The Importance Of Military Rules

There can be several arguments as to why certain rules and regulations do not apply to an individual; exceptions often tend to exist in even the strictest of environments. This would lead some to believe that the rules can sometimes not apply to them or their actions. In the military especially, however, it is not in the hands of people without authority to adhere to their directives; it is imperative for the proper cohesion of a military unit and the effectiveness of the team dynamic. It is due to this that, in spite of the perceived nature of some rules, the rules completely apply to everyone within their respective jurisdiction. As said by American General Norman Schwarzkopf, “The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing …show more content…
This order is imperative in military structure as it maintains the discipline of the men and leaders within the ranks. Without such structure there is little to no order and without such militaries struggle to achieve their aims. One such emplacement is the chain of command and the authority that it exerts. This system, widely thought to have been first implemented by the Ancient Romans, allows for the easy management of troops at the lowest possible level. Should there arise some form of event that requires a leadership decision, this system permits the lowest possible able leader to deal with such a situation, thus freeing up the individuals in higher power to focus on more pressing concerns than is required of them. When someone, however, skips a link in the chain of command and does not confront the offence or offender head on, the efficacy of the chain is compromised, thus causing more work for those that now are forced to deal with something that could have been neutralized at the lowest level. This demonstrates how rules, forming an efficient structure, create a system through which order and efficiency can be maintained. A failure to adhere to such structure can result in not only a slowing in the effectiveness of the system but can also result in more work being done by those who must then compensate for this malfunction within the …show more content…
These men took their teachings and their morals to heart and through this their followers were able to achieve the ideals of their leaders. This method is that through which successful leaders maintain the respect of their troops, and why if a leader is to be effective he must adhere to the rules that he enforces. Mahatma Ghandi’s peaceful protests of the British occupation of India provides one such example of gallantly upholding the guidelines of the system. Ghandi’s complete opposition to physical violence and insistence on peaceful methods of attaining their goals would not have been so widely successful amongst his countrymen if he had not upheld those same standards himself. Had he so much as gotten into a drunken altercation with another person his followers would have never revered him so nor would they have upheld his views so readily. This insistence on leading by example is why today military members are expected to do so to ensure the efficient and uncontroversial functioning of the military machine. Leaders like Alexander the Great further attest to this. If Alexander had not insisted on leading his Companions headlong into battle and merely sat back like his Persian adversaries, it is unlikely that his outnumbered and weathered forces would have defeated the greatest empire the world had yet known. It is by adhering to a higher standard than expected of their