There have been Soldiers who have carried out acts of courage to help those with whom they have served. When their leaders recommended them for decoration, the leaders higher within the ranks denied them just recognition because the rank held by this Soldier was not high enough to warrant the award. So now we no longer recognize our Soldiers based on acts of bravery or merit and the hands of leaders at the platoon level are tied. And so, the start of a division not seen by most begins. It runs within the ranks of our Army and it’s depth and direction may change from time to time as the character of those who wear the uniform and lead change in character, whether the change is for the better or not. Soldiers of this nation serve in one Army, yet become part of two different Armies. Those who serve one another and those who serve self or some agenda. Both serve to one end, but the paths taken are vastly different and certainly not for the same reasons. Those of “self” become like puppets whose strings are pulled giving the illusion of right action except when viewed by those of genuine integrity who see. It brings to light a question. What is the motivation for our service and leadership within this Army? If answered honestly, this question will bring us to the character of leading and simply that which is of truth.
Truth itself is a single reality, but because of our human nature, our character, good or bad, truth is fashioned into three different facets even though truth is always without change. For those of us with genuine integrity, the truth is viewed at face value. No exceptions. Even if it shows us to be at fault. This allows self-less service to be very easy, giving no second thought to what we know to be right. The second “facet” are those who know truth, yet choose not to act. One who remains idle in speech and action is no different than one who has no integrity. They lack the moral courage to stand firm. Lastly, the third facet are those who pick and choose what to uphold regarding truth. Like that which is set forth to govern without bias. Because of their position of authority they can affect change with those below them. However, because they pick and choose, opinion is allowed to take place. Their efforts are only half measured because of preference in conjunction with a bias opinion, self gratification because of the authority that they hold over others, or the convenience of letting things slide to avoid confrontation even though said confrontation is for the truth.
The Infantry at the platoon level is one of only a few professions that have genuine purpose that cannot be successful without self-less service, but often leaders within our own ranks are merely occupying that duty position. Their career, money, or recognition have become their focus. We are governed by the rest of an Army that has become commercialized, changing it’s catch phrases from time to time, so that we appear to not have an identity. And even though there are many with sound integrity spotted throughout our ranks, what people see are those who focus on “self” and their perception of the few without integrity become the judgment of the whole.
Ask yourself yet another question. What are you willing to give up for truth and those who stand to the left and right of you? Within an Infantry platoon is the one place where two Soldiers can hate each other one day and attempt to move their immediate world for one another the following day, answering that very question without words. This is how we live every day. It’s not perfect and wrong is still carried out against each other from time to time. But, there is something else that we hold within our character and it becomes who we are and the way that we think for the remainder of our lives. It is something that is rarely noticed even by ourselves until one fails to do their part. Carried within the character of a few, it draws the others closer to one another. Perhaps it develops due to the unique challenges we face together. It’s been this way for generations and we carry it out into your world after we leave the ranks and walk among you, which can be difficult at times because many civilians are arrogant and believe that everyone else owes them something. We do not owe you or anyone else anything. And you well get nothing. However, this is not every civilian, but we seem to always bump into this “character” of person or should I say one with lack of character. We may appear crude, arrogant, and without proper demeanor in public. But, what you see are genuine people stripped down to the purest human form who exist in a world where we must stand together or fail. We are genuine and you may not like us, but at least we do not hide behind anything. Not a “social status” or agenda, because where we go there is no discrimination with regard to death and the worst that one can do to another is not stand with them during times of adversity. There can be no trust after this wrong doing is committed against those that we stand with.
I never wanted your damn medals or an “excellence” block checked on my NCOER. I simply want nothing more than the truth, to be dealt with honestly based on merit alone, and lastly to stand quietly to the side while those who served with me progress forward and receive all that they deserve for what they have given without hindrance from self focused leaders or politicians who want to “sport” the accomplishments of those in uniform for political gain who stand by and say “ I accomplished thus” when they never set foot on foreign soil standing next to any one of us in uniform.
Whatever is missing from our military is not solely at our level. It’s missing within the military as a whole. Though it “creeps” down to our level. The final question is are we as leaders going to lead and then stand quietly to the side while those we lead progress forward with no considerations for “self" ?
SSG David Hickman
C CO, 2nd BN, 11th IN REG
Fort Benning, Georgia
Truth itself is a single reality, but because of our human nature, our character, good or bad, truth is fashioned into three different facets even though truth is always without change. For those of us with genuine integrity, the truth is viewed at face value. No exceptions. Even if it shows us to be at fault. This allows self-less service to be very easy, giving no second thought to what we know to be right. The second “facet” are those who know truth, yet choose not to act. One who remains idle in speech and action is no different than one who has no integrity. They lack the moral courage to stand firm. Lastly, the third facet are those who pick and choose what to uphold regarding truth. Like that which is set forth to govern without bias. Because of their position of authority they can affect change with those below them. However, because they pick and choose, opinion is allowed to take place. Their efforts are only half measured because of preference in conjunction with a bias opinion, self gratification because of the authority that they hold over others, or the convenience of letting things slide to avoid confrontation even though said confrontation is for the truth.
The Infantry at the platoon level is one of only a few professions that have genuine purpose that cannot be successful without self-less service, but often leaders within our own ranks are merely occupying that duty position. Their career, money, or recognition have become their focus. We are governed by the rest of an Army that has become commercialized, changing it’s catch phrases from time to time, so that we appear to not have an identity. And even though there are many with sound integrity spotted throughout our ranks, what people see are those who focus on “self” and their perception of the few without integrity become the judgment of the whole.
Ask yourself yet another question. What are you willing to give up for truth and those who stand to the left and right of you? Within an Infantry platoon is the one place where two Soldiers can hate each other one day and attempt to move their immediate world for one another the following day, answering that very question without words. This is how we live every day. It’s not perfect and wrong is still carried out against each other from time to time. But, there is something else that we hold within our character and it becomes who we are and the way that we think for the remainder of our lives. It is something that is rarely noticed even by ourselves until one fails to do their part. Carried within the character of a few, it draws the others closer to one another. Perhaps it develops due to the unique challenges we face together. It’s been this way for generations and we carry it out into your world after we leave the ranks and walk among you, which can be difficult at times because many civilians are arrogant and believe that everyone else owes them something. We do not owe you or anyone else anything. And you well get nothing. However, this is not every civilian, but we seem to always bump into this “character” of person or should I say one with lack of character. We may appear crude, arrogant, and without proper demeanor in public. But, what you see are genuine people stripped down to the purest human form who exist in a world where we must stand together or fail. We are genuine and you may not like us, but at least we do not hide behind anything. Not a “social status” or agenda, because where we go there is no discrimination with regard to death and the worst that one can do to another is not stand with them during times of adversity. There can be no trust after this wrong doing is committed against those that we stand with.
I never wanted your damn medals or an “excellence” block checked on my NCOER. I simply want nothing more than the truth, to be dealt with honestly based on merit alone, and lastly to stand quietly to the side while those who served with me progress forward and receive all that they deserve for what they have given without hindrance from self focused leaders or politicians who want to “sport” the accomplishments of those in uniform for political gain who stand by and say “ I accomplished thus” when they never set foot on foreign soil standing next to any one of us in uniform.
Whatever is missing from our military is not solely at our level. It’s missing within the military as a whole. Though it “creeps” down to our level. The final question is are we as leaders going to lead and then stand quietly to the side while those we lead progress forward with no considerations for “self" ?
SSG David Hickman
C CO, 2nd BN, 11th IN REG
Fort Benning, Georgia
No comments:
Post a Comment