Thesis Statement: The foundation of the noncommissioned officers corps is able to remain effective through increased education and training opportunities provided by institutional training, self development, and operational assignments. Discussion: The Noncommissioned Officer's Corp is a vital asset of the Army. It is the backbone that keeps the Corps united as one. This is made possible because of the critical institutional training, self development, and operational assignments that the NCOs have endured over their career. This leader development structure has prepared NCOs for increased positions of responsibility throughout the Army. Counterstatement: NCOs are failing to capitalize on the institutional training, self development and operational assignments afforded to them in the military. Without these educational tools, NCOs will fail to develop their leadership competencies thus, compromising the future of the NCO Corps. Conclusion: The need to teach our NCOs how to think rather than what to think has never been clearer. To defeat adaptive enemies, we must out think them in order to outfight them.

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