A section commander course, not a cl or cli, but a full 6 weeks on commanding a squad, instructed by maybe some real section commanders. The course would focus on things like morale, motivation, navigation, radio communication procedures, navigation, hygiene, a standard or wilderness first aid course should be included.
Once the section commanders know how to lead, then you can teach them about patrolling and recce. They should earn the fun stuff. My corps just gives you the section, says go "recce" this area, then come back. Things have been getting better lately, but a real focus on leading a squad would help.
We had a weekend exercise on thanksgiving, and when the corps was forming sections for the night navigation exercise, one of the section commanders from a corps we brought with us, broke down and started to panic. She had never lead a section before, much less at night in the rain. She was new to the map and compass thing. She wound up walking into the bush for half an hour and then turned around and came right back because she didn‘t know what else to do. We caught them just as they were reaching our biv site and we sent one of our warrants with her to help her out untill she got a bit more comfortable, but the whole thing just ruined the weekend for her cadets.
I strongly believe there should be an intense course about leading a section before anyone thinks about getting the rank of sgt, or even master corporal.
Just my two cents.
