The High Dropout Rate for College Students Essay Example for Free

The High Dropout Rate for College Students Essay Everyone should believe that our education is crucial being that this would actuates the amplitude of progress of an individual’s civil and industrial contentment. You can’t tell me one specific person who would not want to have a degree under their belt along with attaining a very high paying job in the future. What a lot of people fail to realize is that prior to accomplishing a degree, and reaping the benefits, adversity as well as many different problems has to be conquered first. These same adversities and problems are the leading causes why most college students were and are still unable to graduate and they just give up and dropout. That is because when starting school they don’t prepare themselves for these things so when they come along the most inconsiderable thing for them to do is give up. The cause of students dropping out of college is not entirely the student’s indiscretion alone but comparatively with different circumstantial and social elements. Overall dropping out of college is a huge issue for many people today and in this paper I will discuss the many causes why there are high dropout rates and the remedies there is to empower us to finish (www. solutionsforamerica. org). Many undergraduates find that college is not exactly what they thought it would be and that definitely includes me. In my opinion as I’m sure any other college student would agree, whether they be young or old is that there is a lot more reading, studying, you have greater expectations that you have to fulfill and of course the work is much harder. Many people can testify to the fact that the workload is a bit much compared to what we were used to doing back in high school. The whole idea of having to read a whole lot then having to sit and listen to lectures and takes notes believe it or not scares a lot of people; my sister was one of them which is the reason why she dropped out her first time around. Some people have a lack of self control and balancing the new work load with their so called social lives isn’t what they really want to do. Some students are used to the high school teachers staying on top of them for the works that needs to be done, but when you are in college you get a list which is called a syllabus for every class with all the assignments that needs to be done and when they are due. When you don’t have any motivation to push you, this can be one of the very reasons why many person dropout of college. Its obvious that one of the reasons why the dropout rates for college students is so high is they financially just cannot do it. Yes there is the option of financial aid but there are many rules and regulations behind it. For instance I wanted to attend college right after I got my GED in 2006 but because my grandmother did not want to sign any papers for me or give any of her information I was not allowed to. I had to wait until I was of age to be considered an independent student to apply for my FAFSA and be eligible. There are a lot of low income families where they have to work in order to survive because they have large families and going to just isn’t what is in their interest. Tuition for college can be very expensive and if you can’t get a loan they paying for it will be a headache. My sister attends Mercy College and her tuition is almost $9000 a semester and that’s not even including books, possible school supplies or any other charges (Krystal Berry). Some students don’t get enough financial aid and are forced to drop out because they can’t get any loans or find a job that will cover the remaining balance. Most of the time they are unaware of the other options that they have but I will speak on that later on in my essay about the things that can be done to help people in these different situations. Attending college is no walk in the park and there will be many hurdles, hardships, trials and tribulations along the way but we just have to fight through it and not let our finances by any means hold us back. Studies show that most students who enter into the ninth grade won’t graduate with their peers four years later. The reason being is because many of those same children live in these in these under privileged areas and most of them can’t read better than a third grade level. A lot of things showed that because these students can’t read past the third grade level they have a higher chance of dropping out of high school and never make it to college. The high dropout rates in college and the dropout rates in high school have a lot to do with each other in more ways than we think. There a lot of things that advocate that the students are not being supported in any way in their education and honestly that’s sad. Most people in those areas urge the young people to get a job instead of making them understand that if they stay in school and do well that when they finish they can get an even igher pay. These students aren’t prepared for what’s to come in high school, let alone are able to survive enough to make it to graduation and then into college. There are these programs called the GPS-NYC and STEPS that work with these students. The GPS-NYC (Graduate, Prepare, and Succeed) helps ninth grade students with a history of chronic absen teeism graduate on time and ready for college. GPS works to significantly improve educational outcomes throughout New York City through a program policy proposition. STEPS (Supporting Transitions from Early Education to Public Schools) wishes to better early grade literacy by ensuring that a child’s learning and development needs are perpetually met in the first eight years of life. The point is to help bridge the gaps between pre-school and elementary schools (www. unitedwaynyc. org/education). I think with these programs it has helped these students continue on to get a better education; it starts from young. A majority of the people that dropout of college just don’t go to class; they party all night and sleep all day. They have the mentality that going to class is a waste of time; they don’t feel the need to study because in high school they didn’t have to and still passed. Most people are just not prepared for what’s to come in school which is a horrible thing. A lot of high schools reassure the students that they are preparing them for the college life but in actuality aren’t even coming close to what they need to be taught. I think that when entering in college for your first year you should have a guidance counselor to somewhat guide and counsel you. Though there are some student advisors that may act as counselors because they truly do care about the students they have other things to do. When in high school it should be required for all students to take at least two college level course and if they did exceptionally well then some credits will be received for it. It’s the lack of interest that is the reason why now more than ever the high dropout rates are kind of increasing. Financial reason is the number one reason why there is a high dropout rate in college and I don’t know about any other school or state but there are many options. You can either get financial aid or even get a loan from the bank if your credit is good or you can get a co-signer. There are certain programs that if you qualify for you will get funding some kind of funding to help you with school. Most people have the mentality that they have to take four classes at a time when in reality you really don’t have to. Many individuals can afford to pay for at least one class with some serious sacrifices but they don’t want to shell out the money for it; if it’s not financial aid paying for it then they don’t want to do it which is a shame. We all should at least take one class if possible to prevent from staying out for so long. Smaller classes, better communication, and increase supervision are some things that can prevent the high dropout rate in college. If there were a lot more good teachers who keep the classes interesting and parents were more involved that would make it a lot easier. Most parents kind of forget about their children and are not as active in their lives when they go to college especially if they go away (www. dosomething. org). .

Tori Amos Biography :: essays research papers

Tori Amos, Goddess of Rock and Roll, and the piano. The girl who has been through so much, but still lives to tell about it and share all of her life experiences through her songs. Her life is almost like a song itself, with all of the trials and tribulations one can imagine.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Amos, who was born in Newton, North Carolina on August 22nd, 1963 wasn’t originally called Tori. Her given name was Myra Ellen. The change of her name came later in her career. Right from the beginning, her talents on the piano were recognized. At the young age of three, before her legs were even long enough to reach the pedals, she was climbing up to the piano bench to play a song. By the age of five, she was the youngest student to ever be accepted to the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. She stayed at the Conservatory for several years, but by the age of eleven she was asked to leave because she didn’t want to play the music that was required of her. She once stated in an interview on the Rosie O’Donnell Show, â€Å"Those guys are dead, why do I want to play that crap! I want to be a composer...don’t we all...but I did.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After getting kicked out of the school she began playing at piano bars. Her father always was tagging along, because she wasn’t old enough to go alone. She played at the bars, in addition to a Marriot hotel, until she graduated from high school. Sometime after that Ellen, as she was called, changed her name. One of Tori’s sisters brought her boyfriend to one of Tori’s shows one night to see her play. After the show the boyfriend told Amos that she indeed was not an Ellen. She looked like a Tori, and that is how it all began.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After high school, she joined a band called Y Kant Tori Read. The band signed to the Atlantic record label, and worked on the release of their first album. Their CD release flopped, and the band broke up. When their CD was first released, not many people wanted it. Amazingly enough, the CD now goes for around one hundred dollars as a Tori collectors item.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During this time, Tori was still doing little gigs here and there. One night after a show, something happened that changed her life dramatically. Tori offered a member of the audience a ride home after the show, and he raped her in the back of the car with a gun to her head.

Pro Capital Punishment – Paper

One of the main reasons that people object to the death penalty In because of the fear that the wrong person could be convicted and put to death. Even though an innocent person could be wrongfully convicted, certain criminals should face the death penalty because It ensures the murderer can commit no more crime In the future and it Installs fear In other potential criminals. In July 2010 1 heard on Fox 21 News that three convicted murderers escaped from an Arizona prison, these murderers were facing fifteen years to life for their crimes.One of the three men was caught in Western Colorado two of the men still remain at large. This Is a really scary situation. Frightening enough people escape from prison, jail and half way homes more than people are aware of. C. Sullenness reported that the Bureau of Justice Statistics in 1 998 showed that 6,530 people escaped or were ALLOW from state prisons (2001 , Para. 2). Shown below is the prison population for two separate years and show the nu mber of Inmates that escaped or were ALLOW. (Sullenness, 2001 , Para. ) According to this research this, is not very many escapes and the reason that we don't hear about it is because not many of the escapes are as dramatic as movies and T. V shows make them seem. Although the statistics show that this number is not really high, It still proves that Inmates are capable of escaping and they do. For example the Texas Seven escaped from John Connelly unit in the year 2000 these men were highly dangerous and were looking at serving many years for their crimes, one of the men had ninety nine years to serve.Eventually all the men got recaptured thanks In large part to the popular TV show â€Å"Americas Most Wanted†, but It took more than a year. In that one year many people lived in fear, scared to go outside alone at eight. Innocent people should not have to live in that constant fear. Many innocent lives were put at risk including a security officer who lost his life when the men escaped. We shouldn't risk are families. If criminals found guilty of pre-meditated crimes are given the death penalty it would ensure that they don't escape and begin to kill again.Guarantying those citizens our kept safe from such violence. Capital punishment could do more than Just keep criminals off the street; it can also prevent crime. When someone Is put to death, due too serious crime they have committed In he society other potential criminals take It as a warning that such violence will not be tolerated and dissuades them from committing any crime worthy of the death 1 OFF penalty Research cone Day VIC Lee Inelastic Tanat â€Å"In ten mom to late number of executions stabilized, the murder rate increased.

William Shakespeare s Othello, The Moor Of Venice

A tragedy is typically explained as a type of drama that displays pain and suffering, and where the main character, the protagonist, experiences a life changing event that alters his fortune from good too bad. William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, the Moor of Venice is classified as an Aristotelian classical tragedy based on the guidelines Aristotle sets when examining a tragedy. Othello is a general in the Venetian army, and the husband of Desdemona, and well respected by society. The play describes how Othello’s fate has an undesirable change in fortune, the reversal. In brief, Othello is portrayed as a happy, powerful man in the beginning of the play, and by the end of the play he endures pain and suffering from his own misfortune†¦show more content†¦The play demonstrates recognition of Othello in Act V, his character changes from gullible and insecure to aware. The ideas of Aristotelian tragic components are discussed in depth in his Poetics. Aristotelian c omponents include; the importance of events, the catharsis, the dramatic form, the reversal and recognition, and the tragic hero giving substantial proof that the play is an Aristotelian tragedy, and that Othello is a tragic hero according to Aristotle. The tragic hero, Othello, is a Moorish general in the Venetian army that has just married the Venetian nobleman’s daughter, Desdemona. Although Othello was not born into nobility (upper class), his marriage to Desdemona brings him to a noble stature in Venice society. Othello is much older than his wife and of different descent and race, but he willingly stood before Desdemona’s father and fought for their love and right to marriage, he states, â€Å"How I did thrive in this fair lady’s love, / And she is mine† (1.3.127-28). This qualifies him to meet the first Aristotelian component for being the plays tragic hero. The first distinguishing feature Aristotle identifies in regards to the tragic hero is that he is the protagonist in highShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Othello - The Moor Of Venice1513 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s tragic play: â€Å"Othello: the Moor of Venice† starts out in the place of love and water, the b eautiful Venice, Italy. In this play Shakespeare brings to life the true definitions of love, betrayal, jealousy, and revenge. Iago and Roderigo, two characters in the play, that are plotting against the general of the Venetian Army because Iago was not chosen to be the lieutenant. Instead Othello chose Cassio. In the quest for vengeance the two tell the very influential Senator BrabanotiRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello The Moor Of Venice1745 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Othello the Moor of Venice, is a tragedy of great manipulation and jealousy that exploits the evil in people and how one could take advantage of another based on their weaknesses and flaws; perfect people do not exist in a world filled of temptation, failure, and suffering as Shakespeare proves the consequences of being trustful and naà ¯ve. People of Venice must be aware of the people around them and who they trust because one should live with a reasonable mind in order to avoidRead Mo reWilliam Shakespeare s Othello, The Moor Of Venice Essay1493 Words   |  6 PagesWithin this essay, I will be analysing the different features and aspects within act 3, scene 3 of the written text Othello, written by William Shakespeare in approximately 1603. I will be discussing the prominent features in the language used within this scene, and I will be exploring why this scene is important in relation to the play as a whole. I will also be discussing within this composition how the distinctive features of the language used within this play could be translated into a liveRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello, The Moor Of Venice1216 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy â€Å"Othello, the Moor of Venice† is one of the best tragedies in the literary history. Othello has all of the qualifications Aristotle believes to be a tragic hero and he matches up pretty well to them. Aristotle said, â€Å"A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his downfall.† According to Aristotle, a so called â€Å"tragic hero† has several characteristics. 1. Usually a noble birth. 2. Hamartia, which is also known as the tragic flaw that eventuallyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello The Moor Of Venice764 Words   |  4 Pagesjust start up so much commotion? Well, chaos is what made Othello interesting. Iago causes chaos when he plans to get revenge on Othello from jealousy. The story â€Å"Othello the Moor of Venice† is entitled by William Shakespeare. The main characters in Othello are: Desdemona, Iago, Roderigo, and Michael Cassio. In this story, Iago reveals his true personality to the audience, but not to any of the other characters. Iago is offended that Othello has looked over him and chose Michael Cassio to be his LieutenantRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello The Moor Of Venice1646 Words   |  7 PagesIn â€Å"Othello the Moor of Venice† by William Shakespeare, though the play revolves around two leading male characters, Othello and Iago, the women characters are often overlooked and viewed as the pawns, to the plans laid out by Iago in his journey to end Othello. Shakespeare’s play, presented women with an image of being inferior to the men and throughout it we learn how this came to be as the women are all in critical relationships to the point where they are disregarded and mistreated by the menRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello, The Moor Of Venice Essay1251 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare, the women take on various roles in t his Venetian society. The roles include committing fraud, playing the part of the victim, and playing the part of the hero. In this Venetian society in the 1600s, the women served major purposes and were vital to keep the towns running. However, the women also faced being victimized and stereotyped in this man-run society. Women were inferior to men, treated unequally, and women were also viewed asRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Othello The Moor Of Venice Essay1743 Words   |  7 Pagesplace for a narrative to begin and evolve from, without a strong setting some texts may be difficult to interpret without extra contextual and historical knowledge of the time period of which it was written. Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice written 1603 was set in Italy, in the Venetian Republic . This setting was gaining popularity with Elizabethan writers, maybe as a form of escapism, to have a crypto - catholic approach, as this country was the largest and still is the large stRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Othello, The Moor1720 Words   |  7 PagesThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor the Venice: The Fall of A Man for His Race by Josà © Pineda. Professor Arzola English 2322 5 July 2015 Outline. Thesis: The tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice written by William Shakespeare, the author uses a characters to express the complex social circumstance of race at the time and how the white men’s ideas about black people leads to their hate and downfalls throughout the play. Sociological Approach. I. Summary plot. II. Description of the mainRead MoreOthellos Tragic Flaw Essays1208 Words   |  5 PagesOthello, a Moor, comes to Venice after several years of serving in the military. Being a Moor makes it difficult to be taken seriously. I tis like segregation in the 1960’s, white’s had luxury while colored had almost nothing. In order for Othello to gain some respect, he had to gain authoritative power, which he did by becoming a military general. In the military Othello meets Cassio and Iago, he chooses Cassio as his lieutenant which upsets Iago. The promotion of Cassio begins to show jealousy

Do Spanish Speakers Talk Faster than English Speakers

Do people who speak Spanish speak a lot faster than we do, or does it just seem that way? The best answer appears to be that it just seems that way. Although Im sure I have read that Spanish speakers use more words per minute than do English speakers, I have repeatedly searched in vain for any reliable studies to back up that belief. Even if we knew that Spanish speakers in general used more syllables per minute, that might not mean a whole lot, because Spanish syllables tend to be shorter than English ones. It is normal for Spanish syllables to not have more than two consonants, while it is not unusual for English syllables to have three or four — and the one-syllable word strengths has eight consonants with only one vowel. The Spanish equivalent, solideces, may take no more time to pronounce even though it has four syllables. A 2011 study by Franà §ois Pel ­legrino the Univer ­sity of Lyon in France found that Spanish speakers used more syllables per second than speakers of many other languages — but syllables in Spanish also tend to be shorter. The study found that speakers of different languages tend to convey about the same amount of information per minute. Rate of Speech Varies Widely With Context In any case, it is difficult to make comparisons. The rate of speech can very enormously even among individual speakers. I remember watching the Mexican president (then Vicente Fox) give a formal speech, and he spoke at a rate that made him easy to be understood, even by relatively new Spanish speakers. But in an interview later that day, he spoke more rapidly, and I assume that if he were in an animated conversation he would speak at a rate that would make it difficult for non-native speakers to comprehend him. Pay attention to your own rate of speech. In a given day you may speak quite deliberately at times with careful enunciation, while at other times you may speak a mile a minute. The same is true for Spanish speakers. Whatever the differences are, probably the reason it seems like Spanish is so much faster is because you dont know the language. Since you know English well, you dont have to hear every single sound in every single word to know what is said, because your mind is able to fill in the gaps and to determine where one word ends and the next begins. But until you know another language well, you dont have that ability with it. It also seems to be true that the process of elision — the omission of sounds as words run together — is more extensive in Spanish than it is in English (although perhaps not as extensive as in French). In Spanish, for example, a phrase such as ella ha hablado (meaning she has spoken) typically will end up sounding like ellablado, meaning the distinct sound of an entire word (ha) plus part of another word are gone. Also, most Spanish consonants (other than the à ±) can seem indistinct to the ear accustomed to English, making understanding a bit more difficult. I dont know of any fixes for the problem, except that practice makes perfect (or if not perfect, better). As you learn Spanish, try to listen for Spanish phrases rather than individual words, and perhaps that will speed up the process of understanding. Addendum The following letter received after the initial publication of this article raises some interesting points. One of them, about the different formation of syllables in the two languages, make sense, so Im adding the letter here: Somewhere I read the results of a study that concluded Spanish is spoken more rapidly than English. The reason is the typical Spanish syllable is open (meaning consonant-vowel) while in English the typical syllable is closed (consonant-vowel-consonant). Words with more than one syllable in English tend to have two dissimilar consonants together requiring a slowing of speech to sound both of them. We natural English speakers get to be pretty adept at sounding two consonants together, but it is tough for a natural Spanish speaker to do. In Spanish when two consonants are together the natural speaker often inserts an extra (unwritten and soft) vowel sound between them. For example in the Spanish word AGRUPADO, you can hear it pronounced AGuRUPADO. The extra u is short and soft, but separates the consonants. Natural English speakers have no problem sounding GR without inserting an extra vowel, but we do it at a slightly slower rate. Your comments about Vicente Fox are interesting. I have found political figures usually speak so clearly that I can understand them better than the general Spanish speaking public. This is especially true when they are giving addresses. Although I seldom liked what he said, I used to enjoy listening to Fidel Castro because he was so easy to understand. These days his voice has a senile quality that interferes with clarity somewhat. Most ministers have the same clear speech as political leaders, and thus religious services are good places to practice your Spanish listening skills if you are a learner. Key Takeaways It seems to more a matter of perception than reality that native Spanish speakers talk more rapidly than do native English speakers.The rate of speech can vary widely, even for an individual, depending on the nature and purpose of the speech.Formal presentations by political or religious leaders may offer an opportunity for learners of a language to hear slower-spaced speech.

Charles Chestnutt’s The Marrow of Tradition Essay

Charles Chestnutt’s The Marrow of Tradition Based on historical events, Charles Chestnutt’s The Marrow of Tradition, gives human details to produce a vivid picture of life in the south after the failure of reconstruction. His work has many underlying themes among which are the use of the press to stir already volatile emotions through propaganda, class structure not only along color lines but within races, and the effects of the white supremacists’ agenda on the integrity of those who claimed to be morally advanced. Through this story, Chesnutt allows the reader to enter the minds of the characters to show how change will not take place until both whites and blacks detach themselves from traditions that seem to be engraved on their†¦show more content†¦These men convicted him based on circumstantial evidence and race (181). After their conference, Major Carteret put to press Sandy’s death warrant in the form of an extra addition that convicted him without due process of the law. It would later com e out that the true murder was not even a black man, but the grandson of a white aristocrat whose debauched behavior had let him to commit murder. But because he was from a respectable family, his guilt was swept under the rug. Another theme evident in Chesnutt’s novel concerns the class system religiously adhered to in the post-Civil War south. As the plot develops, it becomes evident that each of the major characters is contrasted with a counterpart, clearly showing which class each belonged to. An example can be found when comparing Major Carteret and Captain McBane. Major Carteret boasts a proud heritage of original plantation owners in the state. Pryor to the war, his family was quite wealthy. Despite his lack of financial resources, his name alone earns him respect in the community. He is well educated and carries himself in a dignified manner. Conversely, Captain McBane is the son of an overseer. He was representative of the lower class whites who took advantage of opportunities involving questionable politics that earned them considerable money. Having attained considerable wealth, he expected to become one of the elite. He dressed the part of theShow MoreRelated Charles W. Chestnutts The Mar row of Tradition Essay823 Words   |  4 PagesCharles W. Chestnutts The Marrow of Tradition      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Clearly, one can expect differing critical views of a novel; from the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   authors perspective we see one view, from a publishers another, and from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the reviewers yet another. This is especially true of Charles W.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chesnutts   The Marrow of Tradition. If one observes both the contemporary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   reviews of the novel and letters exchanged between Chesnutt and his   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   friends and publisher, Houghton

Military Free Essays

The average civilian or recruit coming into the Army often misunderstands the meaning of the words military discipline. He thinks of them as being connected with punishments or reprimands which may result from the violation of some military law or regulation. Actually, discipline should not be something new to you for you have been disciplined all of your life. We will write a custom essay sample on Military or any similar topic only for you Order Now You were being disciplined at home and in school when you were taught obedience to your parents and teachers, and respect for the rights of others. On your baseball or other athletic team you were disciplining yourself when you turned down the chance to be a star performer in order that the team might win; you were acquiring discipline in the shop, or other business when your loyalty to your employer and your fellow employees was greater than your desire to secure your own advancement. All of this was merely the spirit of team play; that is, you were putting the interests of the â€Å"team† above your own in order that the â€Å"team† might win. The word â€Å"company,† or â€Å"troop,† or â€Å"battery† is merely the name for a team, and military discipline is nothing more than this same spirit of team play. It is the most important thing in the Army. In civil life lack of discipline in a young man may result in his getting into trouble which will cause his parents and teachers regret or sorrow; it may cause a member of an athletic team to be â€Å"sent to the bench,† or cause an employee to lose his job. In the Army it is far more serious. Here lack of discipline in a soldier may not only cost him is life and the life of his comrades, but cause a military undertaking to fail and his team to be defeated. On the other hand a team of a few well-disciplined solders is worth many times a much larger number of undisciplined individuals who are nothing more than an armed mob. History repeatedly shows that without discipline, no body of troops can hold its own against a well-disciplined and well-directed enemy. In your work in the Army you may wonder why the officers and noncommissioned officers insist on perfection in what appears to be minor details. Why do rifles have to be carried at just the same angle; why do you have to keep accurately in line; why must your bed be made in a certain way; why must your uniform and equipment be in a prescribed order at all times; why must all officers be saluted with snap and precision? These things are a part of your disciplinary training. Their purpose is to teach you obedience, loyalty, team play, personal pride, pride in your organization, respect for the rights of others, love of the flag, and the will to win. So you see that being disciplined does not mean that you are being punished. It means that you are learning to place the task of your unit – your team – above your personal welfare; that you are learning to obey promptly and cheerfully the orders of your officers and NCOs so that even when they are not present you will carry out their orders to the very best of your ability. When you have learned these things and prompt and cheerful obedience has become second nature to you, then you have acquired military discipline – the kind of discipline which will save lives and win battles. In addition to rank, courtesies and customs visibly distinguish the military from academic, medical, and other professions. When officers and Soldiers display military customs and courtesies, they demonstrate to themselves and others their commitment to duty, to their country and colleagues, and their tradition of service to others. Military courtesies are extended to a person or thing that is due recognition and honor. The most basic of military courtesies is the salute. A custom is a traditional social convention. Military rank, as a visible mark of responsibility and leadership, is due recognition and respect. The customary way of recognizing an officer of superior rank is by saluting him or her. First, a Noncommissioned officer is an officer which has not been commissioned by the President of the United States. Second, a Noncommissioned officer has through his or hers experience, been placed in a position to lead, supervise and train soldiers. Third, the Noncommissioned Officer Corp is the backbone of a professional army. Through real â€Å"hands on† experiences, and progression through the enlisted ranks, the NCO should be in a position of self confidence and esteem, that their position alone should demand respect from both enlisted soldiers and our officers. Fourth, The Noncommissioned Officer represents the United States Army (Marine Corps, Navy, AirForce). There very existence allows the officers to plan, organize, lead, and direct combat operations. The NCO responsible for the preperation, training, and readiness of our soldiers. This is a NCO leadership role, not an officers. Fifth, basic soldier skills (rifle marksmanship, first aid, navigation, law of land warfare, small unit tactics, NBC) are thoose skills mastered by the Noncommissioned Officers. Sixth, they have proven themselves in combat since the Revolutionary War. In the absence of commissioned officers, NCOs have been commissioned on the battlefield to continue the mission, and lead our soldiers. Remember, it is not necessarily the man or woman wearing stripes that you are respecting (BUT IT SHOULD BE) but the magnificent history that has been contributed to the Noncommssioned Officers. â€Å"Follow Me† should be the creed of every NCO NCOs do it all. These leaders have their hands in every aspect of the Army from the simplest daily activities to the most complicated strategic planning. Let’s get reacquainted with the â€Å"backbone of the Army. NCOs are responsible for the daily activities of the Army. These sergeants are the first-line supervisors for the majority of the work completed by Soldiers. These actions can be as simple as physical training or motor pool maintenance on vehicles or as complicated as leading a combat patrol in war. Chances are high that every activity from processing pay documents to medical services a t the hospital are being executed and supervised by sergeants. They touch every aspect of our Soldiers and our Families’ lives. Need an MP for an emergency? Here comes a sergeant. Who is teaching at the Warrior Leader Course? A sergeant is instructing right now. Our sergeants find us before we are in the Army: recruiters. NCOs — drill sergeants — mold us from civilians into Soldiers. Career counselor NCOs keep us in the Army. Sergeants teach us at advance individual training, airborne course, Ranger course and other specialty courses. It is sergeants who develop the future NCOs in the Noncommissioned Officer Educational System. From WLC to the Sergeant Major course, NCOs are developing the next generation. And guess who executes large portions of Officer Candidate School? NCOs do! Sergeants enforce the rules, regulations, and policies of the Army. NCOs don’t make policy, they enforce them. Many have heard me say, â€Å"I don’t make the rules; I get paid handsomely to enforce them! † The Army says what is proper and then empowers sergeants to enforce it. So the key aspect to this notion is not the rule, but rather the discipline to enforce the standard. NCOs have the discipline to do the right thing and set the example. So, Sergeant Major, what is the big deal about wearing my patrol cap to the PX? It is quite simple. A commissioned officer wrote the rule making t a legal order — a simple and minor one some could argue. I support the officers, therefore I support their rules and sergeants enforce both simple and complicated ones. Convenience and comfort have never been military priorities. If a Soldier or leader cannot enforce the simple rules, how will they tackle the complicated ones? It is a slippery slope of selective en forcement when individuals only correct the regulations they agree with. What makes our Army different from others? The NCO! Armies from around the world send their officers to visit the United States to see how we run our Army. No one argues the commissioned officers are in charge. A recurring theme comes up, though, when foreign officers see our NCOs doing so much. The comments sound something like this, â€Å"How can you trust these sergeants to do so much? † Or, â€Å"only our officers do that! † And it is this decentralized implicit trust of our NCOs that creates a huge advantage over other Armies. Decisions and therefore actions take place where no officer is present. NCOs are combat multipliers. Our Army learned years ago that NCOs can be trusted to execute tasks that might have been historically linked to officers. And historically, NCOs are officers. Sergeants are officers without a commission. There are several sources to refer to this topic and I won’t give a history lesson here. Read â€Å"Guardians of the Republic† by Earnest F. Fisher Jr. for a detailed narrative on the history of the NCO. For here and now, we need to know that the NCO is more â€Å"bang for the buck† for our Army than anyone else. Sergeants train individuals, teams and crews. NCOs focus on all the single and small unit requirements that support the collective tasks of platoons and companies. Sergeants ensure Soldiers are physically fit to arrive at the leading edge of battle. These same sergeants teach Soldiers how to shoot their weapons effectively. NCOs teach our Soldiers when not to shoot, which is sometimes more important than shooting. Sergeants take the theory of being a Soldier and apply it to people to make them Soldiers. NCOs advise and mentor officers. Starting at the platoon level, our Army â€Å"marries† an officer and a seasoned NCO to accomplish missions. And it works. The combination of commission and noncommissioned officer is powerful and a critical difference in our Army. Senior NCOs advise senior officers about all enlisted issues and concerns. Officers count on NCOs for recommendations on their most critical decisions. Want the truth, ask an NCO. NCOs preserve the traditions, customs and courtesies of the Army. From standing at attention or parade rest to drill and ceremonies, NCOs must preserve these â€Å"lost arts† of a war-time Army. Respecting the flag at retreat is an NCO function. Politeness, respect and courtesy are historic indicators of discipline in our service. Who is preserving this tradition of the Army? The NCO must! When an NCO sees an infraction and makes no correction, a new standard has been set. So if NCOs follow their creed, they will do two things. Sergeants will accomplish their mission. Not only the ones they choose, but the ones the Army gives them. NCOs enforce all of them. And they must ensure the welfare of their Soldiers. Soldiers are a valuable commodity to be protected. To send untrained, undisciplined Soldiers to war is to kill them. NCOs save lives! They do all the dirty work and are quiet professionals who seek no reward other than the satisfaction of making a difference. They are the working class of the Army and the unsung heroes of our nation. In this year of the NCO, have you thanked a sergeant today? How to cite Military, Papers