Analyzing the Army Values

¶ … Army Values and Army Leadership

Army Values stem from the beliefs and values that America holds. They encompass what forms the backbone of American society in terms of the right to freedom, honouring each person, making the necessary sacrifices and obeying and respecting the rule of law. They have emerged from the history and experiences of the nation and have thus formed its core belief system. Thus the person who joins the army with an objective to protect America fulfils this objective by holding to and keeping these army values. It encompasses the mission of the army, the purpose for its existences as well as the oath that the soldier takes (Army Values, n.d., p.141).

Through these values, the soldiers are able to keep the American nation and its citizens safe. They are a way of life that supports their mission and thus must always be adhered (Army Values, n.d., p.139).

In fact, fulfilling Warrior Ethos is made possible by adhering to Army Values. These Warrior Ethos are the identity of a soldier in terms of his values and attitudes require the discipline, sacrifice and focus that the army values propagate. There is a pride that emanates from the fulfilment of these and it results in a soldier holding these values dearly. They enable the soldier to endure hardship for the long-term so that he is ready to do the duty in front of him all the time and not just occasionally during moments of enthusiasm. The Warrior Ethos thus require holding to the army values, being dedicated and disciplined as well as proudly gaining and retaining the knowledge of the rich heritage of America. Thus Army Values help the soldier to demonstrate Warrior Ethos and adherence to this will make him brave, committed and focused on his duty (Army Leadership Character, n.d., p. 27).

The Army Values

There are seven army values in total and these are the values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honour, integrity and personal courage.

Loyalty

This requires that the soldier's first allegiance belong to his country and the values it professes. It demands that the soldier remain true to his comrades as they remain true to him. he/she must give it to the people around him who include the other soldiers that he is training with and those he fights with. It demands fair treatment of the people around him and adherence to the code of conduct. Loyalty is something that soldiers give and receive from their comrades and enhances their cohesion especially when carrying out their combative duties. Loyalty is the commitment that soldiers owe one another regardless of the experience or the rank a person holds (Army Strong, n.d., para.2).

Loyalty embodies the soldier's commitment to his country and all the values that it professes. It means upholding the constitution of the United States always, commitment to the army, being one who can be relied unconditionally by their unit, their leadership and all other soldiers. The soldier who is loyal not only believes in his cause but is also dedicated to it. he/she stands by his leadership and comrades in the fulfilment of duties necessary to the cause. The uniform that the soldier wears is a mark of this loyalty and serves to communicate it to all around him including his unit. It gives his unit and leadership confidence that this is one of their own (The Army Values, n.d., para 2).

Duty

The value of duty requires a soldier to carry out his obligations not because it is what he has been assigned or that it is expected of him, but from an inner sense that what he is doing needs to be done. The soldier must thus fulfil his obligations while on his own and also as part of his unit or the team that he has been assigned. As part of the Army, whatever duties the soldier has been assigned form part of the total mission, purpose and existence of the army. he/she is in essence a part of what makes the army perform. Thus a role that might seem small is essential in the mission of the United States Army and its accomplishment. A soldier who understands this will thus not engage in any compromise as far as his duties are concerned as he understands that this may have a negative impact on the final result (The Army Values, n.d., para3).

Other than just knowing that the fulfilment of the mission requires that he fulfil his obligations, a soldier must perform this duties out of conviction that this is the right and proper thing to do. A person acting out of this conviction will fulfil his duties with or without orders as he believes in them. It will also cause the soldier to give his best effort to the duties assigned to him rather than settling for the least effort that he can get away with. He draws pride from the efforts and accomplishments and thus strives to always give his best.

The soldier who understands the concept of duty requires no supervisor as he knows what to do, when to do it, and he quickly comes up with solutions to any hurdles that he meets. He is proactive in facing, anticipating and preparing (for) foreseeable challenges in the fulfilment of his duties. A duty bound soldier also does not shift blame or tell half-truths to cover up failings by himself or by his unit. This is a person that the Army and the country know can be relied upon. (Army Strong, n.d., para 2).

Respect

Respect requires that the soldier accord everyone he deals with the dignity that they deserve as a member of the human race. The same dignity and honour that the soldier accords is the same that he expects to receive from others. By consciously committing to respect others, the soldier is standing at a position in which he/she can see the good that is in others. Respect allows the soldier to believe in the people around him (his unit) and to know that each person has played and is playing their role. The soldier actually derives his self-respect from this value as he too is confident that he has performed his duty to the best of his ability and can command respect. The soldier who embraces this value sees himself and others as valuable members of a team and that each person has made a contribution (The Army Values, n.d., para 4).

As the soldier values others and the contributions they make, then honouring them is a natural outcome. By honouring them thus, he too gains the honour and admiration of his team mates. People like to be acknowledged and they work better when they know that their efforts are recognized. Thus this value helps the soldier work better with his/her team mates and contributes to the accomplishment of the mission of the army. The opposite is true. Where a soldier does not value or respect the work his colleagues and/or subordinates do, then the team effort is compromised as there is disunity and the nurturing of hostile feelings within the team. Thus as an Army Value, respect has a key role to play and it is this value that enables the soldier to see the great resource that people are (Army Strong, n.d., para 3).

Selfless Service

In this value, the soldier puts himself and his needs in the back seat as the needs of his/her country, come first. Serving in the army is serving the greater good of the nation and a soldier must understand that the needs of the nation are crucial and must always come first. A soldier must be a selfless person. Unlike a civilian who works to earn a living, a soldier serves the needs of his nation. In this role he must be more dedicated, more persevering, and more ready to strive and put in more efforts in the fulfilment of his duties (The Army Values, n.d., para 5). This is an effort that must be made both as an individual and as a team member.

One of the indicators that a soldier is a selfless soldier, is the fact that he does not seek recognition. he/she does what needs to be done without trying to be seen as the hero. The soldier's actions are driven by their convictions and belief in the system they are in. They can thus put in the discipline, the perseverance, the hard work and the commitment towards the fulfilment of their ultimate goals. The nation, the people, the army and the organizations' needs are placed above the soldiers own needs. This is a value that the soldier is expected to build, inculcate and exercise. It will be demanded more from the soldier at all times, irrespective of his rank and position in the army (Army Strong, n.d., para 4).

Honour

As an Army Value, honour is the soldier's understanding and conviction of what is right against what is wrong and his commitment to doing what is right at all times. A soldier who demonstrates this value ensures that whatever action he takes is irreproachable. This soldier takes pride in doing the right thing because he/she understands that doing the right thing is his calling. An honourable soldier ensures that he upholds the values of the army and his pride is in their fulfilment. he/she remains true to the oath that they took without compromise (Army Strong, n.d., para5).

Honour is a value that must be practiced every day and the soldier who does this will form his life by it. It is also recognized in the army as there is an award for the soldier who demonstrates it every day. This is The Medal of Honour. The recipient of this award has demonstrated honour daily, been devoted to developing it and it is reflected in the decision that they make. Honour is abiding by the Army Values every day (The Army Values, n.d., para 6).

Integrity

Integrity is the adherence to the laid down guidelines without compromising or wavering in any way whether legally, morally or in any other way. The soldier is expected to do what is right at all times no matter what the circumstances may be or even whether there are witnesses or not. It is a value which when embraced by the soldier, will be reflected with their dealings with everyone around them including their superiors, their colleagues, their subordinates, their families and society as a whole. Integrity will even affect how the soldier sees himself (The Army Values, n.d., para 7).

Integrity requires a dedication to procedure at such a high level that compromises or bypassing laid down procedures is never a choice irrespective of the circumstances. It is the choice to walk a path that may present challenges but the soldier never wavers from this path. It is the commitment to stay the course no matter what other opportunities present themselves because the soldier has formed his character around this value. It entails the soldier knowing with conviction what is right and what is wrong, choosing to do what is right no matter the consequences and defending their actions because they are right (Army Strong, n.d., para 6).

Personal Courage

This is a value that the soldier will be required to exercise in the short- and long-term. Sometimes courage may be needed for a situation that is short-term in nature and sometimes it may be required for the long haul. It requires that the soldier be ready to face danger and endure physical hardships. The soldier may also need to exercise moral courage where the soldier must follow a difficult path with little support from others. It is exercised by those who take honourable actions and defend them based on the knowledge that they are honourable (The Army Values, n.d., para 8).

Personal courage is the value that enables soldiers to take action in the presence of danger and it means a setting aside of one's fears to do the duty expected of him/her. It is also the value that enables the soldier to hold to their convictions no matter what consequences they may face. This is in fact moral courage. The person who has courage can accommodate change, new ideas and honestly examine themselves (Army Strong, n.d., para 7).

The importance of following orders

An army leader is a person who has gained experience through years of service and has learnt to apply the Army Values in the carrying out of the duties assigned to them. This is the person who essentially models these values because of his/her years of practice as well as the experience gained over these years. The army leader applies the Army Values in his personal and professional lives and his/her decisions reflect this fact. They are t the role models of the new army recruits. Experience allows the leader to steer clear of certain courses of action. This experience is only available to the soldier through the leader. They thus must obey their leaders as they have the benefit of experience.