The purpose of this essay is to expand my understanding of the importance of following instructions and why is it critical in a military setting. The United States Military is the most lethal and well trained armed force on this planet. It did not start out this way, it was started out by a handful of colonists that had unresolved grievances with their king. A few hundred years later, that very same military is able to drop a bomb or move troops anywhere in the world within a day. I will be explaining why discipline, the value of teamwork, the chain of command, and the importance following orders all play essential roles in ensuring the United States military “machine” continues to function in every theater it operates in. Discipline is a key building block in following instructions. It allows the subordinate to use critical listening, and thinking skills to comprehend what the supervisor is asking of them. Within the military, discipline ensures that the instructions are carried out even in the most stressful of situations. Jim Rohn said that “we all must suffer one of two things: the pain of …show more content…
Each member of the team is given a certain role that performs unique tasks that aid the collective team in reaching their goal. If a team member lacks discipline and is unable to follow instructions, the weight of that person's work falls on the rest of the team. The military is no exception to this, when a team leader fails to follow instructions, the squad leader must cover down. When the squad leader covers down, it causes additional strain on the platoon sergeant and First Sergeant. Every part of the team, no matter how small it is compared to the big picture, has a specific role in ensuring the entire team reaches its goals. The nature of the military does not make it immune to this, but in fact makes it more even more critical every soldier follows
Mission Command is the framework used by the U.S. Army to ensure key leaders receive clear direction from commanders. Clear commander’s guidance allows subordinates to make disciplined and informed decisions to best accomplish assigned tasks. Ideally, application of mission command principles ensures all elements integrate and sync actions, thus creating a shared understanding and purpose. Analysis of Major General (MG) William Garrison’s decision making during the Battle of Mogadishu demonstrates how mission command principles must be applied to gain and maintain a position of advantage during military ground operations. As commander of Task Force Ranger (TFR), MG Garrison demonstrated both successful and failed application of mission command principles. Four principles will be discussed in the
Discipline is very important for anyone who is part of the Uniformed Public Services. Discipline is put in place to maintain order and to make sure that everyone works to the best of their abilities. All the services are organised in a similar way with a clear rank structure and clearly defined roles and responsibilities, which all rely on discipline to work effectively.
Commanders at all levels face increasingly challenging scenarios as the operational environment changes. Some instinctively motivate and empower their subordinates to think and act independently, thereby influencing actions during combat. However, those who understand the commanders' activities of mission command will influence not only subordinates, but the outcome of the battle as well. Mission command is the exercise of authority and direction by the commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander’s intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders.1 Commanders who understood the importance of mission command was Major General Horatio Gates. General Gates at the Battle of Saratoga successfully
Discipline influenced how militaries prepared to fight and win wars, such as conducting drill and training before going to war. Drill instilled discipline and was essential to the way troops behaved during war. Drill had been part of military training to teach armies how to use their weapons, but in
This is a question that inevitably arises in the mind of every soldier who serves in the Armed Forces. Does a soldier need to follow authority and live according to the military way of life to be successful in the Armed Forces? There are seven core values that soldiers are expected to embody, which are loyalty, duty, respect, personal courage, selfless service, integrity and honor. Although job responsibilities vary by assignment, the core values apply to every soldier, regardless of job or rank. Through this essay I will attempt to prove that military ethics are not absolute and that many controversial issue lye inside the command itself and not the autonomous individual choosing. All of the military core values change depending on every individual circumstance and what values they truly believe in. Therefore, the seven military core
Throughout the course of military history, and more recently in United States Armed Forces over the past 14 years, there has been a debate over the importance of leadership in combat versus leadership in a garrison; weighing one over the other. Combat leadership requires rapid, kinetic decisions focused on aggressive actions; garrison leadership is a more deliberate process, grounded in safety, and focused on training for combat operations. In spite of these key differences between combat and garrison leadership; the fundamental aspects of leading remain the same: objective, outcome, and standards of performance. The only thing that changes in comparing leadership between combat and garrison operations is the environment in which one leads another. Neither combat nor garrison leadership is more important than the other is; nor should there be any discernable difference between leadership in a combat environment versus a garrison environment.
“Soldiers ' ability to sustain themselves and their fellow soldiers during periods of high stress is built upon rock-hard confidence in themselves and their leadership chain beginning with fire team leaders or the noncommissioned officer of their section. What we have learned and relearned in our Army is that unit cohesion and teamwork are what give individual soldiers the confidence to use initiative, to be resourceful, and to be all they can be. A soldier always wants the best to be at his front, rear, right and left, trained to stay there regardless of what may happen. A special bond develops when leaders live their lives following the fundamentals of leadership.”-- SMA Glen E. Morrell
After more than a decade of armed conflict, the United States Army has emerged as one of the most effective fighting forces in the world. Years of shaping to meet high mission demands have turned our service into an occupation like no other. As we look ahead to the future, it is important to understand what has made our profession successful in the past so that we may uphold our hard-earned legacy. The biggest obstacle we face is that the Army’s formula for success continues to introduce new and complex variables as we quickly move into modern operational environments. The only steadfast factor that truly determines our fate is effective leadership. We must tirelessly seek to understand effective leadership in order to maintain the
Discipline and behavior are explicitly intertwined and will have a significant impact on one another. Discipline often carries a negative connotation because its association with punishment. Further, discipline is not merely a correcting disobedience, but rather a code of standards to follow. You will associate a positive image of the Airman who possesses a great deal discipline. My work center has not had any serious offenses,
Discipline is crucial to a military organization and its importance cannot be underestimated. This is why prevention is extremely important. Without proper discipline the team center’s productivity and morale can be adversely affected. Problems that are not addressed appropriately can be detrimental to the working center.
Battle represents the severest test of a commander's mastery of leadership doctrine, for the commander must stimulate subordinates to do things that would imperil their health, even cost them their lives. It is here that the leadership role diverges from the command role. Command merely vests the leader with authority to define and order the accomplishment of an objective. Achieving it requires the additional influence of leadership. Ideally, the leader sets the standard for command through personal example and shared sacrifice. He must, therefore, demonstrate confidence in the troops and in his own abilities, while acknowledging the risks his decisions may entail. If subordinates trust the leader's judgment and abilities, and believe that he would not unnecessarily expose them to danger, his authority and decisions will not be questioned. Under the stress of combat, however, a leader cannot assume instant obedience. Fear and the instinct for self‐preservation are powerful disincentives to any dangerous enterprise, and the commander cannot simply will them
We, the military, set standards for a reason and that is to ensure requirements to do our job correctly and effectively are met. When individuals fail to meet the standards, they must be held accountable. Leaders must ensure their Airmen maintain discipline. Applying the proper steps of progressive discipline ensures that all members are held accountable for their actions.
The need for discipline in the armed forces is well recognized, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice as well as the respective codes of conduct for the enlisted, warrant and commissioned officers of the military place a high priority on discipline. Despite the ongoing need for a well-disciplined military, some authorities have cited a degrading level of discipline in the U.S. armed forces in general and in the U.S. Army in particular. This paper examines the relevant literature to determine if this is the case, and provides a summary of the research and important findings in the conclusion.
“A leader is the man who has the ability to get other people to do what they don't want to do, and like it.” Harry Truman’s words illustrate the importance of obedience to leaders. Members of the military are told what to do everyday; some of those soldiers disagree with their orders Does that mean they abandon the mission and possibly risk lives? No, they put aside their values and do what they are told. Soldiers past and present discard values to follow orders because they are taught to obey their superiors commands,and to disobey an order means the chain of command may collapse.
Discipline means control gained by enforcing obedience or order. It also means orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior. Discipline is important in all situations by everyone young & old. Discipline can vary from keeping yourself from eating the last piece of pizza or killing someone. Without discipline, the world would be more chaotic than what it is now. Jim Rohn said once “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” Discipline is applied to each activity in our lives. I however have shown a extreme lack of discipline by falling asleep in class, in doing so I have shown a tremendous lack of discipline to my instructors, my class mates, & the organization that has so graciously