The history of the United States Army and of the noncommissioned officer began in 1775, with the birth of the Continental Army. The development of a strong NCO Corps helped sustain the Continental Army through severe hardships to final victory. General Friedrich von Steuben called the NCO the "backbone" of the Army, and his regulations established the centerpiece for NCO duties and responsibilities from 1778 to the present. The American noncommissioned officer did not copy the British. He, like the American Army itself, blended traditions of the French, British, and Prussian armies into a uniquely American institution. As the years progressed, the American political system, social attitudes, and the vast westward expanses further removed the U.S. Army noncommissioned officer from his European counterparts and created a truly American noncommissioned officer.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.