NCO Support Chain (or Channel)

The NCO Support Chain is a distinctively different network of leadership where the enlisted Non-Commissioned Officer (NCOs) support and maintain enlisted matters to ensure success of the unit, morale, professional development, and mentoring.  The NCO Support Chain engages all the NCOs in the lowest level unit and works thru the chain to the next level (if needed) to address an issue or to help develop enlisted soldiers into the next generation of NCOs.

This diagram illustrates the typcial NCO Support Chain within 1st Brigade

Unit Chain of Command

The unit chain of command (CoC) is comprised of the commanders within the unit. Soldiers often confuse or combine the chain of command and the NCO Support Chain.  These are two different structures within the unit.  The NCO Support Chain supports and advises the commanders in various roles such as the Brigade or Battalion Command Sergeants-Major (CSM), or the Company First Sergeant’s (1SG).

This diagram shows the typical Chain of Command within the 1st Brigade.

This chart illustrates the rank devices of enlisted soldiers and Warrant Officers.  Enlisted soldiers are the backbone of the TXSG and do most of the heavy lifting.  Warrant Officers are Technical experts and advisors.

This chart illustrates the different commissioned officer ranks you may encounter being around members of the Texas State Guard.

General Roles of a TXSG Soldier

This page is still under construction!

This page will provide some general guidance of what a soldier may do while at drill, annual training or on a mission.  Since most soldiers start out at the lower levels as an enlisted soldier or officer we will start with these and work up to the higher levels.

Junior Enlisted

Junior Enlisted (PVT to CPL)  Most soldiers will enter the TXSG and start their career as a PVT, unless they are considered a Professional Skills Officer, which we will cover later.  Privates generally start by learning basic soldier skills like marching (drill and ceremony), military customs and courtesies  and then move into their specialized job training.  Enlisted soldiers start their career by attending Basic Orientation Training (BOT). TXSG specialized skills start with training in Shelter Management, Emergency Tracking Network, PODS, and Military Emergency Management Specialists. Soldiers also engage in lot of FEMA self study courses to learn more about disaster response.  Once a soldier makes the rank of Corporal (CPL) they start to learn small unit leadership as this is their first step into the NCO Corps.

Junior Officers

Junior Officers (2LT and 1LT) are much like junior enlisted, except they may have a college degree or a specialized skill set (Professional Skills Officer). The amount of knowledge about the military is usually similar to that of a Junior Enlisted soldier.  Junior Officers start their career either by attending Officer Candidate School (OCS), or Direct Commissioned Officer Orientation Course (DCOOC).  Commissioned officers are expected to learn more quickly than enlisted soldiers and right after OCS they are typically assigned as a Platoon Leader.  PSO's are always placed into a specialized role or staff role, they do not command soldiers unless they are in same specialty, i.e. medical officers in a medical company.

Junior officers and enlisted are expected to deploy, attend training, and grow their military skills to become the next generation of leaders in the TXSG, as such you should expect to see your soldier going on deployments and attending training events as often as possible. Deployments, training and professional military education helps your soldier to see different leadership styles as well as issues that they can help to mitigate across the force.

Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs): 

Non-Commissioned officers are considered leaders and mentors of soldiers.  Depending on the rank of your soldier, you may see them spending more time working on TXSG business as they work with their junior enlisted soldiers, or even as they mentor their new platoon leaders. NCOs will typically have a leaders book with them, which helps them to understand, mentor, and lead their team.  The following paragraphs will provide more details on the size of the team your soldier may be managing depending on their rank.

Sergeant (SGT) or Staff Sergeant (SSG)

Sergeants or Staff Sergeants are usually team leaders and will typically have a small team of soldiers.  These teams can range from four to ten soldiers depending on the unit and specialized skills.  Some soldiers such as boat or dive team members may manage smaller teams due to team organizational structures.  With the structure of the TXSG some Sergeants or Staff Sergeants may find themselves filling roles which are much higher in responsibility. 

Sergeant First Class (SFC)

A Sergeant First Class typically fill roles as platoon sergeants (PLT SGT) and can have teams between ten and thirty solders.  A Platoon Sergeant has the primary role of managing and mentoring the team leaders (SGTs and SSGs), and assisting with the training and mentoring the junior enlisted. The Platoon Sergeant also serves as the enlisted advisor to the Platoon Leader and helps to mentor and develop the junior officer(s).

Master Sergeant (MSG) or First Sergeant (1SG) 

A Master Sergeant typically fills an operations role as a senior enlisted advisor for a unit.  Their years of experience in the military allows them to provide vast amounts of insight into operational tasks and execution of missions.  Master Sergeants are often referred to as "Top" because that is where most enlisted personnel finish their careers if they make it to retirement, unless they want to move into the administrative roles such as 1SG, SGM or CSM.  Master Sergeant's are a wealth of knowledge, but can be a little cranky without their coffee so watch out.  First Sergeants are a lot like Master Sergeant, except, they accepted the responsibility of the enlisted administrative issues of the company.  First Sergeant's work for a company commander and have to keep all the enlisted issues (trouble makers) in check as well as manage the enlisted readiness for the company.  Bringing the 1SG coffee may work, if you have cookies.  A MSG may have a team of ten to thirty soldiers, or they may work in a staff position where they only manage a couple of soldiers. A 1SG will have an entire company to work with, which in the TXSG could be thirty to sixty enlisted soldiers.

Sergeant Major (SGM) or Command Sergeant Major (CSM)

A Sergeant Major will typically work on a staff and not have to worry about too many soldiers unless they have a large enlisted staff.  Some Sergeants Major may fill a vacant 1SG role from time to time.  A Command Sergeant Major is typically the senior enlisted advisor to a commander at battalion level or higher.  In 1st Brigade there are five CSMs, all with an enlisted personnel count of sixty or more.  The Brigade CSM is responsible for more than four-hundred and fifty enlisted personnel. A CSM role can be very time consuming.

Traditions, Protocols, and Etiquette

The military in steeped in traditions, protocols and formal etiquette that dates back centuries. These range from simple salutes rendered to officers, to formal black-tie events. While we cannot cover all of these, we will touch on some of those that are often overlooked or forgotten. This section is meant to be a quick reference.

Formations

During formations, it is important to make sure children, pets, and other distractions are kept out of the formation. There may be many occasions when a family member attends an event where a formation is taking place. 

 Promotions and Awards

Promotions and awards are done in a formal formation type of environment. The commander of the unit will form the unit and call the individual(s) to the front who are receiving either an award or promotion.

Awards

During awards it is customary for the family to be present, but not involved with the pinning of the award unless the commander approves it in advance.

Promotions

During promotions, the soldier may request that the commander allow a family member to pin the new rank. 

The Brigade Commander highly encourges all soldiers to invite family to promotion and award events. It may be the highlight of the soldier's career to have a specific family member pin on their rank.

 Change of Command / Responsibility Events

The Change of Command Ceremony is one of the most common events and is rooted in military history dating back to the 18th Century. At that time, organizational flags were developed with color arrangements and symbols unique to each unit.

Today the Change of Command Ceremony uses the unit colors (Guidon/Brigade Colors) during this ceremony. The outgoing commander passes the unit colors to Commander of the the higher command. That commander will then pass the unit colors to the incoming commander. (old Company Commander to Battalion Commander then to new Company Commander).This signifies the passing of command back to the Senior Commander/General who then passes command to the new commander.

A Change of Responsibility event is conducted the same, however it is done for the Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) of the unit. The outgoing SEA hands the unit colors to the SEA of the higher command, who then passes it to the incoming SEA. This signifies passing responsibility for all the enlisted members of the unit to the new SEA.

During these events, the spouses of the outgoing and incoming Commander or SEA are included and are usually presented flowers which signifies the acceptance of the new CO/SEA spouse’s support, and gratitude for the outgoing CO/SEA spouse’s support to the unit.

Family Day or Organizational Day

Family day and Organizational day events are generally more informal events for all the family members to attend. While the dress code is much more relaxed, it is important to know that special guests, Commanding General’s, and others from outside the unit may be in attendance. Behavior and standards should be observed as though this was a more formal event.

Formal Events

Formal Events will generally have a receiving line as you enter the event. 

The formal receiving line will include guest speakers, guests of honor and their spouses, and the Senior Commanding Officer and Senior Non-Commissioned Officer with their spouses. The first person in the line is typically an aide or an adjunct who will introduce you. It is not customary to shake the aide’s hand, but instead after being announced as "This is (Rank) and Miss or Mr. (Last Name)", shake the hands of the guest of honor you're introduced to and give a brief greeting like "Good evening, General." Or "It is an honor to meet you, General."

When passing through the receiving line, the lady typically goes first and is followed by her spouse who will then introduce her by saying, "This is my spouse Mrs. Smith and I'm Staff Sergeant Smith." The receiving line is typically short and lasts for about 30 minutes. Here are a couple of pro-tips that will keep you from offending others in the receiving line:

• Keep your hands free of drinks, food, or cigarettes, and do not chew gum.
• Silence your cell phone and try not to utilize the phone in a manner that would disrupt the event or others in attendance.
• If a lady is wearing gloves, her right hand should be uncovered to allow her to shake hands.
• Ensure that greetings are cordial and brief.
• If needed make a pit stop by the restroom as it may be a while before a break is taken during the event.
• After making it through the receiving line, go to assigned table.

Once everyone has made it to their tables, remain standing in preparation for the color guard to post the colors. Those in uniform will stand at attention and civilians will stand quietly. Some events will have a Master of Ceremonies that will announce the next event but as a good rule of thumb, keep the head table in the corner of your eye and follow their lead.

A program of the events will be at your place setting to provide more specifics. After the honors are rendered, an invocation is customary. Following the invocation, a series of toasts may begin. These are initiated by various individuals and may cover a wide range of topics. A toast does not have to be conducted with an alcoholic beverage, just a charged glass. Once the toasts conclude, typically dinner will be served, and you will have around an hour to eat and introduce yourself to those at your table.

If Alcohol is permitted at the event, it is important to keep these tips in mind.

• You should not pre-flight (drink alcohol before arriving at the event)
• You should drink in moderation. You and your soldier will be in the presence of the command as well as other soldiers, you should not have to worry about what you did last night because you drank too much.

Following dinner, the guest speaker will begin to give his/her speech. During this time, refrain from sidebar conversations at the table. After the speech is concluded, a cake may be ceremoniously cut using a military saber/sword wielded by the most senior (or honored) guest and/or the most junior military member. The cake may then be moved and be served individually to all the guests.

The last formal portion of the evening will be when the color guard retires the colors. Guests should render the same courtesies as the colors are retired.

Following the retirement of the colors, the tone of the event will become more relaxed; However, leave the crazy or dirty dance moves at home.

A “Dining-In” is traditionally a Soldiers only event which is designed to build esprit de corps and educate young unit members to formal social traditions. They are extremely ceremonial with the President of the Dining-In, typically the Commanding Officer, and a “Mr. Vice/Madam Vice,” the person responsible for the evening, usually selected for possessing wit and the ability to speak. There are many toasts with the appropriate responses printed. A “Dining-Out” is similar to a “Dining-In” but including spouses.

Formal events have strict dress codes that should ALWAYS be followed: Cocktail dresses should not be overly short.

Formal events are not a night out at the club, please be sure you dress in a manner that will not detract from the formal nature of the event or reflect negatively on your soldier.

Click here to learn more about dress codes

RSVP and Invitations

An invitation is a notification of an upcoming event. Formal invitations may be typed, or handwritten. Today, invitations are widely extended using electronic invitation systems, by email, or even social media sources.

If the host or honoree of an event should extend an invitation to you, it is your social obligation to let the host/hostess know either in writing, via the telephone number, or email address provided if you plan to attend the event. Any invitation with an RSVP must be answered with a “yes” or “no”, and number in attendance. R.S.V.P. is the abbreviation for “répondez s'il vous plaît,” which translates “please reply.”

An answer should be given within 24 to 48 hours if possible. The attendee list is critical information for menu planning and food ordering, so intended guests should recognize the importance of responding in a timely manner.