Ideal Soldier
Darryl Forges
Purser
English 1101-18
March 18, 2010
The True Definition of an Ideal Soldier
“God of our fathers, who by land and sea have ever lead us to victory, please continue your inspiring guidance in this the greatest of all conflicts. Strengthen my soul so that the weakening instinct of self-preservation, which besets all of us in battle, shall not blind me to my duty to my own manhood, to the glory of my calling, and to my responsibility to my fellow soldiers. Grant to our armed forces that disciplined valor and mutual confidence which insures success in war. Let me not mourn for the men who have died fighting, but rather let me be glad that such heroes have lived. If it be my lot to die, let me do so with courage and honor in a manner which will bring the greatest harm to the enemy, and please, oh Lord, protect and guide those I shall leave behind. Give us the victory, Lord.
~General George Patton
A soldier is an experienced warrior, trained to lay his or her life on the line for the good of those they serve. The mental and physical tolls taken on him or her, as they progress throughout their training and their skills are put to the test, is an immense burden for someone to carry. Because of the massive amount of stress placed upon them, the outcome and efficiency of soldiers has the possibility to vary from soldier to soldier. The ideal soldier is competent, efficient, skilled, and has the ability to make logical decisions whenever necessary. While many people are able to be molded into an ideal soldier, there are those who fail to adapt into this life style. These people are deemed unfit to be soldiers either by their own means, or by the military. One example of “bellow par” soldier is Pvt. Pyle from Full Metal Jacket. Pvt. Pyle from the very beginning strikes the viewers as incapable of following orders and totally inept when held to the military standards. Sgt. Hartman instantly points out Lt. Pyle’s inability by relating him to a
Purser
English 1101-18
March 18, 2010
The True Definition of an Ideal Soldier
“God of our fathers, who by land and sea have ever lead us to victory, please continue your inspiring guidance in this the greatest of all conflicts. Strengthen my soul so that the weakening instinct of self-preservation, which besets all of us in battle, shall not blind me to my duty to my own manhood, to the glory of my calling, and to my responsibility to my fellow soldiers. Grant to our armed forces that disciplined valor and mutual confidence which insures success in war. Let me not mourn for the men who have died fighting, but rather let me be glad that such heroes have lived. If it be my lot to die, let me do so with courage and honor in a manner which will bring the greatest harm to the enemy, and please, oh Lord, protect and guide those I shall leave behind. Give us the victory, Lord.
~General George Patton
A soldier is an experienced warrior, trained to lay his or her life on the line for the good of those they serve. The mental and physical tolls taken on him or her, as they progress throughout their training and their skills are put to the test, is an immense burden for someone to carry. Because of the massive amount of stress placed upon them, the outcome and efficiency of soldiers has the possibility to vary from soldier to soldier. The ideal soldier is competent, efficient, skilled, and has the ability to make logical decisions whenever necessary. While many people are able to be molded into an ideal soldier, there are those who fail to adapt into this life style. These people are deemed unfit to be soldiers either by their own means, or by the military. One example of “bellow par” soldier is Pvt. Pyle from Full Metal Jacket. Pvt. Pyle from the very beginning strikes the viewers as incapable of following orders and totally inept when held to the military standards. Sgt. Hartman instantly points out Lt. Pyle’s inability by relating him to a