10/02/2019
Date Published: 1 Oct 19
Leaders,
From the Commandant of the Noncommissioned Officer Leadership Center of Excellence and United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA).
1. As you may be aware, in support of the NCO 2020 strategy, all five levels of SSD will be converted to six levels of DLC. Most of this information has been previously disseminated. However, please pay close attention to paragraphs 5-7. Some of the verbiage and related dates have changed to better support the Army.
2. On 1 February 2019, enrollment into SSD level 1 was discontinued and enrollment into DLC 1 was opened. SSD 1/DLC 1 is the prerequisite for attending the Basic Leader Course (BLC). Soldiers currently enrolled in SSD 1 who have not completed the course will have until 30 September 2019 to complete SSD 1. Soldiers failing to complete SSD 1 by 30 September 2019 will be disenrolled. Only soldiers in the grade of E-4 will be reenrolled into DLC 1 by their component quota source managers. Those soldiers having completed SSD 1 will be given full credit and will not be required to take DLC 1. Soldiers must complete SSD 1 or DLC 1 in order to attend BLC. Between 1 February and 30 September 2019, SSD 1 and DLC 1 will run concurrently in the Army Learning Management System (ALMS). Soldiers will have 24 months from date of enrollment to complete DLC 1. Failure to complete DLC 1 after 24 months could result in a DA Bar to Reenlistment.
3. On 1 February 2019, enrollment into SSD level 2 was discontinued and enrollment into DLC 2 was opened. SSD 2/DLC 2 is the prerequisite for attending the Advance Leader Course (ALC). Sergeants currently enrolled in SSD 2 who have not completed the course will have until 30 September 2019 to complete SSD 2. Sergeants failing to complete SSD 2 by 30 September 2019 will be disenrolled and reenrolled into DLC 2. Sergeants currently not enrolled in SSD 2 are enrolled into DLC 2 effective 1 February 2019 by their component quota source managers. Those Sergeants having completed SSD 2 will be given full credit and will not be required to take DLC 2. Sergeants will have 24 months from date of enrollment to completed DLC 2. Between 1 February and 30 September 2019, SSD 1 and SSD 2 and DLC 1 and DLC 2 will run concurrently in the ALMS. Sergeants will have 24 months from date of enrollment to complete DLC 2. Failure to complete DLC 2 after 24 months could result in a DA Bar to Reenlistment.
4. On 21 June 2019, enrollment into SSD level 3 was discontinued and enrollment into DLC 3 was opened. SSD 3/DLC 3 is the prerequisite for attending the Senior Leader Course (SLC). Staff Sergeants currently enrolled in SSD 3 who have not completed the course will have until 31 march 2020 to complete SSD 3. Staff Sergeants failing to complete SSD 3 by 31 March 2020 will be disenrolled and enrolled by their component quota source managers into DLC 3. Staff Sergeants currently not enrolled in SSD 3 will be enrolled into DLC 3 on or after 21 June 2019 by their component quota source managers. Those Staff Sergeants having completed SSD 3 will be given full credit and will not be required to take DLC 3. Between 21 June 2019 and 31 March 2020, SSD 3 and DLC 3 will run concurrently in ALMS. Staff Sergeants will have 24 months from date of enrollment to complete DLC 3. Failure to complete DLC 3 after 24 months could result in a DA Bar to Reenlistment.
5. On 1 October 2019, enrollment into SSD level 4 will be discontinued and enrollment into DLC 4 will be opened. Currently SSD 4/DLC 4 is the prerequisite for attending the Master Leader Course (MLC). Sergeants First Class currently enrolled in SSD 4 who have not completed the course will have until 30 August 2020 to complete SSD 4. Sergeants First Class failing to complete SSD 4 by 30 August 2020 will be disenrolled and enrolled by their component quota source managers into DLC 4. Sergeants First Class currently not enrolled in SSD 4 will be enrolled into DLC 4 on 1 October 2019 by their component quota source managers. Those Sergeants First Class having completed SSD 4 will be given full credit and will not be required to take DLC 4. Between 1 October 2019 and 30 August 2020, SSD 4 and DLC 4 will run concurrently in ALMS. On 1 October 2019 DLC 4 will be opened for enrollment in ATRRS. Sergeants First Class must complete DLC 4 in order to attend the resident or nonresident MLC. Sergeants First Class will have 24 months from date of enrollment to complete DLC 4. Failure to complete DLC 4 after 24 months could result in a DA Bar to Reenlistment.
6. On or about 15 November 2019, enrollment into DLC 5 will open. Currently SSD 4 is the prerequisite for attending the Sergeants Major Course (SMC). As of 15 November 2019, DLC 5 will be the prerequisite for the SMC. Master Sergeants currently enrolled in SSD 4 who have not completed the course will have until 30 August 2020 to complete SSD 4. Master Sergeants failing to complete SSD 4 by 30 August 2020 will be disenrolled and enrolled by their component quota source managers into DLC 5. Master Sergeants currently not enrolled in SSD 4 will be enrolled into DLC 5 on 15 November 2019 by their component quota source managers. Those Master Sergeants having completed SSD 4 by 30 August 2020 will be given full credit and will not be required to take DLC 5. Between 15 November 2019 and 30 August 2020, SSD 4 and DLC 5 will run concurrently in ALMS. On 15 November 2019 DLC 5 will be opened for enrollment in ATRRS and Master Sergeants must complete DLC 5 in order to attend the resident or nonresident SMC. Master Sergeants will have 24 months from date of enrollment to complete DLC 5. Failure to complete DLC 5 after 24 months could result in a DA Bar to Reenlistment.
7. SSD 5 was a post-requisite SMC graduation requirement. On or about 14 June 2020, enrollment into SSD 5 will be discontinued; on 14 June 2020 DLC 6 will become the prerequisite for Sergeants Major selected on the Command Select List for Brigade or higher assignments. Sergeants Major currently enrolled in SSD 5 who have not completed the course will have until 31 October 2020 to complete the course. Sergeants Major failing to complete SSD 5 by 31 October 2020 will be disenrolled and enrolled by their component quota source managers into DLC 6 when selected on the Brigade CSL. SSD 5 and DLC 6 will run concurrently in the ALMS. Sergeants Major will have 12 months from date of CSL selection to complete DLC 6 and must complete the course prior to attending the Nominative Leader Course (NLC).
8. The expiration date of this message is 01 October 2021.
Leaders Build Lethality, We Develop Leaders!
JIMMY J. SELLERS
CSM, USA
The NCO Leadership Center of Excellence and USASMA