History Of The Army Ncos

The American Army NCO has been in existence since 1775.  NCOs played pivotal roles during the American Revolution, the Civil War and WW1.  Senior Enlisted Leaders should understand the history of the NCO because the successes of the military define American history.  This paper will cover the history of the Army NCO, contributions and evolution of the Army NCO.

History

An Army Non-commissioned Officer (NCO), also known as “sub-officer,” refers to a military officer who is yet to earn a commission.  The history of the American Noncommissioned Officer began during early 1775 after the inception of the Continental Army (Arms, 2007).  The concept came about following the blueprint of the legionaries that previously served in the Roman Empire.  The American Army NCO materialised through a consideration of myriad factors.  Essentially, the model of the NCO is a blend of the frameworks of the Prussian, British, and French armies.  Consequently, the very fabric of the American NCO shares numerous similarities with that of the British Military System.  The British Pilgrims domiciled at the Massachusetts Bay Colony established the first “militia,” which morphed into the current day’s 101^st Engineer Battalion, 181^st and 182^nd Infantry, the Massachusetts National Guard, and the 101^st Field Artillery.  The actual operations of the Army NCO came much later in the year 1778 during the American Revolution following responsibility standardization by the Inspector General Friedrich von Steuben.  The IG’s contribution was instrumental in the shaping the NCO to its contemporary structure.  Chapman (2009) notes that he framed the regulatory framework for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, which defined the structure, responsibilities and composition of the American Army NCO.