Guardians of the Republic : A History of the Noncommissioned Officer Corps of the U.S. Army

This is the definitive work on one of the least studied aspects of military history - the non-commissioned officer.

Since colonial America, NCOs have played pivotal roles in the administration, training, morale, and fighting effectiveness of the Army.

The author traces the evolution of NCO duties; their rank and insignia; relationship to officers; their training (or non-training); and the professional development scheme initiated after the Vietnam experience which produced the finest non-commissioned officer corps in the world.