The Texas State Guard (State Defense Force) continues to emphasize that the backbone of a successful military unit lies not just in strategy or equipment, but in the enduring and effective partnership between Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and Officers. In a recent leadership message, SGT MAJ Thompson (Senior Enlisted Advisor of The Texas State Guard) dives deep into the historical and practical importance of this vital relationship, drawing from legendary U.S. military leaders like Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune, who once described the bond between officers and enlisted as akin to that of “teacher and scholar” or even “father and son.” This partnership is far from ceremonial—it is a strategic alliance that directly determines the success of missions, the morale of troops, and the strength of the chain of command.
SGT MAJ Thompson’s leadership message underscores that the Officer and NCO relationship, rooted in mutual respect, open communication, and shared responsibility, dates back to an era when nobles led and commoners followed. But in the American military tradition—especially within the Texas State Guard—this dynamic has evolved into one of mutual mentorship and professional growth. Officers handle the “why” behind mission directives, while NCOs execute the “how,” bridging the commander’s intent to the troops on the ground. When these roles harmonize through respect, teamwork, and mentorship, units flourish even in the most adverse conditions. As SGT MAJ Thompson concludes, the formula is simple yet profound: Mission, Members, Me. A timeless lesson for every leader in uniform.
Here is the article:
From the Desk of Command Sgt. Maj. Thompson
It’s time for another of my leadership rants. I know that it has been a while since I posted one of these, so let’s jump right into it.
Today’s topic is the NCO/Officer relationship. The relationship between the NCO and officer is key to the operation of any military organization. I would dare say that it is the most crucial element in the operation of any military organization. This relationship is vital for mission success, which as we all know is the primary goal of any military organization.
On the subject of the relationship between officers and NCOs, Lieutenant General John A. Lejune, the 13th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps is quoted as saying: “The relationship between officers and men should in no sense be that of superior and inferior, nor that of master and servant, but rather that of teacher and scholar. In fact, it should partake of the nature of the relationship between father and son, to the extent that officers, especially commanding officers, are responsible for the physical, mental, and moral welfare, as well as the discipline and military training of the young men under their command.”
What this means is that Officers should not think they are above the NCOs or enlisted because of their “rank and station.” This was common in the European militaries of the 18th and 19th centuries, where noblemen were usually officers and the enlisted were commoners. The United States never had that problem because one of the ideas of the country was to not have nobility. Unfortunately, with some officers, this attitude persists. On the enlisted side, there is a the same vain, NCOs shouldn’t believe that their job is to keep the officers happy. The relationship between NCOs and officers is vital to the good order and discipline of the organization. While General Lejune says it should take on more of a father and son relationship, it is much more complex than that. This rant will cover some of the aspects of developing and keeping the relationship positive.
Most jobs an officer will fill in a unit have an NCO counterpart. For example, a platoon leader will have a platoon sergeant, and a company commander will have a first sergeant. But it is not just limited to those in command roles. Officers in staff billets will also be paired with an NCO. The S1 or the S4 will have an NCOIC in their shop. The commander of a Battalion or Brigade will usually have an E9 assigned as their Senior Enlisted Advisor. These teams, whether they are in command or staff functions, must work well together to ensure mission success and take care of their assigned personnel.
Without a good relationship between the NCO and the Officer, the unit’s cohesion will never fully develop. This relationship should be built on mutual respect. The command team should always act as partners and not superior/subordinate. They must communicate clearly and effectively. Each member of the team plays a different role, and if both do not properly carry out their role, while collaborating with their partner, the unit may not fail but the going will be difficult.
When a clear chain of command is established, and the leadership team understands their partnership, the troops comprehend their roles and know who to report to. This is a product of good interaction and collaboration between the NCO/officer team.
This rant will discuss some of the key aspects that make a command team effective. While this list is not all inclusive, the topics covered will be the difference between “NCO and Officer Business” and shared responsibilities, mentorship, mutual respect, open communication, and teamwork. These aspects are the backbone of a successful leadership team. If the team is effective, they will have a cohesive unit that will achieve mission success.
NCO vs. Officer Business
Officers and NCOs operate in two completely different spaces but must collaborate for the mission to be understood and carried out. Everyone who has been around the military for any amount of time knows that “Officers deal with officer business and NCOs deal with NCO business.” That is absolutely true. The distinction is particularly important. People in both roles should know the importance of staying in their lane. Many say that officer and NCO business should never meet, but that is not true. There is a third type of “business” that the command team deals with. Those are the shared responsibilities that both the Officer and the NCO must work together to accomplish.
An easy definition for officer business is as follows: “Officers have the responsibility for everything a unit does or fails to do.” While this is specific to commanders, all officers are responsible for what happens in their sphere of influence. To ensure the unit is functioning properly and mission capable, officers handle material management, including tracking and maintenance of assets to include vehicles and equipment. Some officers also have the responsibility of budget oversight.
On the operational side, officers are also responsible for mission planning and troop-leading procedures. They write OPORDS, risk assessments, and conduct Military Decision-Making Process sessions. They also establish policies and procedures within the unit.
As far as training, they develop the long-term training plan based on the Mission Essential Task List and instructions passed down from higher headquarters. Based on that information, they develop plans, set objectives, and determine the overall direction of the unit or mission. To carry out some of their required duties, officers are given the authority to make certain decisions based on their rank and position. Focusing on strategic planning, mission planning, and policy, the officers develop and distribute the commander’s intent. In other words, officers handle the “why.”
“NCO business” can be defined as the areas of responsibility traditionally managed by NCOs. It focuses on practical execution, training, and soldier welfare. Command policy usually says something like “the NCO is responsible for planning and conducting the day-to-day unit operations.” The NCO is also directly responsible for establishing and enforcing standards, and troop welfare. As part of the enforcement of standards, NCOs are also responsible for discipline of the troops, ensuring that those that do not adhere to the set standards are counseled and corrected. This can be in the form of an on-the-spot correction, a counseling statement, or a recommendation for a higher level of discipline.
The NCO Creed clearly says that NCOs are the “backbone of the Army,” or in our case of the Texas State Guard. They lead and train our Service Members and ensure they are ready for whatever mission they may be assigned. NCOs educate troops on customs and courtesies and the history and traditions of the organization. A key aspect of NCO business is the mentorship and development of junior enlisted personnel. They develop junior service members by helping to advance their technical and tactical knowledge. They encourage them to take on more complex tasks and help them to develop leadership skills that can assist them with their career progression. The NCO helps them to grow into capable and well-rounded members of the unit, and leaders.
NCOs focus on the individual training that each Service Member needs to master to become mission effective. Because the NCOs are involved with the “boots on the ground leadership,” they concentrate on the practical execution. NCOs also take the commander’s intent, which has been developed and distributed by officers, and take the necessary actions to make it happen. It is often said that officers deal in the “why” and NCOs deal in the “how.”
Now that the recap of Officer business and NCO business has been done, it is time to talk about the third aspect. This part is the shared responsibilities of NCOs and Officers. In the earlier paragraphs discussing NCO and Officer business, there were responsibilities that “crossed the line.” between the two. These are known as shared responsibilities.
Both the NCO and Officer are responsible for mission accomplishment. The officer plans, programs, and commands the unit. They focus on collective tasks the unit must master to be mission effective. The NCO, on the other hand, focuses on the individual training and development of the Service Member and then the development of all Service Members into an effective team.
Both the Officer and NCO are responsible for upholding standards and discipline, but their roles are different. The NCO is responsible for enforcing discipline in the units and the performance of the Service Members assigned. They set the example for the Service Members and ensure that everyone is following their example. Officers support the NCOs in the execution of their duties. When it comes time for more serious levels of discipline, such as NJP, the NCO advises the officer on courses of action.
Mentorship:
It has already been established that NCOs mentor those that are junior to them. The Senior NCO mentors the junior NCO and the junior NCO mentors the enlisted. They help with developing leadership, career development, and in many cases even aid navigation through any personal crisis their subordinates may be experiencing. Many Senior NCOs credit that Platoon Sergeants or First Sergeants for “setting them straight” as a Private or Specialist as the key to their success.
But the NCO’s mentor does not stop with those below them in the chain of command. The NCO also acts as a mentor for officers. When an O1 arrives at a unit, they are not thrown into a Platoon Leader slot and told to sink or swim. They are paired with a Platoon Sergeant, who has the responsibility of showing the new officer “the ropes.” Many NCOs believe the only job of an O1 is to listen to their E6/E7 until the NCO tells them it is time to talk. While some may see this viewpoint as extreme, it has some merit. NCOs are subject matter experts. In many cases, the NCO has over a decade of experience not only doing the job but also leading teams and navigating the bureaucracy of the organization.
The O1 has just completed one of the multiple officer accession programs. Whether it is a college commissioning source, OCS or a direct commissioning program, they arrive with a degree, some class time, and a whole lot of theory. They have not had the opportunity to take the theory and convert it to practice. The NCO will use their wisdom and experience to complement the officer’s theoretical knowledge and formal authority.
The NCO’s job is to guide the O1 through the pitfalls of their chosen career field. Their primary job is to keep the officer out of trouble and ensure they are not making decisions that will get someone hurt. There will be times when the NCO will allow the officer to fail because it becomes a teachable moment. When the Officer makes a bad call, or hesitates when they should be decisive, the NCO can take them to the side, do a quick after-action review, and help the officer see how to make the right call the next time.
The NCO knows how to deal with the platoon members and handle those at the next level of command. It is the NCO’s job to slowly pass that knowledge to the officer until eventually the officer can start to handle things on their own. The NCO is also responsible for being the officer’s guide in the leadership laboratory called their first command. There will be situations that the officer has never faced and will not know the right way to approach them. It will be up to the NCO to help the officer successfully navigate the rocky terrain.
This relationship does not stop with the Platoon Sergeant/Platoon Leader relationship. The same is true for First Sergeants and Company Commanders. The Company Commander may have had command of a platoon at one point, but when quadruple the number of personnel to manage, it can become a bit of a struggle. The First Sergeant’s experience will be valuable to the Commander as they start their command tenure. On the staff side, an S1 or S4 will need a good NCOIC to guide their officer through the labyrinth of personnel and administrative requirements or hand receipts and maintenance records to be successful.
Mentorship is not a one-way street. As NCOs rise in rank and gain more responsibility, there is a point when their time as a hands-on leader will come to an end. They will spend less time working with people and more time dealing with things. In other words, they will go from a leader to a manager. Many NCOs have a tough time “letting go” and it is at this point where the NCO/Officer mentorship role changes. Most hands-on leaders have a challenging time working in an office. They feel out of place and always want to sneak out to spend time with the troops. It is natural because that is what they have done for years. A good officer will help the NCO make this transition.
Officers have managerial experience because that has been a large part of their role since the time they received a commission. Even as a Platoon Leader, where they had the most face-to-face time with the troops, the officer was still doing more managing than leading. That was the NCO’s job. Senior NCOs, especially those in the Master Sergeant, Sergeant Manor and Command Sergeant Major roles, are staff roles; they now must learn to be managers. The transition is tough, and the officer can mentor the NCO on how to properly take on and succeed in a managerial role. At this level it is almost a role reversal from what the NCO did for that fresh faced O1 showing up at their unit with the brand-new shiny bars, a degree, and a lot of theory.
Mutual Respect, Teamwork and Communication
An NCO/Officer team must have 3 things to be successful. They must have mutual respect, act as a team, and have open and effective communication. Without these three aspects, no team will be successful. They will spend more time fighting with each other than ensuring the unit is working toward mission achievement.
Officers and NCOs should respect each other’s rank, experience, and contributions to the organization. When an NCO gets a brand-new lieutenant, their first thought should not be that they are dealing with an E3 with a college degree. They should treat the lieutenant with the respect they deserve. They have been through the training and received the commission, so that alone is worthy of proper treatment. The same is true no matter what ranks are being dealt with.
Respect is required, based on rank and experience. Of course, respect is a two-way street. There is always the story of the O1 that shows up at a unit and immediately tells the NCO that “they are the lieutenant, and they are in charge.” Or they make statements like, “I don’t need an NCO to train me, I already know what I am doing.” This will put the officer on the road to failure. There are legends of lieutenants that did not listen to their NCOs and made career-ending decisions, all because the lieutenant “knew” they were right and did not respect their NCO.
A command team is just that. They are a team. As stated in the definition of both NCO and officer business, they have distinct roles, but they must work together to achieve the common goal. The officer is the one that develops intent. They have the vision of where they want the organization to go, and they give it to the NCO. The NCO takes that intent and turns it into action. This begins with the officer giving the NCO a written initial counseling. This is not disciplinary or punitive in nature. It is to lay the groundwork for their professional relationship. In this written counseling, the officer will tell the NCO about their expectations. At the platoon level, the officer’s expectations should be pretty low. Something like asking the NCO not to allow him to fall on his face. In this situation, the NCO should be respectfully telling the officer what they will be learning.
At the Company Commander level, the officer has enough experience and should be able to lay out some basic expectations, though there may be times when the NCO will have to tweak them. By the time the relationship reaches the Battalion level, and higher, the Officer should have a clear-cut list of expectations of their Senior NCO. The key is that to foster that teamwork, the Commander needs to give the NCO the “why” in the initial counseling, so the NCO can execute the “how.”
The commander ultimately has the say in all decisions. They are responsible for everything that happens in the unit, which is “Officer business.” But the NCO should be given the opportunity to advise on any decision that affects the way the mission is to be carried out or the troops, because they are responsible for both the “how” and troop welfare, which is “NCO business.”
All decisions should be discussed, if time permits, before they are implemented. When in front of the troops, the command team should always agree. The relationship is about teamwork and collaboration towards a common goal. That goal is twofold, the success of the mission and the well-being of the Service Members. Both the NCO and the officer need to remember that as a team, mutual respect is important. When the troops see the command team respecting one another, they take the time to respect each other, their superiors, and their subordinates.
Conversations, especially those that have the potential for conflict, should be discussed privately. It does not look good for the Commander and Senior NCO to be seen “at each other’s throats” in public. Conversations such as these should be carried out behind closed doors. The goal is that when the command team emerges and announces a decision, they are of one mind.
This is where effective communication comes into play. It is vital to the success of an NCO/officer relationship. When discussing an issue, both members of the team must remember to keep their egos out of it. The conversation must be civil, with issues addressed respectfully. Each person should have the opportunity to express their view calmly and without interruption. When one person is done, it becomes the other person’s turn. With some issues, there will be friction points. When they are reached, take the time to discuss it and come to a mutual agreement. There may be times when one party will have to concede. It happens. Life is a series of negotiations where sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. In any case, as these discussions happen, the conversation must remain civil. The key is to work off facts, not emotions. If things get hot and tempers flare, it may be time to take a break and then reengage when both parties have their egos in check. One of the biggest roadblocks to creating an effective team is the ego, so as hard as it is, both parties need to remember to keep egos out of it.
Neither party should make decisions unilaterally. It should be discussed, and some common ground should be reached before that decision is announced to the organization. While both parties don’t have to “be in love” with a decision, they both need to be on the same page, and both need to be aware of it.
When a decision is made and announced that has not been discussed and agreed upon by both parties, one may get blindsided. This could create an unfavorable image of the command team. There is also the chance it can leave the uninformed party feeling disenchanted or disconnected from their command team partner.
Obviously, effective communication is vital. Issues should be addressed privately and respectfully. They should always present a united front. A command team that does not effectively communicate is not effective at all.
An effective NCO/Officer relationship is the key to a unit with an intense sense of esprit de corps. These units are those that will willingly do the worst jobs under the most arduous circumstances because they have respect for their command team. Strong mentorship, mutual respect, teamwork, and effective communication are the keys to that relationship. When a command team collaborates and mutually supports each other, they can use their collective strengths to bring out the best in the members of their unit. When the best is brought out in the unit, each member will do their best to achieve the mission, no matter what it may be.
This brings us to the end of this Leadership Rant. For those in leadership positions where we have to collaborate and communicate with those “on the other side,” remember, they are going through some of the same things that you are, so give each other a break. Thank you for taking the time to read this Leadership Rant, and I will end this one the way I end all of them, with the advice my father gave me. MISSION, MEMBERS, ME.
Source: Texas State Guard
