Army culture and HR leadership in military professionalism

Profession of Arms

A process that produces uniquely expert work which is not routine or repetitive is referred to as a profession. In order to put their expertise to use in the best interest of the society, professionals require to continuously develop their expertise. Providing security to the society which that it cannot provide for itself is the primary expectation from the army as a profession. However, to enable the army to function properly and efficiently, the professional leaders in the army need to create a balance between a number of elements in the army. This paper examines the how army culture impacts the performance of the army and how the HR Sergeant of the army as professional influences in the functioning of the army and how a critical role is played by HR Sergeant in the overall well-being and thus the functionality of the army as a profession of arms.

What it means to be a Profession/al

A profession is a process that produces uniquely expert work which is not routine or repetitive. Work professionals strive to attain effectiveness instead of pure efficiency. Examples of professionals are seen in the fields of medicine, law, theology and the military. Years of study and practice are needed by professionals before they can become experts at what they do.

Thus, professionals require to continuously develop their expertise and then put the expertise to use in the best interest of eh society. Many view professionals as mere servants of the clients.

As a professional, the military is expected to provide security to the society that it cannot provide for itself. Without this security, the society would not be able to survive. Military professionals also need to use their expertise in the manner that conforms to the values held by the Nation and the society at large.

Thus, the American army as a profession of arms can be said to be comprised of men who are experts and certified for application of that expertise in land combat power and serve under civilian authority. The army as a profession is responsible for defending the Constitution as well as the rights and the interests of the people of American.

The Balancing Role of the Profession's Leaders

Army's professional leaders need to balance the four fields of expertise of the Army with the present and the potential future environment of operation. If this balance is not achieved, the army would not be able to capably employ the when and where of the nations' requirement. It is also the role of the army's professional leaders to create a balance between the culture and the climate of the army and the institutional practices that it follows. The commitment, the mindset and the well-being of the army professionals would depend on how these factors are aligned. The attitude of the strategic leaders is often critical in having long-term effects on the culture and climate of the army and influences the five key attributes of army profession and the four fields of expertise.

The Army Professional Culture

The culture of army professionals is the system of the shared values, attitudes, goals, practices and meaning that are held by the soldiers in the army. Such elements in the army are built up over time. The functional utility of the army culture helps in the creation of a community which creates a bond within and between the units and influences the cohesion among soldiers and their families. The army culture also supports a strong hierarchy and is based on direct and explicit as well as implicit authority distinctions.

The HR Sergeant's Role in the Army Profession