|
What
to be? Chosing A Career Path >>
The
Canadian Forces is made up of two rank corps, the Non-Commissioned
Members (NCMs) and the Officer corps, and these two
divisions represent the fundamental division of responsibility
in the Canadian Profession of Arms.
The
difference between the NCM and the Officer corps can
be described in terms of competencies, authority, and
responsibility.
Through
their commission (i.e. as commissioned officers in the
Canadian Forces), officers are given special authority
and responsibility for decisions on the use of force.
These decisions, from the tactical through to the operational
and strategic levels, set the context within which the
NCMs carry out their duties.
Scope
and Responsibility >>
The
officer's scope of responsibility gets larger as she/he
rises in rank. Overseeing the regulatory functions that
operate through the profession is a major responsibility
of the officer corps.
To
meet these responsibilities, officers must acquire the
skills of delegating tasks and authorities to Non-Commissioned
Officers (Sgts) and Warrant Officers, and supervisory
skills to ensure that taskings are completed.
Only
by drawing upon the expertise and experience of the
NCMs can officers lead the force effectively and efficiently.
It is the responsibility of the officers to interpret
the Commanding Officers intent and, through the command
of troops, to ensure that objectives are completed as
professionally as possible.
"Don't
call me Sir, I work for a living." -- MCpl Bloggins.
While
officers do much of the overall adminstrative and operational
tasks when it comes to orders and interpreting the Commanding
Officer's intent, it is the NCMs that ensure the job
gets done, and that it gets done right. In other words,
NCMs, through experience and highly specialized training,
complete the task to the best of their ability.
This
means that NCMs need to be well-trained and to be highly
professional in their chosen field. Unlike officers,
NCMs get a lot of hands-on experience with the weapons
and equipment. In the big picture, the army cannot function
without NCMs, as they are the one's that make everything
work.
Similar
to officers, the NCM's scope of responsibility gets
larger as she/he increases in rank. NCMs start to assume
limited leadership responsibility at the Corporal and
Master Corporal levels, and become responsible on a
much larger scale at the Sgt and Warrant levels (as
senior NCOs).
As
a senior NCO, a platoon warrant will be responsible
for approximately 30 soldiers, and the Company Sergeant
Major (at the rank of Master Warrant) is responsible
for over 100 soldiers. Similar to officers, NCOs are
responsible for their soldiers, and this responsibility
includes not only the health and welfare but also career
progression for each soldier.
|
