But when we talk about a Sgt. of Marines, things are more different. As a Sgt. of Marines not only you are in charge of the mission. You are responsible for the life and safety of all your Marines. You are the one that will be making difficult decision that may put your Marines in danger and may cost their lives or yours to save them. World War II in the Pacific has often been described as a "Sergeant's war." Small unit leaders carried an immense amount of responsibility for the overall battle. On most Pacific islands, there was little space for wide, sweeping maneuvers, or operational-level tactics. Typically, infantry Marines would team-up with tanks, engineers, and other attachments to hammer against the enemy's lines. Example of such dedication to the mission and to save life’s of their fellow Marines on the worst situation and sometimes even costing their lives. NCO's such as Sgt. Smith were in the forefront of combat, leading their Marines and setting the example under the toughest battlefield conditions. Able needed heavy fire support. Sgt Smith determined to find it. He moved out on foot and located three Sherman tanks. Leading them forward, he pointed out Japanese defenses for the tanks to engage. Under his fire direction, the Sherman’s destroyed numerous enemy positions at point blank range. Sgt. Smith continued to lead by example. Seeing wounded Marines trapped in front of the enemy's positions, he made several trips across exposed terrain to rescue four wounded comrades. He also organized litter teams to rescue other trapped Marines. All the while, he continued to direct the tanks in knocking out Japanese automatic weapons that were pouring fire into Able's positions. Is amazing how NCO take ownership of their mission and the…
Leaders and Soldiers should be accountable for their actions. Leaders should care for their Soldiers, both personally and professionally. Leave the organization better than it was at the time of arrival. Develop our Soldiers to become professional leaders through teaching, coaching and mentoring. Ensure the safety of our Soldiers during operations and successfully complete all assigned missions. Punitive actions will not be taken lightly and will be instilled to ensure good order and discipline. Take action swiftly when ours Soldiers may fall short of…
It’s important for orders to be viable and clear. If they are not clear then they can be misunderstood or ignored. This can even happen if the Chain of Command is hypocritical in their orders, such as failing to hold formations on time or holding others properly accountable for failing to follow orders.…
As a new Non-commission Officer (NCO), always look you as a mentor. Making sure ever thing you are doing is correct at all times. You need to make sure you are doing the right thing all the time so the younger soldier will know what is…
As a sergeant major responsible for a public affairs office, I will need to apply all of the principles of mission command. I must build a cohesive team; this applies not only to my section, but also to the other IRC elements. As a leader in the staff I need to have open communication across the staff, I must resist becoming a stove-piped section, that way I foster shared understanding. My section is required to produce a public affairs annex and it should be nested with the commander’s intent. Quality public affairs is proactive; this means my section needs to exercise disciplined initiative and in order to take that initiative one must accept prudent…
Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 1-1 defines leadership as the art and science of influencing and directing people to accomplish the mission. This tried-and-true definition is one we’ve all heard before, and chances are we’ll hear it again. However, looking at other definitions, it is apparent most people define leadership in similar terms. DuBrin (2012) defines leadership as the ability to inspire confidence and support among the people who are needed to achieve organizational goals. Other experts say, “Leadership is the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group objectives” or “interpersonal influence exercised in a situation and directed, through the communication…
Sergeants major have the obligation to teach, coach and mentor subordinate leaders within their units. Leaders can influence Soldiers within their units to do what is right, when facing adverse situations, not only will it promote cohesion and morale, it will also promote team building in the unit. Sergeants major can also use indicators, measure of effectiveness, and measure of performance to identify barriers affecting unit success. Sergeants major can use creative and critical thinking to make the unit better and motivate Soldiers to be standard bearers. Leaders…
As the Platoon Sergeant you must maintain and sustain the Army standard for the Platoon. I expect you to be proactive in correcting any deficiencies on the spot, as they seem fit or at an…
I don’t believe anyone could argue that it takes a good amount of leadership in order to become a successful United States Military Academy cadet, as well as an officer in the United States Army. This is almost certainly one of the first things someone would look for in a strong officer. A strong leader can impact his soldiers in various ways. If your soldiers don’t stand behind you, and don’t have faith in you, they are more prone to disagree with or disobey your orders.…
As Sergeant Major for a day, my objective is to set my Soldiers up for success. Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) are the backbone of the Army. As the senior most NCO of my unit, I will strengthen that backbone. As my NCOs grow more competent, they will strengthen their junior enlisted Soldiers. I will insure Battle Assemblies (BAs) are more efficient and effective.…
Gain exceptional contractual aptitude, judgment and innovation. Fosters collaboration and teamwork by the implementation of adaptive solutions in order to accomplish the mission. Continually assess the operational performance objectives to find the most efficient means to accomplish operational tasks; implement changes where necessary to continuously improve daily operations. Encourage professional growth through leader development sessions, informal discussions and knowledge sharing in compliance with the Army's policy, doctrine and plans.…
The Performance Triad The Beginning of the life changing campaign • In Afghanistan 2011 Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, the Army surgeon general came up with the idea known as The Performance Triad • It was brought to America held at a workshop Sept. 18--21 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. Cont. •…
Every soldier has certain duties, responsibilities, and most have some level of authority. Soldiers should know what these are and how they apply to them. One of the obligations as a soldier is to carry out your duties to standard and the best of your ability. Fulfill your responsibilities knowing that you are part of a great team that only works when each of its members do their best. If in a leadership position, exert authority to build the team and develop your soldiers. Soldiers are depend on leadership each and every day to make tough decisions based on rank and duty position.…
In order to be successful in any career one must be able to listen and take to heart the importance of what they are learning and doing throughout their lives; this has significance in both the military and civilian life. In order to do that you must follow whatever your superiors say, like when you are at your civilian job and your boss tells you to clean the bathroom. You have to be able to just do what you’re told so the job gets done, and you are also seen as a trustworthy employee. On the military side, it is self discipline. When an Non commissioned officer tells you to get something done there should be absolutely no argument or thought about it. The soldier has an easy job; A. Listen to what he is told, B. Be at the right place at the right time in the right uniform. It is important to do so so the mission goes as planned.…
It is important for a soldier to keep their squad leader informed as to where they are going what they are doing. If a soldier knows they are going to be late it is their duty to inform their squad leader on their status. If a soldier does not inform their squad leader of tardiness it takes away from the squad leaders role as a leader to other soldiers because it had become his duty to track down the missing soldiers. It is essential for a soldier to keep their squad leaders informed on their whereabouts in order for a squad leader to keep an accurate count of the number of soldiers he will have to complete any given task or mission. Which in turn is added to the count of the platoon and to the company so on and so forth until it reaches brigade and devision which the end result ends up in the commander and chief's hand.…