Army Training and Education within the Ranks
Sergeant Eric A. Walker
Engineer Advanced Leaders Course Class 002-15
Instructor: Staff Sergeant Payne
01 May 2015
Abstract
In this report I will be going over the importance of training and education within the military, and how they both play very important roles to not only leaders, but the service members within our ranks. The military is constantly training and, we train as we fight. However, before soldiers train, they must be well educated in all areas in which they will be training. Proper education is the key to proper training. I will also discuss the importance of becoming better educated while serving in the military, as it will make transitioning back into the
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The importance of furthering education doesn’t stop there. Leaders should be enrolling in college, and counseling their subordinates to enroll in college as well. In order to become competitive within the Army’s ranks, education plays a huge role. As Major Tim Martin stated “A formal education is an important contributor to the development of leadership qualities and attributes that are crucial in the growth of a military professional (Martin, 2001).” Some believe training is as important as education. Army Doctrine Training Publication ADP 7-0 Page 2 paragraph 7 states, “Units train in garrison and while deployed to prepare for their mission and adapt their capabilities to any changes in an operational environment. (Headquaters, Department of the Army, 2012)” This simply means training is never complete. As a leader in the Army, NCO’s must seek new areas in which to train their troops. Proper education in these areas allows for them to receive proper training in whatever subject they are focusing on. For instance, when the Global War on Terrorism started in 2001 the Army began training soldiers for urban combat. Had the Army attempted to force the war to be fought in ways that were no longer compatible with the terrain of the modern battlefield, the battles would have been more costly for American troops.
Leadership development in the military is critical to its mission and objectives. Understanding and embracing leadership will foster an agile culture and facilitate attainment of strategic goals. People desire quality leadership to assist with achieving their goals, albeit personal or professional development. Having a clear vision and the motivation to perform at high-levels influences others to work synergistically together to achieve organizational goals. Insomuch, employees value being treated respectfully, fairly, and ethically. Leaders serve people best when they help them develop their own initiative and good judgment, enable them to grow, and help them become better contributors.
As the Army transitions from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, the organization is well served to take a long look in the mirror. After ten plus years of deployments, our combat tested warriors are sure to possess more than enough valuable knowledge to reinforce and improve upon our status as a profession. A TRADOC published paper explains “to be a professional is to understand, embrace, and competently practice the expertise of the profession.” I believe the profession of arms exists and there are many components that reinforce this argument. Among these components, initial entry training and institutional learning, shared values, and a monopoly on our mission are three of the most important tenants. All Soldiers must graduate
Balancing the role of the Professional Leader has been an ongoing issue for the Army since the latter decades of the 19th century when the U.S. Army was professionalized. The Army has struggled with the matter of balancing a force as massive as the Army. When out of balance the Army does not have the capability to send Soldiers where they are needed. During the Second War in Iraq it was obvious that the Army was not upholding this balance, junior leaders in the Army were fighting against a counterinsurgency campaign that they were ill prepared to handle due to a lack of necessary experience and equipment.
Leadership goals should always contain methods of a continuous process of learning through education, training, and individual experiences that help ensure that the message will be communicated in a confident and competent manner when leading troops. Soldiers tend to follow leaders that demonstrate and live the Army values, while displaying their confidence in every decision that affects change. Leaders are not born as organizational or tactical leaders; but grown by their genetic determinism, which is inside and the characteristics they work toward; that mold is which type leader they will become. Not just anyone can lead; you must have the desire to lead, be willing to make the commitment to being a leader, and prepare yourself properly, then you have the desire to become a leader. (Fulton, 1995).
Officers are taught to lead by example which means learning from the officers who came before them. As a leader in the army, a solider is constantly watched and must uphold the army core values at all times. Setting a good example for the young, non commissioned officers (NCOs) in the battalion is vital to the battalions cohesion and morale. In order to lead by example an officer is taught different leadership styles to incorporate in the field For instance, participating leadership style is especially appropriate when there is time receive input, information, and recommendations of your subordinates. The primary goal of the army is to develop the leaders of tomorrow. Leadership can always be improved on throughout life.
The main idea of this publication is to create a collective understanding of the Army Profession by providing the Service members the guidelines and definitions of it and the Army Ethic. Fail to follow or even understand the concept of rules of behavior based on ideas about what is morally good and bad have been the reason of studies, due to the consequences this could bring upon the service. This publication defines the membership and affiliation of competent individuals in character and commitment, five essential characteristics legitimize the Army as a military profession, trust, military expertise, honorable service, spirit de corps, and stewardship. Trust is vital in society at school, at work, at home, among the citizens, trust in the skills of those you depend on, and trust that the mail will be deliver to your home to give an example. American people perhaps have lost or are close to lose the trust in the highest level of government being this the direct orchestrator of the actions perform by the armed forces, after planning and rehearsals every move is directed and now that the population does not support or agreed with many of these actions government has to act to regain the support and reassurance of the masses. American people as society trust their arm forces to perform their duty to protect them and their country, support and defend the constitution society trust the strongest Army in the world due to the technology it possess and the will soldiers have
This is our job as NCO’s to keep the culture and climate of our profession at its peak. We cannot be the ones that “talk the talk” but not “walk the walk” bring that culture down. It is one of our areas of expertise to take care and nurture young soldiers. They are the future of the profession, the future experts that will keep the profession strong and thriving. We as NCO’s must do our best to shield our young soldiers from “toxic” leadership, to show what good leadership is, and mold young soldiers into the professionals of
The situation in today 's Army is clearly much different from what existed years ago. Many changes have occurred, moving the Army 's EO program from a strictly educational and training initiative to a multifaceted management program with clear goals and objectives. These goals and objectives are also an integral part of human relations and are nurtured and developed through a professional military education system.
Education is not the only benefit that comes from service in the military. When many people first join, they are assigned MOSs. MOSs are jobs assigned to someone when they first join (Nance). Each MOS is specific and is usually related to the field an individual is interested in. He is sent to training immediately after basic training. Each branch of the military has different jobs, depending on what is available. Jobs can range from being a dentist to becoming a lawyer, but each has its own school for
The main points of this article relate to the changing nature of warfare (think terrorism and advancements in technology) and the adjustments military leaders are obliged to make. Hence, according to the article, leaders must: a) be trained in critical thinking skills; b) be "committed to life-long [and self-directed] learning"; c) be willing to take the initiative to "diagnose" their goals, needs,
Webster’s dictionary defines the word profession as a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill. Many Soldiers would not consider the Army as a profession but a way of life. Some think the word profession belongs to everyday jobs like a plumber, mechanic, or doctor. Dr. Don M. Snider stated “the Army is a profession because of the expert work it produces, because the people in the Army develop themselves to be professionals, and because the Army certifies them as such” (Snider, D. M. 2008). In October 2010, the Secretary of the Army directed the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) to lead an Army wide assessment of the state of the Army Profession. We have been at war as a Country for over a decade and the Army
Every uniformed Army professional knows the Soldier’s Creed. The tenth line of the Soldier’s Creed - “I am an expert and I am a professional,” is a powerful statement recited during significant occasions including enlistments, graduations, first formations, promotion boards, change of command ceremonies, and deployment ceremonies. The NCO Creed even includes the bold statement, “No one is more professional than I,” in the opening line. For these words to ring true, the Army must deliver training sufficient to certify professional Soldiers and leaders at all levels. The Army’s ability to recognize this need and adapt its methods speaks volumes for the Profession of Arms. The three components of the Army’s leadership model -
The Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer states, “No one is more professional than I,” “I will strive to remain technically and tactically proficient,” and “All soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership.” As America transitions from a nation at war to a nation at the ready, it is imperative as noncommissioned officers, that we remember those responsibilities set forth in the creed in which we live by as we forge our next generation of soldiers and leaders. How we forge our future leaders, train our soldiers, and how we develop ourselves as noncommissioned officers is outlined in Army Regulation 350-1, Army Training and Leader Development. From
The Army is a profession because it requires a collaboration of highly training Soldiers who possess specialized skills that combine to operate in complex situations in more complex environments. General Martin Dempsey stated that “The Profession of Arms requires expert knowledge, and that expertise is manifested as unique skills in the individual professional and by Army units.” For the purpose of this paper the operational definition of the term profession is: a type of job that requires special education training, or skill. In order to meet and maintain the demands of this definition, The Army has established the Army Development Model which consists of institutions, operational training, and self-development to create highly skilled service members.
Professional soldiers differ from the ordinary citizen particularly in psychological and personal characteristics and qualities. A soldier professional does not want a war, but he wants to be prepared for the worst possible variant of development. We can say that working in the armed forces is characterized by several attributes. I think the expert work, self-improvement, ethics, fulltime commitment and discipline are the most important ones. The expert work comes out from the requirements for controlling highly specialized equipment and procedures that occur only under the conditions of the armed forces. For example, an engineer knows the procedures for mine-clearing, building floating bridges, command and controlling submarines, fire control of air defense systems, logistic equipment transfers and many others. All of these activities call for a maximal professional approach and adherence to precisely specified procedures, which can be achieved only by professionals with many years of experience. So, to move forward and improve our professionalism it is very important to consider self-improvement. In my opinion, learning from experienced master soldiers, be active in self learning and have good motivation are the right ways to succeed. A profession of arms can be, and it certainly is, a dangerous way to meet our life necessities. It would be quite ridiculous if somebody stated he worked for armed forces only for loyalty to the