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Structured-self development
By JENNIFER MATTSON NCO Journal

n April 1, Soldiers reporting to the Warrior Leaders Course will be required to have completed Structured-self development 1. Those who have not will be turned away from school. Sgt. Maj. Jerry Bailey, structured self development director at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas, said SSD-1 will allow for Soldiers to enter into a classroom mindest before attending WLC. The difference with SSD-1 as a prerequisite for WLC than the PT test is that is a graduation requirement, Bailey said. SSD-1 is a prerequisite, so you must show up fully qualified on 1 April to get into a class. For instance a Soldier, who goes to class on 30 March, has no SSD-1 requirement. A Soldier goes to class on 1 April must be an SSD-1 graduate to be considered fully qualified to get into class. If he shows up not fully qualified, then that Soldier would not get into class on 1 April. Beginning Oct. 10, 2010, Soldiers have been automatically enrolled in SSD-1 after they complete basic

combat training or one-station unit training. They have two and a half years to complete SSD-1; they will need to re-register if they havent completed it at that time. Soldiers are introduced to squad drills in basic and advanced individual training, but they arent required to lead them. They will be required to lead those drills at WLC, Bailey said. We did a cross walk and saw where the gaps were, Bailey said. We did find some gaps in SSD-1, so in the future, Soldiers are going to see some different content or some lessons because we found that to be a true prerequisite we had to get out some other basic things so once a Soldier arrives at WLC it wouldnt be the first time they saw those particular classes. In addition, four hours of map reading were added to SSD-1 on Nov. 30 to give Soldiers experience in land navigation, Bailey said. In January when land navigation becomes part of WLC, they will have already had some experience in seeing that particular lesson, Bailey said. They wont be starting from scratch; it wont be a new task for them. What we did was provide the academies with a disk with that particular lesson for any Soldier that graduated prior to November 30. Each structured-self development requires about 80 hours of distance learning. SSD is meant to guide a Soldier from the very beginning of their Army careers to their retirement, Bailey said. I think any Soldier who goes back and looks at SSD, whether theyre a sergeant major or a sergeant, they will find something that they need to refamiliarize themselves with or that they havent
Sgt. Dariusz Krzywonos, field artillery surveyor/meteorological crewmember, with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Stryker), 2nd Infantry Division, works on a Structured Self Development Course to increase his knowledge base PHOTO BY SGT
MARK CLOUTIER

MARCH 2013

Courses covered
The following topics are covered in Structured-self development 1:

Self registration
Soldiers are automatically enrolled in structuredself development once they complete an NCOES course. However, they still need to register. To do so, visit https://www.atrrs.army.mil/

XX Army writing style XX Combat operations report XX Composite risk management XX Detainee operations XX Fratricide XX Multiple tramatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress XX History of the NCO XX Personnel recovery XX Self-directed learning principles XX Counterinsurgency principles XX Cultural effects on military operations XX Customs, courtesies and traditions of the service XX How war and multiple deployments impact subordinates XX Leadership XX Military problem solving process XX Personal habits to increase health and fitness XX Troop leading procedures

XX Supply activities in a unit XX Primary roles and functions of the military services XX Types of rehearsals XX Preparing a brief XX Conflict management XX Principles of effective management XX The NCO role in the causalty assistance program XX The NCO roles in recruiting and retention XX Lean six sigma fundamentals XX Army ethics XX Task organize sqad for mission XX Communicate the history of the U.S. Army XX Identify financial readiness actions XX After-action review XX Conduct squad drill XX Host-nation, federal, state and local laws XX Environmental laws and regulations XX Time management

1
Qualitative Go to Channels directory-ARMY Click on Self Development

2
Go to the course number block and copy or type the SSD course number and click search.

3
click register button on the course schedule.

4
Click I agree button

5
Login with AKO or CAC

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fill in and validate the training application and click SUBMIT.

7
Email notification Your application will be processed and you will be notified of the result by email. Please wait for the email before submitting another application for the course. Allow 24 hours before contacting the ATRRS Help desk.

seen in years or something that theyll learn, Bailey said. As regulatory guidance continues to change, there is always something that were doing different and new. As the development team, were required to keep those lessons up to date. Any Soldier who has graduated from WLC is grandfathered into the structured self development system, meaning that he or she does not have to take SSD-1. NCOs who want to help their Soldiers through SSD-1 can sit with their Soldiers as they complete the work, or they can sign up for SSD-1, Bailey said. For me to be a true coach, teacher or mentor, I would have

to sit down with my Soldier and look at them go through some of those different tasks and provide some information and feedback to assist that Soldier, Bailey said. It is the individual Soldiers responsibility, but as coaches, teachers and mentors, because not every Soldier passes it the first time. I need to know if my Soldier didnt pass. If my Soldier is having trouble, I need for them to know that Im there to provide that feedback.
Next month: Military moves

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