Army Regulation 614-200, must complete the requirements of TRADOC Regulation 600-21, must complete 80 hours of instruction as a primary instructor, and must meet evaluation requirement after two separate evaluations 30 days a part.
To earn the senior badge a Soldier must meet the same requirements as the basic badge and complete the following prerequisites: graduate from the small group instructor training course or intermediate facilitation skills course and the systems approach to training basic course or foundation training developer course. They must also complete 400 hours of instruction as a primary instructor.
To earn the master badge a Soldier must complete the entire basic and senior badge requirements and complete the following prerequisites: graduate from the advanced facilitator skills course or the faculty development program-1 and the evaluating instructor's workshop. In addition, they must also meet evaluation requirements and master instructor board requirements outlined in TRADOC Regulation 600-21.
Several of the Army Basic Instructor Badge recipients expressed an appreciation for the recognition of this honor.
"It is a tremendous honor to be the first 25S, (satellite communication systems operator-maintainer) in the Army to earn the Basic Instructor Badge," said Sgt. 1st Class Jason McGowan of Richfield, Pennsylvania.
"Today, an important step was taken to recognize NCOs, Soldiers and leaders, who will take that extra mile to enhance today's military fighting force," said Sgt. 1st Class Corey Oakley of Rockford, Illinois.
"This badge means an accomplishment not only for myself, but for the Army recognizing the hard work and dedication that goes into being an SGL," said Sgt. 1st Class Kent Goodman from Chicago, Illinois. "Having the experience and mental dexterity to train your peers to become confident and competent leaders in today's Army and having this recognition throughout the rest of their careers has been a long time coming."
Army Basic Instructor Badge recipients
• Sgt. 1st Class Desiree Evans, a telecommunications operation chief
• Sgt. 1st Class Tony Fullwood, an information technology specialist
• Sgt. 1st Class Kent Goodman, a telecommunications operation chief
• Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Kovalski, a microwave systems operator-maintainer
• Sgt. 1st Class Jason McGowan, a satellite communication systems operator-maintainer
• Sgt. 1st Class Corey Oakley, an information technology specialist
• Staff Sgt. Albert Allen, a multichannel transmission systems operator-maintainer
• Staff Sgt. Dwayne Baker, a signal support systems specialist
• Staff Sgt. Noel DeJesus, a nodal network systems operator-maintainer
• Staff Sgt. Christopher Fox, a satellite communication systems operator-maintainer
• Staff Sgt. Melvin Freeman, a microwave systems operator-maintainer
• Staff Sgt. Thomas McClain, a satellite communication systems operator-maintainer
• Staff Sgt. Christopher Polanco, a nodal network systems operator-maintainer
• Staff Sgt. Carlos Smith, a Satellite communication systems operator-maintainer
Related Links:
U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence
First Soldiers awarded Army Instructor Badge
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