NCO Academy
I want to take this opportunity to welcome you to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) and to the Roy Benavidez Noncommissioned Officer Academy (NCOA). Our Noncommissioned Officer Academy has the distinction of being the only institution of its kind in the United States Army.
The MSG Roy P. Benavidez NCO Academy teaches two courses. The Squad Leaders Course (TAC-12) and the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Course (NPME-8). The TAC-12 was developed to teach leadership at the junior NCO level. This course is 4 weeks long. The NPME-8 Course was developed for the mid-level NCOs and is 8 weeks long. We also teach a NPME-8 Course in English once a year for our partner nations from the Caribbean basin. All subjects taught in the Roy Benavidez Noncommissioned Officer Academy are in accordance with United States Army doctrine and certified by our higher headquarters, the Combined Arms Center (CAC) and the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). In addition to the regular leadership subjects taught at the Academy, students receive a minimum of sixteen hours of democracy, ethics and human rights training and participate in the Field Studies Program (FSP).
The Field Studies Program is designed to promote democratic values and knowledge and understanding of US customs and traditions. It is managed by the Program Coordinator from the International Student Division (ISD) in conjunction with the NCOA cadre.
The Roy Benavidez Noncommissioned Officer Academy task organization includes a Command Sergeant Major as the Commandant, and a First Sergeant as the Assistant Commandant. The faculty is composed of eight highly qualified professional instructors, three of whom are United States Army NCOs, three are partner nation instructors from Central or South America and two partner nation instructors come from the Caribbean. All administrative support is provided by Student Company and the International Student Division (ISD) of WHINSEC.
I hope your stay at the Institute and the NCOA is one that will help you grow professionally and culturally. The training is challenging and the learning is rewarding. If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me at (706) 545-3789 or you can e-mail me at julio.candelario@conus.army.mil.
Sincerely,
Julio Candelario
Command Sergeant Major, US Army
Commandant, NCO Academy