History of the NCO
Valley Forge is one of the most critical locations in the history of the struggle for the independence of the United States. Between 1777 and 1778, there were extensive exercises of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) (Lund, 2021). This was important for creating a professional, combat-ready army that could withstand the enemy. However, during training, they faced the problem of a lack of resources, including food, which prevented them from effectively conducting training (Corral, 2020). To alleviate this problem, it was necessary to draw up a comprehensive plan to allow them to complete their studies as quickly as possible.
Background
Valley Forge was a military camp where soldiers were retrained. It is located in Pennsylvania, and during the winter of 1777-1778, the Continental Army, undergoing a course of military professionalism, faced insufficient food (Corral, 2020). In addition, the difficulties lay in the lack of sufficiently warm clothing and cold winter conditions.
Soldiers could not carry out their duties due to bad weather conditions, and training was too slow (Lund, 2021). In addition, the problem was the lack of an established training program and demoralized personnel due to all factors. The leading actors in this situation were George Washington and the soldiers who were in the camp.
Alternatives
One option that could be the leading solution to the problem was requesting new resources. However, this was not possible due to the attendant problem of overloading food supply routes and bad weather conditions that would take too long to deliver (Corral, 2020). In the end, this option is not valid since delivering a sufficiently large amount of supplies and clothing was impossible.
Another alternative solution would be to reassign soldiers with more experience and better training to Valley Forge for faster training. They could lift the morale of others and set an example of resilience. However, this solution was not possible due to the global shortage of professional staff and, as a result, the inability to reassign NCOs.
Proposed Solution
Dealing with the challenges faced by soldiers in Valley Forge during the winter requires a holistic approach that considers all possible options. The first step would be to record and calculate all available resources for the exact number of days. Food would have to be given to people in small portions to hold out as long as possible. The provision of clothing had to be improved from locally available fabric materials to the extent possible.
The second important step is to develop a structured training program that would provide a particular order of actions for each day. This would help establish a daily routine and simplify training because it would be systematized. The third necessary step in those conditions is the moral support of the soldiers. More experienced commanders must conduct one hour of moral and psychological training with personnel. This would allow, to a certain extent, the psychological state of NCOs to be normalized.
Recommendations
The correct distribution of forces is crucial for the successful application of the developed plan. Commander-in-Chief General George Washington should take over resource allocation duties. He should also give clear instructions to NCOs on how to proceed with each plan item. A group of soldiers with excellent service experience should develop a training manual.
George Washington should supervise the group and approve the final version of the program. NCOs’ tasks are to follow commanders’ orders, maintain discipline, and contribute to showing the best results through diligence. However, they must also report any urgent problems to the command. They can also take the initiative and offer options for resolving current issues.
References
Corral, N. (2020). Continental Army at Valley Forge, 1777 to 1778: Examination of its transformation using DOTMLPF. US Army Command and General Staff College. Web.
Lund, M. S. (2021). America’s First Military Professional: General George Washington at Valley Forge, 1777-1778. US Army School for Advanced Military Studies. Web.