Platoon Sergeant

war was more brutal or portrayed in as many movies as the Vietnam War. Hopefully, these movies are here to remind us of the mistakes we made and how we should approach similar situations better in the future. There should be no reason that a marine sergeant verbally abuses a cadet the way Gomer is patronized in Full Metal Jacket. We should be taking better care of our troops when they return home. Nothing on the homefront is remotely comparable to the constant angst that these military men feel…

Besnik stood at the door of the tent in which he had been a guest for the past few days. He had decided to leave as the sun was peeking over the horizon, because he would have hated to say goodbye to the gracious family that had taken him in, and wanted to wake before the dog. He slung his brown sack over his shoulder, and started his long trek down the dusty snaking path that made its way laboriously from the suburbs and rural areas to the cosmopolitan urban areas through the unrelenting brown,…

Sergeant Joe left America for Iraq with fifteen people in his platoon. They grew to be more than just soldiers. Through shared experience, good and bad, they became brothers. By the time the invasion ended, three men were left. A roadside bomb killed most of the soldiers. After six months stateside, racked with guilt for being alive, he tried to kill himself. Sergeant Joe was diagnosed with PTSD. People who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event may be considered to suffer from…

didn’t stop his Soldiers from doing it. The forward elements of the Brigade had reached Leakin Park and were being dispersed to their various locations for the night. Once everyone was set, they would refuel their vehicles and perform PMCS. Platoon Sergeant and Leaders would make a weapons check, ensure everyone’s eating and get them ready to move out in the morning. Colonel Stolfer thought it was eerily quiet, there were no birds chirping, no rustling of the leaves, silence, nothing but…

Leadership Style Leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish common goals and improve the organization as a whole. My personal leadership philosophy has three major tenants: develop subordinates, communicate efficiently, and innovate. Developing subordinates includes placing strong individuals in strategic roles. The advantage of this leadership tenant is outlined in the book “Good to Great” where the author explains that the first step to developing a successful organization…

Melvin Louis Brown was born February 2, 1931 in the small northeastern borough of Mahaffey, Pennsylvania. Melvin was born to Edward and Rhonda Brown, and was one of their ten children. Melvin was the second youngest of four boys, with six sisters of varying ages, one of which, Martha, who died at a very young age. As a boy growing up in Mahaffey his hobbies were typical of what one might expect from someone growing up in a town with a population of less than 700. Melvin was a lover of all…

Disciplined Initiative and its Importance as a Non-Commissioned Officer. Disciplined Initiative is defined in Army Doctrine Reference Publication(ADRP) 6-0 as; the intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations. So what does that mean to Non-Commissioned Officers(NCO)? Simply put, remain flexible and do not be afraid to make decisions when the time comes. This is a trait that is learned and developed along with the experience acquired over the course of…

of today. These leaders can be great Generals from the past or your first team leader. I have had many great leaders that I personally served with that helped to shape me into the soldier that I am today. The team leaders, squad leaders, and platoon sergeants can have a huge influence on the soldiers that they work with on a daily basis. Their leadership can often be fleeting because of the nature of the Army. The continuity may not always be present because of the frequent turnover that occurs…

Leadership philosophy is discussed in almost all leadership courses. Great leader’s actions are dissected and analyzed. Their words put on pedestals as examples and written on the walls of memorials. Leadership is more than just actions and more than mere words. Leadership is the ability to positively influence and motivate others to accomplish a mission or task. I use the word positively to distinguish leadership and dictatorship. Anyone with authority can bark orders, but all they will get…

Legacy Leader: CSM Harbin SSG Chapman, Andre USAICoE NCOA SLC 18-507 Legacy Leader: CSM HARBIN The purpose of this paper is to discuss why CSM Don Harbin is my Legacy Leader. “Leadership is the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to complete the mission.” (Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA), 2012) This example is the Army's definition of leadership. But what makes up a good leader? A good leader understands the critical…