NCOER Intellect Bullets
The Intellect section evaluates mental agility, sound judgment, innovation, interpersonal tact, and domain knowledge. It captures how the rated Soldier thinks, learns, and applies knowledge to solve problems.
Applied [knowledge/skill] to solve [problem] resulting in [outcome]
Demonstrated sound judgment by [decision] during [situation]
Completed [PME/course/certification] enhancing [capability]
Adapted [plan/approach] when [situation changed] achieving [result]
Excellence bullets:
o identified a flaw in the convoy route during rehearsal that would have routed the column through a known IED hotspot, redirecting with 20 minutes to spare
o built a digital maintenance tracker that cut parts-request processing time from three days to four hours
o diagnosed an intermittent generator fault that had stumped two contractors, saving the unit a $6,000 service call
o translated a dense operations order into a one-page smart card that cut squad leader prep time in half
o de-escalated a dispute between two allied liaison officers during a multinational exercise, preserving the training timeline
o recommended a change to the range safety SOP after spotting a gap in the fan pattern, adopted battalion-wide within a month
o completed the Basic Leader Course as the distinguished honor graduate out of 42 students
Success bullets:
o applied troubleshooting steps from the technical manual to restore a down radio system in under 30 minutes
o adapted the training plan when weather cancelled the range, substituting a productive classroom block on call-for-fire procedures
o used tactful language to redirect a frustrated Soldier during a difficult counseling session, preserving trust
o completed Structured Self-Development Level 3 six months ahead of the suspense
o caught a scheduling conflict between two mandatory training events before it affected attendance
o applied lessons learned from a previous rotation to streamline the packing list for the current field exercise
o exercised sound judgment declining to execute a task that conflicted with the safety brief, then proposed a compliant alternative
Needs improvement bullets:
o required multiple explanations to grasp new maintenance procedures introduced during fielding
o made a judgment call to bypass a checklist step under time pressure, resulting in a rework of the task
o struggled to communicate technical guidance clearly to newer Soldiers, causing repeated errors
o needed prompting from the platoon sergeant to recognize an unsafe ammunition handling practice
o showed limited adaptability when the training schedule changed on short notice