Speaking as troops returned from summer leave, Army Sergeant Major WO1 John Miller called on this cohort of leaders to bolster their efforts to ensure personnel could meet the chief of the general staff’s expectations by the end of next year.
He also revealed that he would be visiting units army-wide to ensure people are focused on the task in hand. WO1 Miller said everyone needed to know how to develop their own role in a way that could make the service more effective. And he underscored that high standards at home would translate into more potent capability on ops.
He told Soldier: “There are some 55,000 NCOs in the army – those from the rank of lance corporal to warrant officer – and they are our vehicle of change.
“As we hit September, there are less than 500 days left to Gen Sir Roly Walker’s deadline and they have a critical part to play to make sure it is met. “I know some have been sceptical, but what CGS has asked for is completely achievable.
“As I have said before, we need to focus on the people element, know our own part in all of this and make sure we are doing the basics well.”
WO1 Miller repeated that all personnel must be proficient in the core skills of soldiering – shooting, moving, communicating and medicating – while leaders needed to ensure their subordinates upheld the highest standards.
The Army Sergeant Major praised recent work by the Sandhurst-based NCO Academy – including the champions initiative (see page 26) – to upskill leaders and foster professional development. These would help deliver more capable leaders.
But he warned that momentum needed to be maintained in a volatile world that would require capabilities to be continuously adapted as threats evolved.
“Gen Walker has already said he expects fighting power to be trebled by the end of the decade, but there will likely be more to come,” WO1 Miller continued. “If you look at the recent Strategic Defence Review, there is a mention of increasing effectiveness ten-fold by 2035, so we will all have to be prepared.
“It is important that commanders focus on making improvements that are in their control – our people being most crucial element.”
