SMA Weimer Engages Future Leaders at the U.S. Army NCO Academy, Challenges Sergeants Major Course Students with Seven Crucial Questions

FORT BLISS, Texas — Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer visited the U.S. Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy (USANCOA) at Fort Bliss on May 11, 2026, to engage directly with the Army’s next generation of senior enlisted leaders.

During the visit, SMA Weimer conducted a comprehensive Leader Professional Development (LPD) session with the resident students of the Sergeants Major Course (SMC) Class 76. Taking the time to connect at the ground level, he toured multiple classrooms, posed for group photos with the students, and presented a coin of excellence to a dedicated academy staff member in recognition of their outstanding performance and support to the institution.

In addition to his time with the resident course, SMA Weimer capitalized on the opportunity to conduct a face-to-face engagement with students from Distance Learning Class 51-006. These senior NCOs had recently arrived on ground at Fort Bliss to execute the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), the final culminating requirement to conclude their rigorous non-resident Sergeants Major Course curriculum.

While the visit featured the traditional hallmarks of a senior leader tour, the core of SMA Weimer’s message was deeply introspective and demanding. He utilized the LPDs not just to impart institutional updates, but to challenge the future Sergeants Major to critically evaluate their internal motivation, readiness, and holistic health before stepping into the highest enlisted echelons of the operational force.

During each engagement, the Sergeant Major of the Army charged the NCOs to carefully reflect on seven vital questions, a rigorous self-assessment designed to gauge their true preparedness for the immense responsibilities that await them.

First, Weimer asked the NCOs to define their core motivation: "What is your 'Why'?" He followed this closely with a second, role-specific inquiry: "Why do you 'Want' to be a Sergeant Major?" These foundational questions forced the students to look beyond the prestige of the rank and focus on the true purpose behind their continued service.

The third question brought the family unit into the leadership equation. Weimer asked, "What would your spouse or significant other say your response would be to those first two questions?" By asking if their internal motivations aligned with their partner's understanding, he highlighted the indispensable role of honest communication and shared purpose in sustaining a successful, long-term military career.

Moving beyond purpose, Weimer introduced a 1-to-10 scale, noting that a score of five or below is a negative indicator to measure enthusiasm and holistic wellness. His fourth question asked: "On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you to get back to the Force as a Sergeant Major?"

The fifth and sixth questions focused entirely on readiness through wellness. He challenged the students to rate how "healthy" they will be upon returning to the Force, explicitly defining health across three essential pillars: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual fitness. He immediately followed this by asking them to use the exact same scale to evaluate the overall health of their families. This segment underscored a fundamental Army reality: a leader cannot effectively sustain or care for an organization if they, or their support systems at home, are compromised.

The seventh and final question served as the ultimate litmus test for any senior NCO in the United States Army: "Are you ready to take an organization to combat as a Sergeant Major?"

As the students of both SMC Class 76 and Distance Learning Class 51-006 prepare to graduate and disperse to units across the globe, SMA Weimer’s visit served as a powerful reminder of the profound weight of their upcoming roles. The seven questions he left behind at Fort Bliss are not meant to be answered in a single afternoon, but rather to serve as a continuous guidepost as these senior NCOs prepare to lead, train, and care for the Army's formations in an increasingly complex world.