Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is one of the most important aspects of a good soldier, a good officer and a good leader. The smallest of details are often the ones that can threaten the success of a mission, and can mean the difference between life and death. Many people can happily go about their lives with no worries about the small aspects of life that those in the military have been trained to observe. The United States military is an established institution with a history that goes back hundreds of years and some of the greatest military minds have developed the means and methods that are still in use today. Every aspect has been considered and every situation has been taken into account. Because of this long process of review and refinement, army regulations are precise, in order to address scenario’s that can and will be encountered in the field. It is especially relevant during tactical operations, where saying one wrong digit in a string of coordinates can mean that a soldier won’t receive medical attention in time, or an air strike accidentally kills dozens of civilians. In the outside world, many professions have the luxury of not needing preciseness, but there are those who have the responsibility of the greater good of society on their shoulders. Doctors have to be sure of their diagnosis or they could kill a patient, and architects must make sure that a building is structurally sound, or it could collapse on the end users. As future military leaders though, we have an unshakeable obligation to ensure the safety and well being of our troops and this always starts with attention to detail, because we don’t deal in lost profits or missing shipments, we deal in life and death missions on a day to day basis. Attention to detail can and should encompass everything that you do, as preparation is paramount to survival out in the field. Its good to bring canteens, but they are useless if you don’t take the time to check if they are full. A loose strap on your load