The Values Of Army Soldiers And Military Organization

As servants to the community, state, and nation, Soldiers and leaders must live by solid ethical foundations that revolve around Army Values. Professionals adhere to a set of industry standards; our ethical standards as Army professionals are Army Values and the Soldiers Creed. People (Soldiers) are the Army’s number one priority according to the current Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. McConville. With that, changing the Army culture is part of ensuring our Soldiers are number one. As leaders, we are responsible to embody the Army Values and be models of the profession. A Soldier that lacks Army Values is detriment to themselves and their team, but if a leader lacks Army Values, that leader is detriment to the organization. It is important that we strive as leaders to cultivate the next generation of leaders of the utmost character. 

People are the number one priority for the Army right now, if we don’t have the right people in the right places, we (the Army) will not succeed. In my (relatively short) time in the Army, I have served in multiple capacities in various organizations and understand how important people are to an organization, especially leaders. It is true from an infantry squad all the way up to a division headquarters. Leaders at every level are critical to the success of those organizations. And not just the leaders, but the leader’s character. If that leader cannot build a cohesive team that trusts each other, then that team or organization will not function to its greatest capacity. Building trust in teams is one challenge that leaders face. They can facilitate this by creating a shared understanding and common values by the individuals on that team. If individuals on those teams do not share common warrior ethos, Army Values, and Army professionalism, that team will not operate to its greatest ability.

I have seen this firsthand how poor leadership values can be a detriment to an organization. Serving as a full time unit administrator in a National Guard unit, I was granted access to conduct personnel actions for a battalion. In this capacity often I was exposed to office gossip regarding poor values of certain leaders. Occasionally I would notice during training how one of said leader’s (let's call him John) unit was suffering under his toxic leadership. Then one day working back in the office, John approached me and offered money to conduct an administrative action that was not ethical or legal. I could have easily conducted the actions and no one would have ever known. However, as a leader, I could not bring myself to facilitate his degradation of the Army Values and contribute to his toxic behavior. That was not the only time I was bribed in that capacity. Thankfully, both of those individuals have since been separated from Army service. Unfortunately, one of them is now an elected official in congress.

As Army professionals, and especially as Army leaders, we must strive to improve the culture in the Army. In doing so, we will facilitate a culture of trust, cohesiveness, and altogether strong units across the Army. If you allow one incident, or turn a blind eye to something that goes against being an Army professional, then you are allowing that person or Soldier's poor behavior to continue. If that person continues to demonstrate negative characteristics, yet continues to move up in rank, he/she will be counterproductive, even dangerous to the organization they belong to. It is imperative that we not turn a blind eye to a simple action that could snowball into something larger down the road.

Recently I began a new position training Cadets in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). This is the first position that I have served in a capacity to directly cultivate individuals who are just beginning (for the most part) their Army careers. Army Culture is three of four critical enablers in The Army People Strategy, 2019. The lead integrator for this enabler is TRADOC. With that being said, I revere that I am able to play a role in the Army’s number 1 priority. In this capacity, we (instructors) must strive to be models of the profession. We must develop these future leaders to build cultures of trust and professionalism. These are trying times for the Army as we begin to modernize and begin a new chapter after almost 20 years of conflict. The past 20 years has shaped many of the leaders today, yet we have to focus on how we are going to shape the leaders of tomorrow. “No organization has the same culture it did a generation ago. In the 21st century, the question for leaders is not whether culture should change, but how it should change.