Awarded for completion of any of the prescribed U.S. Army non-commissioned officer development courses. The first award of the ribbon is issued for completion of the Warrior Leader's Course (WLC) – formerly called the "Primary Leadership Development Course" or “PLDC.” When an Army NCO completes additional schooling (such as the Basic NCO Course, Advanced NCO Course, or First Sergeant's Course), the ribbon is issued with a bronze numeral. The highest numeral authorized for the NCO Professional Development Ribbon is “4". The numeral “5" is obsolete and was previously authorized for graduation from the Army Sergeants Major Academy.