10. Americans: MG Fredendall’s verbal orders were often vague and imprecise. (While a quote was an attempt at OPSEC over the phone, it was simply too unorthodox to be considered a proper movement order for an entire brigade sized element. Other examples also exist of Fredendall’s imprecise manner such as: “Go get ‘em at once….Go smash ‘em” and: “Everything is rosy”, the troops “went to town”).
Scribbles on Scrap: A Mission Command Analysis of the Battle of the Little Bighorn The massacre at the Little Bighorn in 1876 was one of the most recognizable battles in American history. The defeat of the 7th Cavalry Regiment and the slaughter of 268 Soldiers by the Sioux serves as an enduring subject of study for contemporary military professionals. The basic modus operandi for command principles in the times of the Indian Wars loosely mirrors the mission command philosophy of today; however, if we still lay credence to the efficacy of the mission command philosophy, how was it that a conventional force under the direction of a battle proven leader was defeated by an irregular enemy? In the end, Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer’s complacent
This forms the second level of the pyramid, to issue orders too. Next from there the order from highest to lowest rank forming and ever-expanding pyramid until it reached the lowest rank and there by forming the lowest and biggest level. This allows for orders to be quickly and effectively issued to the Marines. It also allows for accountability to be easily to conducted so that the commander will know if any of his Marines are missing, sick, or injured. This is also one of the most important reasons for the rank structure to have been created is that any time a commander can find out the condition of the Marines in their
Importance of Rank Structure “Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. Military ranks and the military rank system define among others dominance, authority, as well as roles and responsibility in a military hierarchy. The military rank system incorporates the principles of exercising power and authority, and the military chain of command – the succession of commanders superior to subordinates through which command is exercised – constructs an important component for organized collective action.”
The military is a big commitment by both you and the military. In the United States Army, military bearing is the reason why every service member practices this so they can take orders to carry out good discipline and ethics throughout their military service. Army regulations and The Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice show us how a military service member should conduct themselves on a daily basis. All soldiers have an obligation to conduct themselves like they are adults and to show respect to the ranks above them.
Accountability Is something that is very important and leader and superiors in the Military or in any job for that reason, for the simple fact that it is not only a requirement for you but also very important to your supervisors or chain of command depending on your situation. You can resort to accountability for many reason when it comes to daily productivity as a team or group. Maintaining accountability of anything wether it be equipment or people can be very helpful when it comes to dividing tasks and assignments or just keeping track of everybody or everything you are in charge of. Punctuality is also very important and plays a very big part in accountability, for example, a soldier is late to formation and doesn’t inform his supervisor, this can lead to his supervisor not being able to provide accurate numbers to his/her
Many seem to over emphasize the many privileges gained as an officer and seem to completely overlook the ever more important duties that should be the true motivators. I must ensure to maintain this mindset. I must also remember to put “people first”. (Department of Defense, 1988) This will be a cornerstone in every decision I make.
For example, whenever and by whoever the football is fumbled, that individual must pick up the football and run a mile. Aside from the discipline and order instilled in military leadership, it also promotes a clear, undeniable
Doing this shows that you have discipline, and a sense of responsibility. In the military being on time is one of the main things you learn in your first few months of training. It is one of the big factors that plays into accountability and plans rely on you being on time and ready to complete the mission at hand. As soldiers, we hold ourselves to a high standard of discipline and respect that we must upkeep. Being on time is one of those that we must uphold at all times.
"Be quiet! Write this down." We sometimes hear this or something like this quite often. We experience, witness, hear or come across commands, instructions, directions and orders daily at our workplaces, homes and schools. What are the factors that forces us or obey (or disobey) them?
In order to run a successful organization, especially a good standing Army, there needs to be quality leaders within the organization. Leaders are artists, remaining flexible and adaptable in order to conform to any certain situation. In FM 6-22, leadership is defined as, “the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improve the organization”. The vast majority of successful Army leaders exemplify this definition in their everyday life. So, what exactly does this process involve?
The Importance of Accountability in the U.S. Army Every living thing on Earth demands discipline and accountability, but when it comes to U.S. Army, soldiers are trained specifically in these subjects. There are extreme costs at risk if these principles are not held high by the Armed Forces. Most organized Armies focus on the importance of accountability and teach it in the very beginning stages of readiness. Accountability includes things such as showing up on time to safeguarding sensitive records, keeping account of resources to watching out for fellow soldiers. Almost everything can be tied back to the importance of accountability.
Leaders must apply the Army Values when leading soldiers because of the fact that it builds trust and a bond. The same goes for the soldiers, in order for them both to work as an effective team and to get the mission done efficiently they both must live by these values. Once these values are integrated in a soldier’s lifestyle, it becomes too easy to work as a unit. An example on how loyalty and respect fits in a day to day to situation would be, a soldier witnessing a misunderstanding with his or her team leader and a higher ranking NCO, the soldier knows that his or her team leader is in the right. The soldier shows loyalty by standing by their team leader and shows respect by approaching both their team leader and the higher ranking NCO with tact to explain the situation from their understanding and what they witnessed.
The most fundamental and important organizational concept used by military is the chain of command. Chain of Command can be defined as the succession of commanders superior to subordinates. Soldiers should utilize their Chain of Command to work through any given situation when a leader cannot solve the situation at hand. Effective Communication skills are essential to success in many aspects of life.
Not committing to the task could potentially suggest that they were incompetent or lack the capacity as a military personnel so facing ‘dangers’ was a much preferred option. Additionally, discipline in the military can be seen when an officer makes his salutes appropriately, their conduct, to the state of their uniform and even how they present themselves in public. While discipline in military is rewarded as it is a sign of respect and duty, misconduct on the other hand is punishable. When discipline is lacking in an army personnel, it not only affects their own performance but also the team as a whole. It is therefore important to instil discipline early and effectively.
