I lived before I joined the army. My grandmother used to tell me stories of how my grandpa fought in the Russian Civil War, against the Tsarist White Army in the Saratov region. He served as a Senior Lieutenant, commanding his own motorised rifle platoon. He was probably the most decorated soldier of my entire family, and I looked up to him very much. He earned the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of the Red Star. Almost everyone in my family was involved in the army. My great-grandfather…
sky with a spotlight. Whilst they ranged through the grass jungle, needle-sharp creatures fly and land on the lump of muscles. The eerie sounds of the rainforest animals filled the skies. Pellets of rain drops raced down towards the earth. The platoon leader tells Lemon to clean his glasses as they crossed the muddy river north of Quang Ngai. Suddenly, taken hold to evade enemy-held fortified patrols. An enemy boat whisks by the river passing our positions. But not long before, a…
War changes people. The Vietnam war changed many soldiers, families, and countries who were affected. This war was different from the other wars we had fought in the past. It was long and, it lasted years longer than they had expected. The war became increasingly unpopular at home in the United States. The Things They Carried is a historical fiction novel that follows Tim O’Brien, who is also the protagonist of the book- and his fellow soldiers in the Alpha Company during the Vietnam war. Tim…
My first key principle can relate to resilience in leadership. Daniel Coutu stated that “more than education, more than experience, more than training, a person’s level of resilience will determine who succeeds and who fails” (pl300 p69). I could have the most experience and the best training, but if I am not prepared to persevere and recover from crucibles, then my skills would go to waste. One key point of resilience is that different people bounce back from trials in different ways. People…
Officer” meant nothing but paper and desk work. Later to find out that the words “Army Officer” has a much deeper passionate meaning than I thought. Over the years of training and talking to different Generals, Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, and Sergeants about becoming a Second Lieutenant, they all had the same thing in common with advice on becoming a Lieutenant. That advice was to take time and get to know…
in ACE Suicide Intervention. He expertly executed duties of Unit Master Driver and Ammo Handler to ensure Unit's success at the M-16 Qualification Range even after being transferred to another Unit. SSG McDuffie has assumed responsibility of platoon sergeant with the highest degree of maturity and continuously leads by example to his fellow Soldiers. He scored 273 points on last APFT, displaying exceptional physical fitness and supports Soldiers in improving their own physical fitness. As an…
A Senior NCO orchestrated a prostitution ring utilizing lower enlisted females and glamorized a quick source of income. Sergeant First Class McQueen struggled with his finances. If his peers observed his financial issues, addressed it prior to a quick money scheme, a prostitution ring would not have been formed. This fosters an environment where there is no trust in the…
successfulness of our training and operations. First impressions are of the utmost importance, and that first counseling session will set the stage between myself and my platoon sergeant as our first potential formal sit-down. Understanding the importance of the relationship between a platoon leader and their platoon sergeant, I have reservations about my ability to conduct an effective counseling. Thankfully, the assistance of MSG Ibarra and SFC Kinard’s class allowed for…
SFC Roberts was a Platoon Sergeant for Headquarters and Headquarters Company 2nd Battalion 7th Infantry Mortar Platoon. SFC Roberts provided a great example of the Be, Know, and Do philosophy. I chose SFC Roberts due to the following traits that I would hope to emulate in my career. SFC Roberts was not a micro manager. As the platoon Sergeant he Develop his subordinate leaders by coaching them and mentoring them. He provided the guidance that junior leaders in developing them into senior NCO.…
I have conducted three formal interviews with two Staff Sergeants and a First Lieutenant, who serve within the infantry branch. For this paper, I have chosen to reflect upon the interviews I conducted with First…