Students - Welcome to the Corps Compass Program

Dear Leaders,

Students who are interested in participating in the Corps Compass Program, please click on “Apply to Connect with a Guide” link at the top of the page or scan the QR code with your mobile device, complete the online application and submit the application. This link will allow NCOLCoE to match a guide with a student based on a set of matching criteria represented in the link. We kindly request that all student forms be completed and returned by September 1st, 2024. We are excitedly looking forward to your participation and contributions.

Dear Leaders,

Thank you for participating in the SGM-A Class 75 Corps Compass Program. We appreciate your enrollment and are confident that this program will provide you with valuable relationships and learning experiences that will benefit you as future CSM/SGMs.

As we look ahead to your journey in the program and pairing with a guide, we encourage you to initiate contact with your assigned guide by email. This initial contact could be a platform for sharing information or ideas, setting the stage for meaningful one-on-one interactions. As a SMC student, you should initiate the first recommended touchpoint on or before September 27th, 2024. This proactive step is a powerful way to foster further engagement and ensure your successful participation in the program. We urge you to fully leverage the program and the myriad benefits it can bring to you as leaders. Your guide is here to support you in developing your goals, enhancing your career prospects, and creating meaningful outcomes.

We want to assure you that the Corps Compass Program is designed to be a valuable experience that will facilitate your professional development and aid in your transition from MSG to CSM/SGMs. We are confident that the program will equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in your future roles.

Thank you again for your participation; we eagerly anticipate your success.

Dear Leaders,

1st Term, Career Long Assessment Athena focus area is Self Awareness Individual Differences Inventory (SAID-I) or blocks A, B, E, & F (See IDP Job Aid), please defer to the Career Long Assessment Athena button on the homepage for an explanation of this assessment, and the fact sheet below that will support you in the use of the IDP. The recommended timeline for you to share the IDP with your guide is September 2024 to obtain feedback from your guide landing around the SMC 1st Term closure in October 2024. We hope you find success in this initiative, during 1st Term Career Long Assessment Athena: SAID-I and the Individual Development Plan (IDP).

• Fact Sheet

One way to exchange information with your guide is to email them. Establish good dialogue and tailor your introduction to your guide by outlining your specific needs.

Here are some main points you can accomplish in your correspondence:

1. Introduce yourself
2. Explain your goals
3. Request a meeting
4. Thank the guide for their time

Example:

Hello [insert CSM/SGM guide name],

1. (Introduce yourself)

   My name is [your name]. I am a [military occupational skill/position] and have been serving on [Active Duty/National Guard/Reserve Component] for [insert TIS/TIG]. Furthermore, [insert any background information you think would be helpful or would like to share with your guide].

2. (Explain your goals)

   One of my most significant achievements is [insert what you are most proud of in your life/career]. I would like to learn more about [insert topic]. I would greatly appreciate you sharing this knowledge with me. In the next [insert your desired length of time], I hope to accomplish the following [insert objectives].

3. (Request a meeting)

   I would be interested in meeting on [insert choices for the first meeting date, time, and platform]. If this date, time, and platform does not work for you, I look forward to a date, time, and platform that will better serve you. Furthermore, I am available [insert how many times you would like to meet a month and your available downtime] over [insert the desired platform]. I look forward to our first touchpoint.

4. (Thank the guide for their time)

   Thank you for investing your time in mentoring me. I look forward to hearing from you.

   [insert contact information]

Note, the above recommendations are not intended to impose or govern the process you choose to use as a participant in the Corps Compass Program.

Dear Leaders,

We would like to express our gratitude for your commitment to invest in self-development while assigned as a SMC student in the SGM-A Class 75, Corps Compass Program. We hope you had the pleasure of sharing introductions.

As a friendly reminder, the first touchpoint or initial contact in the Corps Compass Program should have occurred by September 2024.

On another note, The Corps Compass Program encourages the use of the IDP. If you have made entries on the IDP according to the IDP Job Aid, Instructions, and NCO Sample, during their 1st Term, which is the Self-Assessment Individual Differences Inventory (SAID-I) Assessment, then you are on track. This process also includes the guide interpreting and providing feedback to you, as well as your ability to reflect on your IDP results, identify gaps between your expectations and the assessment results, and recognizing your strengths and developmental areas for improvement. The SAID-I further assists in identifying personal characteristics and how you can leverage them to lead others.

In favor of the IDP, and at this point you should have already shared your IDP with your guide by September 2024, to obtain feedback from the guide before October 2024. Please refer to the IDP Job Aid for blocks A, B, E & F for further explanation the IDP questions you should have considered answering.

Moving forward, 2nd Term, Career Long Assessment Athena: Individual Adaptability and Leaders 360, IDP Job Aid maintains the same general consideration question as SAID-I, however Individual Adaptability and Leaders 360, IDP Job Aid questions has specific focal questions that you may unveil answers to and await feedback from the guide.

Assessment Information:

General Considerations

1. Interpret and reflect on your results. How did they align with your self-understanding?
2. Is there a gap between your expectations and the assessment results?
3. What caught your attention in the feedback reports?
4. What surprised you most about your results?
5. What are your strengths?
6. What are some developmental areas you need/want to work on?
7. What do you need to stop doing?
8. What do you need to start doing?

Individual Adaptability Information:

Think about these Questions

1. Do you have what it takes to embrace change?
2. Did you identify any area of adaptability you would like to work on?
3. Are you able to learn new tasks, technologies, and procedures effectively?
4. How good are you at coming up with unique or innovative solutions or finding new ways to use existing resources to do a task?
5. Do you handle stress as well as you would like?
6. How well do you adjust to rapidly changing situations?
7. Are you able to maintain calm and handle emergencies?
8. How well do you deal with difficult people or negative feedback?
9. Are you able to adjust your behavior or appearance to integrate into different cultures?
10. How well do you cope with extreme environments?

Leader 360 Information:

Think about these Questions

1. What leadership competencies do you need to strengthen the most?
2. What leader behaviors do you want to become more effective at displaying?
3. What behaviors are counter-productive to your future success? i.e., What should you stop doing?

Dear Leaders,

2nd Term, Career Long Assessment Athena focus area is Individual Adaptability Measure (I-ADAPT) or blocks A, B, E, & F (See IDP Job Aid), as well as initiating LDR 360 assessments for completion in April 2025. Please defer to the Career Long Assessment Athena button on the homepage for an explanation of this assessment, and the fact sheet below that will support you in the use of the IDP. The recommended timeline for you to share the IDP with your guide is October 2024 to obtain feedback from your guide landing around the SMC 2nd Term closure in November 2024. We hope you find success in this initiative, during 2nd Term Career Long Assessment Athena: I-ADAPT and the Individual Development Plan (IDP).

Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet

Dear Leaders,

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to remind you about The Corps Compass Program and the upcoming IDP milestone for 3rd Term.

In the months of December 2024 through the beginning of February 2025, you will be focusing on Sensemaking (Sense) or blocks A, B, C, & E (See IDP Job Aid) as part of your IDP milestone. It is recommended that you share the IDP with your guide in December 2024 and January 2025 to obtain feedback before the SMC 3rd Term closure in February 2025.

Also, below are the assessment questions and information that you may unveil answers to and await feedback from your guide for 3rd Term.

Assessment Information:

General Considerations

1. Interpret and reflect on your results. How did they align with your self-understanding?
2. Is there a gap between your expectations and the assessment results?
3. What caught your attention in the feedback reports?
4. What surprised you most about your results?
5. What are your strengths?
6. What are some developmental areas you need/want to work on?
7. What do you need to stop doing?
8. What do you need to start doing?

Sensemaking:

1. How well are you able to use available information to understand the situation around you and identify gaps in your knowledge?
2. How broadly and deeply do you consider information when trying to reach understanding?
3. Are you able to figure out what right looks like in an ambiguous situation?
4. Are you able to create accurate understanding of complex situations?
5. Are you confident that you can create situational understanding in stressful situations?
6. What cognitive skills can you develop to increase your sensemaking ability?

Dear Leaders,

3rd Term, Career Long Assessment Athena focus area is Sensemaking (SENSE) or blocks A, B, C, & E (See IDP Job Aid). Please defer to the Career Long Assessment Athena button on the homepage for an explanation of this assessment, and the fact sheet below that will support you in the use of the IDP. The recommended timeline for you to share the IDP with your guide is between the months of December 2024 and January 2025 to obtain feedback from your guide landing around the SMC 3rd Term closure in February 2025. We hope you find success in this initiative, during 3rd Term Career Long Assessment Athena: SENSE and the Individual Development Plan (IDP).

Dear Leaders,

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to remind you about The Corps Compass Program and the upcoming IDP milestone for 4th Term.

In the months of February 2025 through the beginning of April 2025, you will be focusing on Systems Thinking Scale (STS) or blocks A, B, C, & E (See IDP Job Aid) as part of your IDP milestone. It is recommended that you share the IDP with your guide in February 2025 and March 2025 to obtain feedback before the SMC 4th Term closure in April 2025.

Also, below are the assessment questions and information that you may unveil answers to and await feedback from your guide for 4th Term.

Assessment Information:

General Considerations

1. Interpret and reflect on your results. How did they align with your self-understanding?
2. Is there a gap between your expectations and the assessment results?
3. What caught your attention in the feedback reports?
4. What surprised you most about your results?
5. What are your strengths?
6. What are some developmental areas you need/want to work on?
7. What do you need to stop doing?
8. What do you need to start doing?

Systems Thinking Scale:

1. Are you able to see the big picture when assessing a situation?
2. How skilled are you at determining root causes of a situation or problem?
3. How often are you successful in predicting second and third order effects of decisions? 
4. Do you have an adequate range of skills and knowledge available to you for facing unfamiliar and complex problems? 
5. Are you confident that your modifications to existing systems will have the intended effects?
6. Are you willing to pursue accurate understanding of complex interconnections?

Dear Leaders,

4th Term, Career Long Assessment Athena focus area is Systems Thinking Scale (STS) or blocks A, B, C, & E (See IDP Job Aid). The recommended timeline for the students to share their IDP with their guide is February 2025 and March 2025 to obtain feedback from their guide landing around the SMC 4th Term closure in April 2024. Please defer to the Career Long Assessment Athena button on the homepage for an explanation of this assessment, and the fact sheet below that will support you in the mentoring process with your student. Your assistance and backing are crucial to the success of this initiative, and we are grateful for your ongoing engagement during 4th Term Career Long Assessment Athena: STS and the Individual Development Plan (IDP) feedback with your student.

Fact Sheet

Dear Leaders,

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to remind you about The Corps Compass Program and the upcoming IDP milestone for 5th Term.

In the months of April 2025 through the beginning of June 2025, you will be focusing on Army Critical Thinking Test (ACTT) or blocks A, B, & C (See IDP Job Aid) as part of your IDP milestone. It is recommended that you share the IDP with your guide in April 2025 and May 2025 to obtain feedback before the SMC 5th Term closure in June 2025.

Also, below are the assessment questions and information that you may unveil answers to and await feedback from your guide for 5th Term.

Assessment Information:

General Considerations

1. Interpret and reflect on your results. How did they align with your self-understanding?
2. Is there a gap between your expectations and the assessment results?
3. What caught your attention in the feedback reports?
4. What surprised you most about your results?
5. What are your strengths?
6. What are some developmental areas you need/want to work on?
7. What do you need to stop doing?
8. What do you need to start doing?

Army Critical Thinking Test:

1. Have you identified some aspects of critical thinking that could use strengthening?
   For instance:
   • Identifying issues, discrepancies, conflicts, inconsistencies
   • Assessing the relevance and credibility of information
   • Recognizing and questioning assumptions
   • Considering counterarguments or alternative ideas
   • Confirming or disproving evidence
   • Deciding whether further thought, action, or consideration is necessary
   • Understanding how different pieces of information relate to one another and what those relationships imply
   • Synthesizing information into an understandable, cohesive whole
   • Drawing and defending conclusions
   • Generating a variety of courses of action
2. Do you feel your focus, cognitive flexibility, and emotional regulation thinking strategies are adequate?

Dear Leaders,

5th Term, Career Long Assessment Athena focus area is Army Critical Thinking Test (ACTT) or blocks A, B, & C (See IDP Job Aid), as well as review LDR 360 assessments for completion in May 2025. Please defer to the Career Long Assessment Athena button on the homepage for an explanation of this assessment, and the fact sheet below that will support you in the use of the IDP. The recommended timeline for you to share the IDP with your guide is May 2025 to obtain feedback from your guide landing around the SMC 5th Term closure in June 2025. We hope you find success in this initiative, during 5th Term Career Long Assessment Athena: ACTT and the Individual Development Plan (IDP).

Fact Sheet