CSM Ryan W. Roush Command Sergeant Major U.S. Army Armor School


Forging the Future of Armor Leadership


Modernizing NCO PME


We are fundamentally reshaping how we train and educate our Armor non-com- missioned fficers (NCOs). This article out- lines the significant, positive changes coming to our Professional Military Edu- cation (PME). Our goal is to build more lethal, adaptive leaders while respecting your time and the critical needs of your formations.


Our modernization effort is guided by three core objectives:


1. Reduce Course Duration: We will significantly shorten the time leaders spend in PME, returning them to their units faster without sacrificing the quality of education.


2. Specialize ALC: We will create dis- tinct and specialized Advanced Leader Courses (ALC) for 19C and 19K MOSs, moving away from the current combined course to provide more focused training.


3. Refocus SLC: In partnership with the MCoE, we will evolve the Maneuver Senior Leader Course (SLC) into two separate, tailored tracks: Armor and Infantry.


ALC Modernization: The Path Forward


Our transition begins with a 19D ALC pilot course in June 2026. This pilot i critical, as its lessons will directly inform the re- design of the 19C and 19K ALC curricula, which are scheduled for implementation in February 2027.


Sp Spring 2026 CAVALRY & ARMOR JOURNAL priing 202 26 CAVALRY&ARM R O R OR JOURNAL AL


For the 19D ALC pilot, the course dura- tion will be reduced from over six weeks to three weeks and five days, with no virtual or phased component. This signi- ficant reduction is made possible by in- creasing the course’s focus and rigor. Through a deliberate analysis, we have refined the Individual Critical Task Lists (ICTLs) and will leverage detailed compe- tency assessments to ensure every train- ing event is purposeful and relevant to the demands of the modern battlefield.


The purpose of the 19D ALC is to provide Cavalry Scout NCOs with the leadership, tactical, and technical competencies re- quired to lead squad and platoon-sized elements in reconnaissance and secur- ity operations. The course emphasizes mission planning, execution, and decis- ion-making in support of the comman- der’s information requirements and force protection.


This new structure builds upon prior operational experience to develop agile, adaptive leaders who directly contribute to mission success. We will use a mod- ular approach to build proficiency se- quentially:


Module A: Administration & Foundations: Complete all in-processing, readiness checks, and administrative requirements to begin training.


Module B: Combat Leadership: Develop the skills to lead an armored reconnais- sance section/squad in complex envir- onments.


Module C: Training Management: Master the ability to plan, prepare, execute, and assess individual and collectivetraining to build unit readiness.


Module D:Sustainment Operations: Man- age section/squad resupply, maintenance, recovery, and medical support in a con- tested environment.


Module E: Platform Mastery: Achieve technical and tactical expertise with reconnaissance weapons platforms and their advanced systems.


Module F: Threat Adaptation: Plan re- connaissance and security operations against a modern, multi-domain threat, including electronic warfare (EW) and cyber mitigation.


Module G: Tactical Application: Execute mission plans, adapt to a changing bat- tlespace, and conduct consolidation through terrain board exercises and tac- tical exercises without troops (TEWTs).


The Way Ahead


This is an ongoing and transparent pro- cess. We will provide regular updates as we gather feedback from the 19D ALC pilot and finalize the future of 19C/K ALC and the new Armor SLC. We are com- mitted to providing our NCOs with the most effective and relevant training to ensure we dominate on any battlefield.


Forge the Thunderbolt! 7


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