NCOA Dl Module 1 (Progress Checks)

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, “Service Before Self” of the Air Force Core
Values represents an abiding dedication to the age-old military virtue of selfless dedication
to duty at all times and under all circumstances placing one’s life at risk. There are some
characteristics of this in Gagnon, but there is stronger evidence of P2 being promoted in the
scenario. See rationale for ‘b’ correct response for additional information.

b. CORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, Progressive Professionalism (P2) is the
concept of improving oneself on the professional continuum through education, training,
ethical behavior, and being morally balanced. The foundation of P2 is the DDR, a methodology
of providing Airmen with direction, discipline and recognition as required. Tate
is promoting that by taking the effort necessary to improve herself on the professional
continuum and providing direction, discipline and recognition for her Airmen as required.
This will have a positive impact on mission effectiveness.

c. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, Warrior Ethos is a tenacious mentality
ignited by a hardiness of spirit and courage that, when internalized, becomes the driving
force that allows us to overcome all hardships with honor. There maybe some of these characteristics
in Gagnon, but there is stronger evidence of P2 being promoted in the scenario.
See rationale for ‘b’ correct response for additional information.

a. INCORRECT. There is no evidence of Management by Exception – Active (MBE-A) in the
scenario. MBE-A behavior keeps people and processes in control, monitoring and controlling
followers through forced compliance with rules, regulations, and expectations for meeting
performance standards and behavioral norms. MBE-A exists in structured system with
detailed instructions, careful observation, and active supervision. See rationale for correct
response for additional information.

b. CORRECT. Transformational leaders are genuinely engaged in the follower’s personal
development (goes out of her way to help with educational and personal goals), and positively
influences the follower’s self-worth. Subsequently, the follower becomes genuinely
committed to the cooperative effort and demonstrates commitment to the leader (I’d
work for her anytime, anywhere).

c. INCORRECT. There is no evidence of Transactional Leadership in the scenario. Transactional
Leadership involves the constructive transaction between the leader and the follower. These
transactions formulate a sort of “contract” where the leader sets goals, identifies ways for
the subordinate to reach these goals, and supports the follower in meeting these expectations.
The follower is required to perform assigned tasks to a specified performance
level. When the follower fulfills the leader’s expectations, a reward is provided to reinforce
the demonstrated positive behavior. See rationale for correct response for additional
information.

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT: TSgt Shelby is using the keys to succesful learning, which according to the
Course Introduction chapter are reading (completed all assignments), taking notes (took
good notes), studying (study sessions), testing , and lifelong learning. TSgt Shelby’s actions
will most likely enhance her effectiveness.

b. INCORRECT: TSgt Shelby is using the keys to successful learning. See rationale for correct
response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT: There is no evidence of time management in the scenario which according to
the Course Introduction chapter, time management includes the elements of scheduling,
self-discipline, dealing with distractions, and procrasitination. See rationale for correct
response for additional information.

d. INCORRECT: See rationale “a” and correct response for additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, Direction, Discipline, and Recognition are
considered the foundation of Progressive Professionalism. As Airmen, we must maintain
a high degree of professionalism throughout our careers. Although there may be doubts
about Oddo’s professionalism, this scenario is more about the violation of AF Core Values
and negative effects to mission accomplishment. See rationale ‘c’ for correct response for
additional information.

b. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, resiliency is one’s ability to withstand,
recover and grow in the face of stressors and changing demands. In the scenario, Oddo was
not faced with a stressor or changing demand, but faced with rule following. He violated the
AF Core Values and directed the Airman to use the overdue torque wrench. See rationale ‘c’
for correct response for additional information.

c. CORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, Air Force Core Values are said to be our
inner voice; the voice of self-control and the basis for the trust imperative in today’s military.
These institutional values and principles of conduct provide the moral framework
within which military activities take place. By instructing the use of the overdue torque
wrench, Oddo is violating the AF Core Values and negatively impacting mission
effectiveness.

d. INCORRECT - see above rationale for correct answer

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: Social fitness deals with your ability to engage in healthy social networks that
promote overall well-being and optimal performance. It captures your ability to build and
maintain social networks in order to deal with distress caused by stressors and demands.
Gomez’s comments are not about social fitness. See rationale for correct response for additional
information.

b. INCORRECT: Social fitness deals with your ability to engage in healthy social networks that
promote overall well-being and optimal performance. It captures your ability to build and
maintain social networks in order to deal with distress caused by stressors and demands.
Gomez’s comments are not about social fitness. See rationale for correct response for additional
information.

c. CORRECT: By practicing skills such as critical thinking, self-awareness, and flexibility, you’re
more likely to strengthen your mental fitness…making it easier for you to adapt your
thinking and emotions to deal with stressors in a way that helps you return to your normal
state quicker. This is evident in Gomez’s comments when he says, “he has a good grasp
on acute thinking skills (critical thinking), self-awareness, and he’s shown the ability to
bounce back from diversity (flexibility)”. His actions will most likely enhance the mission.

d. INCORRECT: Gomez seems to understand mental fitness so his actions will most likely
enhance (not hinder) the mission. See rationale for correct response for additional
information.

a. CORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, respect in the POA goes beyond professional
courtesy. It means accepting others for who they are, embracing a heightened
personal sense of humility and fostering an environment of inclusiveness in which every
Airman is able and eager to offer their skills, abilities and ideas. It means treating the
equipment and resources in your possession with care, understanding and embracing
the power of diversity and holding those who mistreat others accountable. More than
anything, you must respect the humbling mission placed in your hands by the American
people, and the impact our weapons and our actions can have around the globe. In the
scenario, TSgt Richardson discusses respect in the POA when she says, “Nelson, don’t
discount Izar’s idea before hearing her out. We’re a team and are owed the courtesy of
being not only heard, but listened to. Her idea would increase the fuel efficiency and not
put strain on the engine, which will reduce breakdowns.” Richardson is holding Nelson
accountable for not fully listening to Izar’s idea. She describes Izar’s perspective as worthy
and beneficial to the team and the overall mission.

b. INCORRECT: TSgt Richardson effectively discusses respect in the POA. Therefore, she understands
the concept. See rationale ‘a’ for correct response.

c. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, Excellence In All We Do does not mean
that we demand perfection in everything from everyone. Instead, this value directs us to
continuously advance our craft and increase our knowledge as Airmen. This core value
includes mission, discipline, and teamwork. While TSgt Richardson says, “We’re a team and
are owed the courtesy of being…”, there is not enough information in the scenario to know
if TSgt Richardson understands or misunderstands Excellence in All We Do. See rationale ‘a’
for correct response for additional information.

d. See rationale for ‘a’ and for correct response for more information.
To Return

This statement best identifies a team because it emphasizes the importance of individuals working together in a synchronized manner to achieve a mutually-desired result. A team is a group of individuals who collaborate and coordinate their efforts towards a common goal, and this statement highlights the key elements of teamwork such as coordination, synchronization, and a shared objective.

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, Cognitive Gap is the
distance between one’s preferred style and the behavior actually needed in a particular
situation. It is also described as the distance in a social interaction, between the preferred
styles of two people, a person and a group or between two groups.

b. INCORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, Coping Behavior is
described as the efforts required to do something that is outside one’s preferred style. See
correct rationale for additional information.

c. INCORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, a Bridger is a person
willing to help other’s understand the cognitive approach between those being bridged
through interpersonal skill, active listening, and effective questioning techniques. Bridgers
accomplish this through the roles of counselor, mediator, and negotiator. See correct rationale
for additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, a Bridger is a person
willing to help other’s understand the cognitive approach between those being bridged
through interpersonal skill, active listening, and effective questioning techniques. Bridgers
accomplish this through the roles of counselor, mediator, and negotiator.

b. INCORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, Coping Behavior is
described as the efforts required to do something outside one’s preferred style. See correct
rationale for additional information.

c. INCORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, Cognitive Gap is the
distance between one’s preferred style and the behavior actually needed in a particular situation.
It is also described as the distance in a social interaction, between the preferred styles
of two people, a person and a group or between two groups. See correct rationale for additional
information.

a. CORRECT. The psychodynamic theory of leadership assumes the world can be a hostile
(antagonistic), unpredictable (volatile), and unforgiving (intolerant) setting (environment),
and followers look for leaders who can make sense of such turbulent (blustery) environments
(conditions) and crisis (emergency) situations (conditions). This explanation
supports the notion leaders and followers are drawn to their roles by virtue of personality
(temperament) type.

b. INCORRECT. The authentic theory of leadership suggests effective leaders are true to themselves
and others, have positive psychological states, and adhere to strong morals and values.
Although there is some of the aspects of the authentic theory of leadership in the scenario
(positive psychological temperament) and strong morals (helping people), the scenario is a
direct re-wording of the information in the chapter on the psychodynamic theory of leadership.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT. The style theory of leadership focuses on two types of leadership, task-oriented
and people-oriented. Task-oriented leadership concentrates on initiating structures and
paths for followers to perform effectively. People-oriented leadership considers fostering
good relationships between the leader and followers. Although there is some evidence of
fostering good relationships between the leader and followers, the scenario is a direct
re-wording of the information in the chapter on the psychodynamic theory of leadership.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT: According to the Keys to Successful Learning section, Lifelong Learning is not
making your primary concern a test score, but rather focus on becoming a more effective
leader by doing your best to comprehend lesson concepts and principles. With this
in mind, analyze your test results (reviews her test results) and use the information to
improve (thinks about how she is going to use this to improve herself). Your true goal
should be to apply the information after graduation (She also thinks about how she use
the information she learned in her work center). Graduation should not mark the end of
your learning, but rather the continuation of your experience as a leader, manager, and
NCO.

b. INCORRECT: TSgt Browning has already passed her final NCO DLC summative evaluation.
There is no evidence in the scenario that TSgt Browning is preparing for a test which
according to the Keys to Successful Learning section, includes being systematic in your
studying, checking notes for accuracy, building a realistic schedule, etc. See rationale for
correct response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT: There is no evidence in the scenario that TSgt Browning is taking notes which
according to the Keys to Successful Learning section, it is paramount that you develop a solid
method for taking notes as you read through the chapters. Methods include: be prepared
to take notes, look at the overview/outline including main ideas, watch for transitions-identify
topic sentences, etc. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

a. INCORRECT. The obligations part of the Right to Lead Model is done by taking the oath
of office or enlistment or accepting the terms of a commission. There is no evidence of
the obligations part of the Right to Lead Model in the scenario. See rationale for correct
response for additional information.

b. CORRECT. The authority part of the Right to Lead Model is about the authority that
flows from the constitution, the congress, and powers vested in you by the President, as
Commander-in-Chief. These powers allow you to accomplish specific missions, and to
maintain good order and discipline. Constitutional and legislative authorities, such as Title
10 of the US Code, codify in greater detail what you are allowed to do, as well as, what
you are prohibited or restricted from doing and authority, based on rank, position, (understanding
your place and power) and duty is ever present, the trick is to understand the
limits of your authority and to never abuse the authorities (rights) vested in you by our
nation and your superiors.

c. INCORRECT. The personality part of the Right to Lead Model is explained as emotional maturity
or emotional intelligence. Although TSgt Pratt may exhibit some aspects of emotional
maturity or emotional intelligence (such as self-awareness or self-management), he is identifying
the authority part of the Right to Lead Model. See rationale for correct response for
additional information

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT: According to the Time Management section, the benefits of time management
helps to maintain motivation (maintained his drive) while avoiding procrastination
(he didn’t put it off to a later time or day). The secret to successful time management is
acknowledging, setting up, and prioritizing goals (set up his goals in order of importance)
that work. Through the use of time management TSgt Henderson received a 90% on the
evaluation.

b. INCORRECT: Although TSgt Henderson appears to be motivated in the scenario, there is
no additional evidence of self-discipline. According to the Time Management section, to
complete this distance learning course successfully and within the time constraints, you’ll
need to draw upon your power of self-discipline. The independence you have with distance
learning means there are no face-to-face meetings with an instructor or fellow classmates
and therefore, no constant reminders of assignments or deadlines. See rationale for correct
response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT: TSgt Henderson is preparing for his summative evaluation and knows when it is
time to study; however, there is no additional evidence of TSgt Henderson studying.
According to the Keys to Successful Leaning section, effective reading and note taking are
keys, but to learn effectively, you will have to study your reading assignments and notes.
Your reading assignments are designed to give you knowledge-level background material on
the course subjects. The reading assignment is a building block. The progress checks, self-reflection/
learning opportunities, scenarios, and case study analysis will expand above and
beyond the reading assignment. See rationale for correct response for additional
information.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: The endurance tenet of physical fitness is a measure of how long your body
can withstand physical demands/stressors and involves stamina. Although TSgt Swarray’s
comments do mention “activities”, he is not addressing the endurance tenet of physical
fitness (activities that help us wind down). See rationale for correct response for additional
information.

b. CORRECT: The recovery tenet of physical fitness includes the practices you engage in that
help to restore energy to your body and counterbalance stress that could result in adverse
moods and/or deteriorating performance. The recovery tenet is evident when TSgt
Swarray says, “We should consider getting involved in activities that help us wind down
during these difficult times.”

c. INCORRECT: The strength tenet of physical fitness is your ability to generate force and
power, thus lowering the relative work your body has to do in order to complete desired
objectives. Although TSgt Swarray’s comments do mention “activities”, he is not addressing
the strength tenet of physical fitness (activities that help us wind down). See rationale for
correct response for additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT: The communication tenet of social fitness is the exchange of thoughts, opinions,
or information, including problem solving and relationship management. It includes
responding to others with positive, constructive feedback, even when you’re feeling
distress, and may tend to see only the negative. TSgt Lopez’s comments indicate the
communication tenet of social fitness when he says, “Let’s make sure we answer questions
with positive, useful feedback.”

b. INCORRECT: The connectedness tenet of social fitness reflects the way in which people
interact and come together. It accounts for the quality and number of connections we
make with other people in our community and also represents connections we make with
a place or people of that place. There is no evidence of the social support tenet in Lopez’s
comments. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT: The type of support that a person receives from those around them and the
feeling that they’re truly cared for makes up the social support tenet of social fitness. There
is no evidence of the social support tenet in Lopez’s comments. See rationale for correct
response for additional information.

TSgt Roy's comment to the team BEST identifies a vision statement. A vision statement is a statement that describes the desired future state or long-term goals of an organization. In this case, TSgt Roy is asking the team to come up with a statement that describes new concepts and technologies and gives the organization a way to explore through testing and wargaming techniques. This aligns with the purpose of a vision statement, which is to provide a clear direction and inspire the organization towards a common goal.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: According to the Air Force Requirements section, the core values are ethical
and moral obligations of Air Force employees, provides the foundation for professional character,
and guides Airmen’s personal and professional conduct. There is no evidence of the
core values in the statement. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

b. INCORRECT: According to the Air Force Requirements section, the purpose of the Enlisted
Force Structure is to ensure that all enlisted Airmen understand what the Air Force expects
from them at each rank. There is no evidence of the Enlisted Force Structure in the statement.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

c. CORRECT: According to the Air Force Requirements section, one document, AFMAN
36-2647, Institutional Competencies Development and Management, contains a great deal
of expectations in relation to the Institutional Competencies and serves as a foundational
document for all EPME curricula.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, Adaptors prefer to solve
problems in a structured and methodical manner. Creativity is exercised “inside the box.”
Someone that prefers this style usually comes up with ideas by modifying the current organizational
paradigm. See correct rationale for additional information.

b. CORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, Innovators prefer to
solve problems in a manner that is less concerned with structure and details. Creativity is
exercised “outside the box.” Someone that prefers this style usually breaks or goes against
the current organizational paradigm when coming up with ideas.

c. INCORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, a Bridger is a person
willing to help other’s understand the cognitive approach between those being bridged
through interpersonal skill, active listening, and effective questioning techniques. Bridgers
accomplish this through the roles of counselor, mediator, and negotiator. See correct rationale
for additional information.

a. INCORRECT: According to team roles section, the P.E.P cycle discusses how members of your
team will go through a panic, elation, panic cycle when new ideas are presented. In the
scenario, TSgt Hopkins is “very nervous” which could lead you to think he is in the first stage
of the P.E.P cycle, panic. However, TSgt Moran selects the team members based off their
team roles. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

b. INCORRECT: See rationale for ‘a’ and correct response for additional information.

c. CORRECT. TSgt Moran effectively used team roles which according to team roles section,
there are four roles that are typically found on teams and those roles, creators look for
activities that are unstructured or abstract, and they thrive on innovation and unique solutions
(SSgt Gomez, who is innovative), Advancers communicate new ideas and carry them
forward (SrA Herzig, who likes to move a task along), Refiners challenge all concepts (TSgt
Ceniceros, who likes to poke holes in ideas) and Executors focus on ensuring the implementation
process proceeds in an orderly manner (SSgt Jewett, who eagerly awaits to put
ideas into practice). TSgt Moran’s use of the team roles, will most likely increase mission
effectiveness.

d. INCORRECT: TSgt Moran’s appropriate use of team roles will increase, not decrease, mission
effectiveness. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

a. INCORRECT. Management by Exception – Passive is a leadership behavior more active than
laissez-faire behavior because the leader holds subordinates accountable if they fail to meet
standards of performance or disregard policies and procedures. The leader does not put
much effort into preventing these events from happening but will occasionally acknowledge
or extend a compliment when things are done correctly. See rationale for correct response
for additional information.

b. INCORRECT. Transformational Leadership is a leadership behavior where the leader is
genuinely engaged in the follower’s personal development, and positively influences the
follower’s self-worth. Subsequently, the follower becomes genuinely committed to the
cooperative effort and demonstrates commitment to the leader. Moreover, the leader-follower
relationship is further enriched by moving beyond a “carrot and stick” environment,
and evolving into an environment of mutual trust and respect. See rationale for correct
response for additional information

c. CORRECT. Management by Exception – Active is a leadership behavior commonly used in
environments where critical, life-threatening (dangerous) situations are expected as the
norm. MBE-A is a leadership behavior used to prevent problems from occurring (ensure
we prevent as many problems from occurring as possible) by keeping people and processes
in control. The leader monitors subordinates’ activities (I will be closely observing your
work) by ensuring compliance with rules, regulations, and performance standards (to
ensure you meet all work standards that I lay out for you).

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, the military profession, or POA, is different
from others in two ways. First, the consequences of failure in the POA for both individual
members of the Armed Forces and the Nation are more serious than in any other profession.
Most professions serve individual clients...the military serves a collective client, the
Nation. The second way the POA is different from other professions concerns its individual
members. In the scenario, TSgt Birmingham may have an understanding of the POA, but this
is not the best concept illustrated in the scenario. See rationale ‘c’ for correct response for
additional information.

b. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, The Oath of Enlistment is more than
simply raising your right hand and repeating words. It’s a public, sworn commitment where
you pledge to do whatever is necessary, whenever called upon, to support the principles of
the US Constitution that laid the groundwork for the Nation’s freedom against any enemy.
It’s a promise and personal commitment to support and defend the Constitution. To act
as a guardian of freedom and justice, and to commit to the core values. In the scenario,
TSgt Birmingham does state, “…and the oath I took when I re-enlisted.” However, she is
not illustrating the Oath of Enlistment. See rationale ‘c’ for correct response for additional
information.

c. CORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, Airmanship is a mindset. A certainty you
feel in everything you do. You believe in your oath to serve your country. You embrace
the Air Force Core Values and you’re ready to achieve whatever the Air Force asks of you.
You know the standards of behavior, the way to wear your uniform, and you help your
fellow Airmen if they forget. Your Airmanship is the most important part of the United
States Air Force. In the scenario, TSgt Birmingham outlines Airmanship to SSgt Peters.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: Physical fitness is the ability to adopt and sustain healthy behaviors needed to
enhance health and well-being. It’s aimed at building and maintaining the level of readiness
necessary to perform physical activities required to accomplish all aspects of the mission.
There is no evidence of physical fitness in this scenario. See rationale for correct response for
additional information.

b. INCORRECT: Social fitness deals with your ability to engage in healthy social networks that
promote overall well-being and optimal performance. It captures your ability to build and
maintain social networks in order to deal with distress caused by stressors and demands.
There is no evidence of social fitness in this scenario. See rationale for correct response for
additional information.

c. CORRECT: Organizational and personal core values are a part of spiritual fitness. They
are useful when dealing with stressors (tension) that might appear to be insurmountable
(unbearable). This is evident in Lopez’s comments, “When you embrace our core values as
intended, they can help you deal with the tension that might seem to be unbearable.”

The statement "An assemblage of person (or objects) located or gathered together" best identifies a group. A group refers to a collection of individuals or things that are brought together in the same place or for a common purpose. It implies a sense of unity and cooperation among its members.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: There is no evidence in the instructor’s comment that he is referring to an
affective objective which according to the Course Introduction chapter, these statements
inform you about the highest level of internalization you’re accountable for: Valuing. You’re
responsible for accepting, preferring, or committing to all of the material in this course. See
rationale for correct response for additional information.

b. INCORRECT: According to the Course Introduction chapter, terminal cognitive objectives
explain cognitive learning outcomes and will begin with either knowledge or comprehension.
This is how you’ll know what’s expected of you by the end of the chapter. Although
the instructor’s comments referenced outcomes, there is no further evidence that the
instructor is referencing terminal cognitive objectives. See rationale for correct response for
additional information.

c. CORRECT: According to the Course Introduction chapter states, you need to know what
you must be able to do to show evidence of reaching the intended outcomes (demonstrate
you have reached the planned outcome). The terminal cognitive samples of behavior
explain the knowledge, skill, or attitude you’re expected to demonstrate during and at the
end of a chapter (studying the knowledge, skill, or attitude for each lesson).

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT: Open mindedness is a willingness to investigate viewpoints different from your
own. Being open-minded means you’re ‘open’ to actively listening and thinking about
an idea, solution, or criticism (he is willing to listen and explore their inputs) that, on the
surface, you might not normally subscribe to (TSgt Willis has been in personnel for 10
years now. He knows his job well.)...even if you believe your viewpoint is the right one (he
believes he has the right processes in place).

b. INCORRECT: Having Intellectual Humility means adhering tentatively to recently acquired
opinions; being prepared to examine new evidence and arguments even if such examination
leads you to discover flaws in your own cherished beliefs; to stop thinking that complex
issues can be reduced to matters of right & wrong (totally accurate or totally incorrect) or
‘black & white’, and to begin thinking in terms of ‘degrees of certainty’ (amounts of confidence).
There is no evidence of Intellectual Humility in the scenario. See rationale for correct
response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT: To think freely, you must restrain your desire to believe because of social pressures
to conform. You must be willing to ask if conformity is motivating your belief or opinion,
and if so, have the strength and courage to at least temporarily abandon your position until
you can complete a more objective and thorough evaluation. There is no evidence of social
pressure in the scenario. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: There is no evidence of interpretation in the scenario. According to the Levels
of Learning section, interpretation is focused on re-ordering, rearranging, or formulating a
new view of the material and seeing relationships between various aspects of the material.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

b. CORRECT: According to the Levels of Learning Section, translation is focused on restating or
paraphrasing the concept, principle, generalization, or theory into your own words (puts the
material into his own words). This means you must be able to think past the exact way you
see the material in the reading and start to formulate it into the best way for you to understand
it and store it into your memory (thinks about the best way for him to understand and
retain the information).

c. INCORRECT: The scenario is refering to a sub-level of the comprehension level of learning.
Knowledge is the first level which according to the Levels of Learning section requires you to
keep, remember, recall, label, recognize, and repeat information you’ve either heard or read.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: Relevance means to ‘weed out’ the information that doesn’t have anything
to do with it. To establish Relevance, you could ask the following questions: How is that
connected to the question? How does that bear on the issue? There is no evidence of relevance
in the scenario. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

b. INCORRECT: Clarity is the state of being “clear” and clear of ambiguity. Although there is
some evidence of clarity (look at circumstances with exact precision) the entire scenario best
illustrates fairness. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

c. CORRECT: Fairness implies the treating of all relevant viewpoints alike without reference
to your own feelings or interests. Because you may tend to be biased (prejudiced) in favor
of your own viewpoint, it’s important to keep the standard of fairness at the forefront of
your thinking, especially when the situation (concerns) may call on you to see things you
may not want to see…like problems you weren’t aware of or issues (circumstances) that
might make you look bad, or give something up you may want to hold onto…like manning
or other resources (assets).

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT: There are several elements of time management in the scenario. According to
the Course Introduction chapter, time management includes the elements of scheduling
(scheduled milestones and ensured she had the time to complete them), self-discipline
(stayed motivated), dealing with distractions (staying away from things that could prevent
him from meeting his milestones), procrasitination (didn’t put things off until the last
minute).

b. INCORRECT: According to the Course Introduction chapter the keys to successful Learning
are reading, taking notes, studying, testing, and lifelong learning. There is no evidence of
the keys in the scenario. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT: According to the Course Introduction chapter, teaching methods include asynchronous
learning, self-paced learning, reading, and instructional media. For the evaluation
portion of the NCO DLC you’ll be taking a Summative Evaluation. The Summative Evaluation
is a multiple-choice test used for determining pass or fail for this DLC. The Summative
Evaluation assesses your comprehension of the material. Although TSgt Weber completed
the course which demonstrates he passed the evaluation, there is no further evidence of
teaching methods and evaluation in the scenario. See rationale for correct response for
additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, mental or moral strength to venture,
persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” Words associated with courage include
brave, daring, fearless, gallant, and heroism. There are two types of courage: moral and
physical. Moral courage is the ability and willingness to expose oneself to inconvenience,
suffering, retaliation, resentment or disapproval to stand up for what one believes to be
right. In the scenario, TSgt Johnson does say, “At times, you’ll be inconvenienced, which
could lead to resentment”. However, the question is asking about TSgt Keffer’s comments.
See rationale for ‘b’ correct response for additional information.

b. CORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, Air Force resiliency is an Airman’s ability
to withstand, recover, and/or grow in the face of stressors and changing demands by
orchestrating the use of base resources, support activities, peers and leadership. In the
scenario, TSgt Keffer’s comments identify resiliency.

c. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, Hardiness of spirit is the stout internal
force that can be used to get through challenging times mentally or physically. In the
scenario, TSgt Johnson says, “…this deployment is going to be hard…”. However, the question
is asking about TSgt Keffer’s comments. See rationale ‘b’ for correct response for
additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, problem solving limits
are inherent in everyone. Even groups of people with similar cognitive styles can be limited
in the problem solving process because of the shared approach to problem solving. There is
not enough information in the scenario to suggest MSgt Vail misunderstood problem solving
limits. See correct rationale for additional information.

b. INCORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, learning capability
states that we are all capable of learning to contribute to team problem solving, as long as
there are both motive and opportunity. There is not enough information in the scenario
to suggest MSgt Vail misunderstood learning capability. See correct rationale for additional
information.

c. CORRECT. According to the Adaption Innovation Theory chapter, to be truly successful at
solving both Problem A’s and Problem B’s, leaders must be able to effectively manage the
diversity that stems from people whose cognitive preferences ranges from highly adaptive
to highly innovative and every point in between. MSgt Vail dismissed TSgt Wynn’s suggestion
without taking it into consideration. These actions have the potential to create
Problem B’s for the team.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: The awareness tenet of mental fitness is about self-awareness (the descriptions
a person assigns to him/herself) or situational awareness (the knowledge of what’s going on
around you…accurately interpreting and attending to appropriate cues in the environment).
Even though Mullins is making Lynn aware, it is not about self- or situational awareness. See
rationale for correct response for additional information.

b. INCORRECT: The adaptability tenet of mental fitness reflects your ability to adapt to changes
associated with military life, including flexible roles within the family. There is no evidence of
the adaptability tenet of mental fitness in the scenario. See rationale for correct response for
additional information.

c. CORRECT: The decision making tenet of mental fitness involves the ability to assess a situation,
determine the desired outcome, and chart a path to get there. It takes work and good
judgement. This is evident in TSgt Whites’ statement when he says “Being able to evaluate
a condition (assess a situation), conclude the desired result (determine the desired
outcome), and create a route (chart a path) to get there takes work and good resolution.”

d. INCORRECT: The positive thinking tenet of mental fitness involves information processing,
applying knowledge, and changing preferences through restructuring, positive reframing,
making sense out of a situation, flexibility, reappraisal, refocusing, having positive outcome
expectations, a positive outlook, and psychological preparation. There is no evidence of the
positive thinking tenet of mental fitness in the scenario. See rationale for correct response
for additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: Having Intellectual Humility means adhering tentatively to recently acquired
opinions; being prepared to examine new evidence and arguments even if such examination
leads you to discover flaws in your own cherished beliefs; to stop thinking that complex
issues can be reduced to matters of right & wrong or ‘black & white’, and to begin thinking in
terms of ‘degrees of certainty’. There is no evidence of Intellectual Humility in the scenario.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

b. INCORRECT: Having Intellectual Humility means adhering tentatively to recently acquired
opinions; being prepared to examine new evidence and arguments even if such examination
leads you to discover flaws in your own cherished beliefs; to stop thinking that complex
issues can be reduced to matters of right & wrong or ‘black & white’, and to begin thinking in
terms of ‘degrees of certainty’. There is no evidence of Intellectual Humility in the scenario.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT: Thinking freely will enhance mission effectiveness (not hinder). See rationale for
correct response for additional information.

d. CORRECT: To think freely, you must restrain your desire to believe because of social pressures
to conform (TSgt Lenz is being pressured by the other section NCOICs to follow their
way of processing). You must be willing to ask if conformity is motivating your belief or
opinion (He thinks he has a better way of doing things but does not want to upset the
other NCOICs), and if so, have the strength and courage (nerve) to at least temporarily
abandon your position until you can complete a more objective and thorough evaluation
(do an inquiry of all of the processes currently in place). This will most likely enhance
mission effectiveness.

a. INCORRECT. The personality part of the Right to Lead Model deals with emotional maturity
or emotional intelligence. Although there is some evidence of personality in the scenario
(self-awareness of skills and abilities), the scenario is not about emotional maturity or
emotional intelligence. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

b. CORRECT. The competence part of the Right to Lead Model is the actual state, or level, of
skills and abilities you possess (an expert in records management). When what is required
(to become a more well-rounded leader) is greater than your present abilities or skills (an
expert in records management) you must either develop the required skills or risk failure.
It is not necessarily a bad thing to be in a position where the skill required is greater than
your current abilities as this is the very essence of being stretched (pushed) as a leader in
order to grow (mature) and develop (advance).

c. INCORRECT. The character part of the Right to Lead Model is defined as “the sum of those
qualities of moral excellence that stimulates a person [leader] to do the right thing, which is
manifested through right and proper actions despite internal or external pressures to the
contrary.” His supervisor is actually encouraging Wilcox to be a more “well-rounded leader”
by moving to another flight. There is no evidence of the character part of the Right to Lead
Model in the scenario. See rationale for correct response for additional information

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT: Relevance means to ‘weed out’ the information that doesn’t have anything
to do with it. Since TSgt Jones is looking a wait times (Our focus is on wait times) and
(According to our metrics, the wait time goal is 30 minutes or less), only the 70 complaints
on wait times (Out of the 100, 70 of the complaints are focused on long wait times, averaging
45 minutes to an hour and a half) should be considered. The complaints on courtesy
(Ten complaints are about the courtesy of our civilian technicians) and cleanliness (The
other 20 are about the cleanliness of our area) are not relevant to wait times and should
be weeded-out.

b. INCORRECT: Clarity is the state of being “clear” and clear of ambiguity. There is no evidence
of a lack of clarity in this scenario. See rationale for correct response for additional
information.

c. INCORRECT: Fairness implies the treating of all relevant viewpoints alike without reference
to your own feelings or interests. There is no evidence of a lack of clarity in this scenario.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: Open mindedness is a willingness to investigate viewpoints different from your
own. Being open-minded means you’re ‘open’ to actively listening and thinking about an
idea, solution, or criticism that, on the surface, you might not normally subscribe to...even if
you believe your viewpoint is the right one. Although there is some evidence of open mindedness,
the scenario best identifies intellectual humility. See rationale for correct response
for additional information.

b. CORRECT: Having Intellectual Humility means adhering tentatively to recently acquired
opinions; being prepared to examine new evidence and arguments even if such examination
leads you to discover flaws in your own cherished beliefs; to stop thinking that
complex issues can be reduced to matters of right & wrong (totally accurate or totally
incorrect) or ‘black & white’, and to begin thinking in terms of ‘degrees of certainty’
(amounts of confidence).

c. INCORRECT: To think freely, you must restrain your desire to believe because of social pressures
to conform. You must be willing to ask if conformity is motivating your belief or opinion,
and if so, have the strength and courage to at least temporarily abandon your position until
you can complete a more objective and thorough evaluation. There is no evidence of social
pressure in the scenario. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

a. INCORRECT. Those who exercise laissez-faire leadership view the development of their
subordinates as someone else’s problem and demonstrate laziness. They abandon or pass
on their responsibilities, fail to respond urgently to critical situations, remain indifferent
toward important issues, and are hesitant to make decisions or deal with chronic problems.
Because Clark takes action when someone falls below standards or violates policy, he is using
MBE-P, which is a little bit above laissez-faire. See rationale for correct response for additional
information.

b. INCORRECT. See rationale for “a” and correct response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT . MBE-P will hinder, not enhance unit effectiveness. See rationale for correct
response for additional information.

d. CORRECT: MBE-P is more active than laissez-faire behavior because the leader holds
subordinates accountable (intervenes) if they fail to meet standards of performance or
disregard policies and procedures (only when someone infringes on the rules). MBE-P is
laissez-faire…with a follow-up if there’s a problem. The leader does not put much effort
into preventing these events from happening (Why mess with something that’s working?).
This will most likely hinder NCO effectiveness because the non-verbal message communicated
is: the passive way of doing things is acceptable, or perhaps even expected

RATIONALE:

a. CORRECT: According to the Introduction to the IDDP Structured Thinking Process, differentiating
allows you to demonstrate your ability to distinguish whether actions, decisions, or
behaviors described in the scenario are appropriate or inappropriate, or effective or ineffective
according to the chapter concepts and principles. There’s no degree of appropriate
or inappropriate; something is either right or wrong whether the behaviors were right or
wrong).

b. INCORRECT: According to the Introduction ot the IDDP Structured Thinking Process this third
step allows you to demonstrate your ability to Determine an appropriate and/or effective
course of action based on your understanding of chapter concepts and principles. There
is no evidence of this in the statement. See rationale for correct response for additional
information.

c. INCORRECT: According to the Introduction ot the IDDP Structured Thinking Process Identify
allows you to demonstrate your ability to identify, in a situation or scenario, concepts or
principles associated with specific main points or chapters. There is no evidence of this in
the statement. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, The POA is a unique profession whose
customer base spans the Nation and even globally. A profession must include a body of
theory and specialized knowledge, a public service orientation, and a distinct subculture.
The purpose of any profession is to serve society by effectively delivering a necessary and
useful service. For an occupation to be a profession, it must contain an element of selflessness,
a sense that one’s personal actions serve the greater good. In the scenario, TSgt
Goodgame may have an understanding of the POA, but this is not the best concept identified
in the scenario. See rationale ‘c’ for correct response for additional information.

b. INCORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, the core values are those institutional
values and principles of conduct that provide the moral framework within which military
activities take place. SSgt Rosemond does mention “As professionals getting ready to deploy,
you’re putting the service before yourself…” However, there is not enough information in
the scenario to know if TSgt Goodgame was referring to the core values in the briefing. See
rationale ‘c’ for correct response for additional information.

c. CORRECT: According to the Airmanship chapter, Warrior Ethos is the tenacity to push
through self-discipline, self control, hardiness of spirit despite physical, and mental hardships,
moral and physical courage. In the scenario TSgt Goodgame’s comments reflect
Warrior Ethos.

RATIONALE:

a. INCORRECT: The awareness tenet of mental fitness is about self-awareness (the descriptions
a person assigns to him/herself) or situational awareness (the knowledge of what’s going on
around you…accurately interpreting and attending to appropriate cues in the environment).
Even though Ford is making Clark aware, it is not about Knight’s self- or situational awareness.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

b. CORRECT: The adaptability tenet of mental fitness is the ability to adapt to changes associated
with military life, including flexible roles within the family. This is evident in TSgt
Ford’s statement when he says “number of deployments he’s had lately” (changes associated
with military life), and “caused a lot of stress on him and his family if they haven’t
been prepared for the changes” (including flexible roles within the family).

c. INCORRECT: The decision-making tenet of mental fitness involves thoughts, attitudes, and
behaviors used for evaluating and choosing courses of action to solve a problem or reach a
goal. There is no evidence of the decision-making tenet of mental fitness in the scenario.
See rationale for correct response for additional information.

d. INCORRECT: The positive thinking tenet of mental fitness involves information processing,
applying knowledge, and changing preferences through restructuring, positive reframing,
making sense out of a situation, flexibility, reappraisal, refocusing, having posi- tive outcome
expectations, a positive outlook, and psychological preparation. There is no evidence of the
positive thinking tenet of mental fitness in the scenario. See rationale for correct response
for additional information.

RATIONALE

a. CORRECT: The core values tenet of spiritual fitness includes organizational values (core
values) and also personal values that can help form the framework for our attitudes and
how we see/approach life in general. They’re a reflection of what’s important to us as individuals.
TSgt Study’s comments indicate the core values tenet of spiritual fitness when he
says, “…we all have principles (values) that form the framework for our approaches (attitudes)
and how we see life in general. They’re a reflection of what’s important to us as
individuals.”

b. INCORRECT: The perseverance tenet of spiritual fitness involves being persistent in your
pursuit of a course of action, purpose, state, etc. There is no evidence of the perseverance
tenet in Study’s comments. See rationale for correct response for additional information.

c. INCORRECT: The perspective tenet of spiritual fitness represents how you view situations,
facts, etc. and how you judge their relative importance…how YOU see things. There is no
evidence of the perspective tenet in Study’s comments. See rationale for correct response
for additional information.

d. INCORRECT: The purpose tenet of spiritual fitness represents the reason for which one
exists…your calling…your reason for being. There is no evidence of the purpose tenet in
Study’s comments. See rationale for correct response for additional information.