Question about Sergeant Major Academy

[OSCS Jimmy D. Belcher]

Looking for any information about the Sergeant Major Academy. If anybody has gone I would like to talk to you. One main question is does a person have to be tour complete to attend?

[MSTCM Jerald Motyka]

Haven't attended, but from the last poop I got on it (I'd love to attend!!), you MUST be tour complete...

...depending upon how many applicants they have...

...and how willing your detailer is to let you go early...

Hey, anything is possible and waiverable. Give it a try!

[CMC Bruce Bradley]

Jimmy, no you don't have to be tour complete to apply for the USA SMA. When I was accepted a couple of years ago I still had a year left in an OinC assignment and it wasn't a problem. Basically if they want you and pick you then the MCPO-CG wins any "discussions" over your assignment and transfer.

I ended up declining and not going that year. It was the shortened class due to the start of GWII. They mid school year (kids) PCS transfer followed by another PCS that summer made it a nightmare on the home front. I wish it had worked out better. If you have any questions about the application process drop me line, I'm in the global and still have my package.

[BMCS Bill Gheen]

The solicitation for the Sergeants Major academy should be out this month. It typically comes out in March. I talked to MCPO Diane Lacumsky (hope I spelled her name right) about it. You can give her a call and she will give you a few names of folks who have attended or been accepted. She handles the senior enlisted academy processes. I would take BMCS Bradley on his offer, he was accepted, and so he would know what they are looking for. I intend on applying this year as well.

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

I'm a little confused. Is it one or the other? Meaning, if you have already attended the CPO Academy, are you not authorized to attend the USA SMA?

Or can a person attend both? What are their similarities and differences anyhow?

v/r

[OSCS Jimmy D. Belcher]

USASMA is for E-7 above the cut or E-8/9. It is voluntary and only 2 people are selected each year. It is 9 months in durations and is considered a PCS transfer. Family moves wiht you.

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

Wow, sounds pretty high speed. Are all the E-8's in the USA required to go? Or are they encouraged to go?

How does the selection panel for the USCG work? Who is on it, what is the criteria etc?

v/r

[MSTCM Jerald Motyka]

Competition for SMA in the Army is rough. You CAN'T get promoted (they promote rather than advance) to E-9 without it, so every E-8 (and high-speed E-7s) that want to get their wreath for Command Sergeant Major applies for it.

Most don't get it.

They set aside a certain number of billets for other services, but there aren't that many takers. Who would want it for a nine-month assignment with a PCS move for the family before and after?

Personally, I would - but then people accuse me of being strange on a daily basis!

[CMC Bruce Bradley]

Eric, you can attend as many senior enlisted training opportunities as you can manage to get yourself selected for. So go for it.

USCG CPOA Class XL
USAF SNCOA Class 01-E
USA SMA selected but declined attendance

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

Honestly, I would love to go. However..... yep there is a "however". Truth be told, I can't afford it.

I am married with four small children AND 15000lbs worth of gear. I am well over my weight limit for household goods. Every PCS move I make costs me around 5000 dollars out of pocket. 2 PCS moves in 9 months would cripple me financially enough to make the SMA not worth it to me.

I wasn't aware that it was a PCS move.

But thanks for all the info!!

v/r

[MSTCM Jerald Motyka]

Just to let you know:

There is a high-level review being done right now to standardize leadership training across the board, and the feasability of establishing "Training Commands/Training Units" across the world with integrated cadres.

The ultimate goal of this (if it is approved and implemented), is to eliminate the Army/Navy/Air Force/Marine leadership schools - and have a Military Leadership School with various levels of training. Part of this ALSO includes getting rid of the SMA and having a shorter course for ALL senior enlisted leaders.

Can you imagine being able to piggy-back on a combined training environment, with instructors from all FIVE services, offering their insight and knowledge to all involved?

I know the Sergeant Major of the Army, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and the Marine Corps Sergeant Major are HUGE supporters of this. The commandant of the Air Force Senior NCO Academy is also big on it as well.

It would be nice to be able to go TAD for the SMA, and not be in the pickle that Eric is. I feel your pain, buddy!

[MKCS Ed Lewis]

Good afternoon folks. I am here now with SCPO Darrin Evans (aviator type). If you have any questions throw them our way.

Ed

[BMCS T. D. Ellis]

I did the Chiefs Academy in 2002 and the AFSNCO Academy in 2004. I really enjoyed both for different reasons.

If I decide to stay in and go for a Gold Badge position I would definitely do the USASMA in a second. There was a Sergeant Major at the AFSNCOA as an instructor when I was there and he was equivalent of an SK (no disrespect intended). He could turn it on and off like nothing. That's where I figured out how the Army and the Marines could get E-2's and E-3's to charge a hill of machine guns. It wasn't because you would face the wrath of the Sergeant Major, it was because the Sergeant Major could sell it to where it made no sense not to storm the hill of machine guns.

Hell, my brother is an O-5 soon to be O-6 in the Army and he would never even think of questioning his E-9.

Don't think about it, DO IT.

[CWO Keith Wilbee (DCCS)]

Tell AMTCS Darrin Evans I said hello.

[MECS Scott Pugh]

Master Chief Wiles wrote a 4 part article about his experience at the USASMA that is being published in the Leadership News newsletter. Two out of four parts have been published, it is pretty interesting... Below is the link to the newsletter webpage.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-w/g-wt/g-wtl/newshome.htm

[PACS Steve Carleton]

I liked his "Leading from Alongside" example.

Kinda reminds me of you OinCs with your XPOs

[MKCS Ed Lewis]

Half way through and ready to pop smoke. Good class and great folks, but it sure ain't the Coast Guard. If you have any questions, drop me a line at mkcs30@earthlink.net. I don't check my Cg account much, long story.
This is nothing like the Chief's Academy or anything else we have to offer. We start at 0900 so you can do PT (if you choose to) and have Tuesday and Thursday afternoons off for college. Got some good SF and Ranger buds, good chance we will keep up for years to come.

[HSC Chris Fly]

Two comments here-

First- I wonder if they'd let a Coastie teach at the "combined forces" school?

Second- The leadership news that was referenced above, that was the FIRST time I've ever heard of it! Pretty sad that we have a leadership resource at our fingertips and I bet not a lot of people know about it! I've been to LAMS and never heard them mention it (this was back in 2000, so maybe it wasn't around yet). It's amazing to me all the information that's out there and it seems only a few select people are ever aware of it! Maybe I've just had my head in the sand the last 13 years but......
anyone else have this opinion?
Chris

[BMCM Deane Smith]

Chris...it's hard to believe that you haven't heard of the leadership news. It gets mailed to the units. Maybe you and the mail cleark have had your heads in the sand?

[HSC Chris Fly]

Deane-
I just came off an afloat unit so I guess it never got passed down from the ESO. As far as my current unit, not seen it.
As far as myhead in the sand...how am I supposed to know about sometihng when I have no idea it exists? That's what I'm saying the problem is, everyone thinks someone else will pass the word when it never actually gets passed. These newslstters should get passed around to junior personnel as well as senior. All to often when something gets routed through the CO for further routing, it never sees it past the XO or the wardroom/CPO Mess. I'm not saying it is this way at every unit, but I'm pretty confident it's like this at most large units. When's the last time you think the ET3 on the Cutter Tampa saw one of these newsletters? (no slight on the Tampa, just a reference)
Don't immediatly think someone is not paying attention when they don't know about something. Now that I know about it, I'll subscribe and pass it on to my junior personnel.
Chris

BTW- I apoligize if that is not the way you meant your reply to sound, that's just how I read it.

[BMCS Dave Considine]

I think the problem probably lies in the Leadership Development Program at your unit. Every unit is required to have one.

ALCOAST 057/05 is the ULDP Implementation message that required it

1. I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF THE UNIT LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (ULDP), A COMPREHENSIVE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM INTENDED FOR COMMANDS, WORKGROUPS, AND STAFF ELEMENTS OF ALL SIZES. THE SYSTEM CONTAINS HUNDREDS OF TOOLS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE WORKGROUP LEADERSHIP AND FOLLOWERSHIP, COLLABORATION, AND ULTIMATELY UNIT READINESS AND EFFECTIVENESS. THE ULDP WILL BE MANDATORY FOR ALL COMMANDS EFFECTIVE 1 JULY 2005. SPECIFIC GUIDANCE ON INDIVIDUAL UNIT COMPLIANCE IS PROVIDED IN PARA 4.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.

You can read the rest at the website below. I would go to your command and ask to be a part of the units UDLP program - Chiefs need to own this own!


ULDP Website (http://learning.uscg.mil/uldp/)

The assessment there allows you to poll your unit and get an idea of the areas you need to work on. We have it going here, and it is starting to work. The one problem I have is most of the aids they want you to use are books. The cost to buy the books can start to mount up. I convinced the Sector to buy some books the units can borrow when they are required for certain sections.

The free items ARE WORTH GETTING!!!! The "Three Vignettes on Character" from the USCGA Conference on Ethics is OUTSTANDING. It is the keynote address by General Charles C. Krulak USMC (RET) former Marine Corps Commandant. It is free from the USCG.


Dave

[HSC Chris Fly]

Dave,
Every survey I've ever filled out had stated my concern for lack of leadership and mentoring in the CG. I'm not sure if I'm the only one stateing this but I know I always do! I understand we have the new ULDP plan, but again if it never leaves the XO's/CMC's desk than what good is it? And it seems to focus on first termers, whichis great but is not nearly enough!

As far as the General Krulak series, priceless! Our XO showed those to the boat last year and they were FANTASTIC! The General is a very engaging speaker!

I guess I just have a very bad taste in my mouth for the CG's role of providing leadership training and mentoring. Don't even get me started on the lack of mentoring of my CPO mess on the cutter as I was leaving, knowing I was making CPO a year beforehand!

Chris

[BMCS Dave Considine]

Chris, I hear you and completely understand. In the last week, the Chiefs at my unit have spent over 20 hours trying to manage the boat hours, spend down rates, and other issues. This 20 hours could have been spent training boat crews - and in doing so providing the hands on leadership training. Unfortunately, we as Chiefs must make the EXTRA effort to get the leadership training to our junior folks.

If someone was going to ask me my job drescription, I would tell them my job is to groom the junior personnel, not only to be my replacement when they tell me I've been here too long, but also as new and better Leaders. I forget the actual name of which of the 21 Irrefutable laws of Leadership this is - but it is one.

Chiefs - Don't forget this!

[BMCM Bill James]

Chief Fly & all - you should be seeing regular info flowing from your gold-badge CMC, either via e-mail or posting on a web site. Lord knows we get shovelled enough stuff - and we should in turn be shovelling it further along. Some of the typical info:

Rating Force Notes
CG Institute ESO bulletins
Notes from MCPOCG
Newsletters from various CG programs, military coalition organizations, etc.
IDP status reports

After initially refusing to resend message traffic via e-mail, I changed after I kept hearing "I didn't see it" when I mentioned a certain message at All Hands. I then saw some report state that only about 20% of people read ALCOASTs, etc. I figure as many ways and as many times as necessary, and each will increase the % of people in the know.

If you're not seeing this stuff - start working your way up your CMC chain of support until you identify the clog, then help remove it!

[PACS Steve Carleton]

Maybe we can start seeing some all enlisted e-mails come from the MCPO-CG similar to what the Commandant is doing.

Recently, his all hands e-mail was out prior to the ALCOAST and said the exact same thing.

Just my $0.02