Assessing Attributes and Competencies (taken from BLC 1009A)
The 1009A assesses the areas on the new DA Form 1059 Part II (blocks f – k) and will be used for qualitative purposes only on the DA Form 1059 Academic Evaluation Report. Ratings within these areas will contribute to the DA Form 1059 Part III Overall Academic Achievement for class standing determination, but will not be applied any quantitative value contributing to GPA. Students are assessed on leadership attributes and competencies using the 1009A throughout the entire course. At the end of the course, instructors will complete the 1009A block for that phase and will provide feedback to the student with an emphasis on opportunities for growth, development, character, and presence. The six attributes and competencies are assessed independently of each other on this form. The score of one attribute/competency will not be added to the score of another attribute/competency (i.e. Character will not be added to Presence). This form will produce six separate ratings, one for each attribute/competency as explained below. 

Attributes of Leadership

f. CHARACTER/ACCOUNTABILITY

CHARACTER: Leadership is affected by a person’s character and identity. Integrity is a key mark of a leader’s character. It means doing what is right, legally and morally. The considerations required in leader choices are seldom obvious as wholly ethical or unethical. Character is a critical component of being a successful US Army leader. Character is one’s true nature including identity, sense of
purpose, values, virtues, morals, and conscience. Character is reflected in a US Army professional’s dedication and adherence to the US Army Ethic and the US Army Values.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Leaders employ character when all decisions, big or small, are analyzed for ethical consequences. One must have the knowledge of how to address the consequences. This knowledge comes from the US Army Ethic, personal experience, and others’ guidance. Army ethics develops strong character, ethical reasoning, and decision-making, empathy for others and the self-discipline to always do what is right. The understanding that Soldiers are individually accountable not only what is done, but also for what might not
be done. 

PRESENCE: The impression a leader makes on others contributes to success in getting people to follow. This impression is the sum of a leader’s outward appearance, demeanor, actions and words and the inward character and intellect of the leader. Presence entails the projection of military and professional bearing, holistic fitness, confidence, and resilience. Strong presence is important as a touchstone for subordinates, especially under duress.

COMPREHENSIVE FITNESS: Soldiers and leaders develop and maintain individuals. They display physical, mental, and emotional
persistence, quickly recover from difficult situations, and exemplify the resilience necessary to fight and win in any operational situation.

INTELLECT: The leader’s intellect affects how well a leader thinks about problems, creates solutions, makes decisions, and leads others. Each leader needs to be self-aware of strengths and limitations and apply them accordingly. Being mentally agile helps leaders address changes and adapt to the situation and the dynamics of operations. Judgment, as a key component of intellect, is an ability to make considered decisions and come to sensible conclusions. Leaders can reflect on how they think and better foster the development of judgment in others.

CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING: Problem solving, critical and creative thinking, and ethical reasoning are the thought processes involved in understanding, visualizing, and directing. Critical thinking ensures that the person is engaged in the learning process, critically considering the information or practice of skills. Critical thinking requires analysis, comparisons, contrasting ideas, making inferences and predictions, evaluating the strength of evidence, and drawing conclusions. It also requires the self-discipline to use reason and avoid impulsive conclusions. Competencies of Leadership

LEADS: Leads others involves influencing Soldiers and Army Civilians in the leader’s organization. Extends influence beyond the chain of command involves influencing others when the leader does not have designated authority or while the leader’s authority is not recognized by others, such as with unified action partners. Builds trust is an important competency to establish conditions of effective
influence and for creating a positive environment.

COMMUNICATION & ENGAGEMENT (oral, written, and negotiation): Soldiers and leaders express themselves clearly and succinctly in oral, written, and digital communications. They use interpersonal tact, influence, and communication to build effective working relationships
and social networks that facilitate knowledge necessary for continuous improvement. Engagement is characterized by a comprehensive commitment to transparency, accountability, and credibility.

DEVELOPS: Leaders create a positive environment and inspire an organization’s climate and culture. Leader prepare themselves and encourage improvement in leading and other areas of leader responsibility. Leaders develop others to assume greater responsibility
or achieve higher expertise. A leader is a steward in the profession and maintains professional standards and effective capabilities for the future.

COLLABORATION: Soldiers and leaders create high-performing formal and informal groups by leading, motivating, and influencing individuals and partners to work toward common goals effectively. They are effective team members, understand team dynamics, and take appropriate action to foster trust, cohesion, communication, cooperation, effectiveness, and dependability within the team. Leaders build teams, seek multiple perspectives, alternative viewpoints, and manage team conflict.

ACHIEVES: Gets results and accomplishes tasks and missions on time and to standard. Getting results is the goal of leadership while leading people and creating positive conditions. This requires the right level of delegation, empowerment, and trust balanced against the mission.

LIFE LONG LEARNER (includes digital literacy): Soldiers and leaders continually assess themselves, identify what they need to learn and use skills that help them to effectively acquire and update knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Soldiers and leaders value and integrate all forms of learning (formal, informal) on a daily basis to seek improvement of themselves and their organizations continuously. Soldiers and leaders access, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources and leverage technology (hardware and software) to improve their effectiveness and that of their teams while executing the Army’s missions. Digital literacy skills are developed at initial entry and
increase progressively at each career level. 

Assessment Standards
FAR EXCEEDED STANDARDS: Consistently performs extraordinarily above the required US Army standards and organizational goals of leader competencies and attributes; leadership enables unit to far surpass required organizational and US Army standards; demonstrated performance epitomizes excellence in all aspects; this student consistently takes disciplined initiative in applying leader competencies and attributes; results have an immediate impact and enduring effect on the mission, their classmates/peers, the unit, and the US Army; demonstrated by the best of the upper third of students in the same course. This rating is reserved for those students who clearly separate themselves from their peers and must be supported with instructor comments.

EXCEEDED STANDARDS: Often performs above the required US Army standards and organizational goals of leader competencies and attributes; this student often takes disciplined initiative in applying leader competencies and attributes; results have an immediate impact on the mission, their classmates/peers, the unit, and the US Army; this level of performance is not common, typically demonstrated by the upper third of students of the same course.

MET STANDARDS: Successfully achieves and maintains the required US Army standards and organizational goals of leader competencies and attributes; effectively meets and enforces standards for the academy and takes appropriate initiative in applying the leader competencies and attributes; results have a positive impact on the mission of the organization, classmates/peers, and the US Army; this level of performance is considered normal and typically demonstrated by a majority of students in the same course. 

DID NOT MEET STANDARDS: Fails to meet or maintain the required US Army standards and organizational goals of leader competencies and attributes; does not enforce or meet standards for the organization; exhibits/displays minimal or no effort; actions often have a negative effect on the classroom environment, classmates/peers, and the US Army. Did not meet that standard is reserved for those students who do not meet the standard and must be supported with instructor comments.
The examples listed in each of the attributes and competencies are not to be considered all-inclusive or a specific requirement. Each student will receive a scored 1009A upon completion of each phase. They will be scored on the six (6) attributes and competencies listed: Character/Accountability; Presence/Comprehensive Fitness; Intellect/Critical Thinking; Leads/Communication & Engagement;
Develops/Collaboration; and Achieves/Life Long Learner. Each Attribute and Competency is scored as follows:

Far Exceeds: 25     Exceeds: 23     Met the Standard: 18     Did Not Meet: 0.
At the end of the course, each student will have a total of four (4) scores for each of the attributes and competencies. The sum of these four scores will determine what rating to mark on the 1059 for the Part II, blocks f thru k. The following scale will determine the overall rating:

Far Exceeds: 96 – 100 Exceeds: 90 – 95 Met: 70 – 89 Did Not Meet: 69 and Below.
The overall sum of all attributes and competencies will be the number used on the Eligibility Scale below in determining students’ eligibility for ranking (i.e. Commandant’s List, Superior Academic, or Achieved Course Standards (see eligibility criteria from the CMP and below). Students must achieve 480 total points on the 1009A to compete for Commandants List and Superior Academic Achievement.

An example for the Character/Accountability attribute earned through the four phases:
Foundation Phase: 25 points
Leadership Phase: 23 points
Readiness Phase: 18 points
Assessment Phase: 18 points
Total score for this attribute and competency is 84.
This equates to a Met Standard rating for the Character/Accountability attribute on the DA Form 1059 

You then add in the scores for all attributes and competencies for each phase:
Character/Accountability 84
Presence/Comprehensive Fitness 90
Intellect/Critical Thinking & problem Solving 70
Leads/Communication & Engagement 84
Develops/Collaboration 90
Achieves/Life Long Learner 84
Total score is 84+90+70+84+90+84=502
Per the eligibility scale below, this student would eligible to compete for Commandants List and Superior Academic Achievement.
Eligibility Scale
Commandant’s List & Superior Academic Achievement
480 - 600

CMP Extract (BLC)
Students who received any “Did Not Meet Standard” assessment within part II, blocks f through k from the academic rater may only be assessed as a “Failed to Achieve Course Standards” or “Achieved Course Standards” Overall Academic Achievement box check selection. A box check selection of “Achieved Course Standards” requires explanation. (AR 623-3, paragraph 3-13e(5)(a)6) Any student receiving two or more “Did Not Meet Standards” rating in PART II, blocks f thru k, will be rated as “Failed to Achieve Course Standards” in PART III, block a.

Students who fail any assessment are not eligible for the Commandant’s List or the Superior Academic Achievement in PART III block a.

Students who receive any adverse counsellings are not eligible for the Commandant’s List. Students who receive two or more adverse counsellings are not eligible for the Superior Academic Achievement in PART III block a. However, the commandant may withhold the
Superior Academic Achievement rating from a student with only one adverse counseling that is more than a minor infraction.

Curriculum Development (NCOL CoE) through discussion and collaboration has added the attributes and competences cumulative score as a requirement to compete for the Commandants List and/or Superior Academic Achievement for the overall rating on the 1059. This ties the overall GPA and Attributes and Competencies together.