This Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) manual, The Noncommissioned Officer and Petty Officer: Backbone of the Armed Forces, is a book that holistically defines the nature and calling of the U.S. Armed Forces noncommissioned officer and petty officer. Grounded in the Profession of Arms and distinctive in its own right, this book complements the Department of Defense's The Armed Forces Officer, as well as the Services' noncommissioned officer and petty officer doctrinal manuals. The writing team was charged to make certain that their work accurately captures the attributes and competencies of noncommissioned officers and petty officers across all Service branches through the lenses of both war and peace. It is not a "how to" or instructional manual. Rather, it is focused on defining and characterizing the noncommissioned officer and petty officer.