Today's Military Leadership: has it lost its way?

As a leader in the military you can’t say am I going to be a good leader today or will I sit back and let someone else make the hard decisions. No you are going to walk the walk and talk the talk from the front of the formation. A lot of what gets discussed in these forums is focused on the leadership examples of today’s military leadership. This is in no way a reflection of all the leaders in the military, but those select few who just read the words and do not live the words.
The Army and all the services have a code of conduct a set of values we are to serve by, more than that, live by. Many people know what the words Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage mean. But how often do you see someone actually live up to them? Soldiers are told to live them every day in everything they do — whether they’re on the job or off. In short, the Seven Core Army Values listed below are what being a Soldier all is about. Here is what the Leadership is telling solders to Be, Know, Do.
Loyalty
Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other Soldiers. Bearing true faith and allegiance is a matter of believing in and devoting yourself to something or someone. A loyal Soldier is one who supports the leadership and stands up for fellow Soldiers. By wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army you are expressing your loyalty. And by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your unit.
Duty
Fulfill your obligations. Doing your duty means more than carrying out your assigned tasks. Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team. The work of the U.S. Army is a complex combination of missions, tasks and responsibilities — all in constant motion. Our work entails building one assignment onto another. You fulfill your obligations as a part of your unit every time you resist the temptation to take “shortcuts” that might undermine the integrity of the final product.
Respect
Treat people as they should be treated. In the Soldier’s Code, we pledge to “treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same.” Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best in other people. Respect is trusting that all people have done their jobs and fulfilled their duty. And self-respect is a vital ingredient with the Army value of respect, which results from knowing you have put forth your best effort. The Army is one team and each of us has something to contribute.
Selfless Service
Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he or she can add to the effort.
Honor
Live up to Army values. The nation’s highest military award is The Medal of Honor. This award goes to Soldiers who make honor a matter of daily living — Soldiers who develop the habit of being honorable, and solidify that habit with every value choice they make. Honor is a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity and personal courage in everything you do.
Subset to honor to be highlighted is Honesty
Honesty with others and one’s self – Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and connotes positive and virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness, including straightforwardness of conduct, along with the absence of lying, cheating, theft, etc. Furthermore, honesty means being trustworthy, loyal, fair, and sincere.
Integrity
Do what’s right, legally and morally. Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others. As your integrity grows, so does the trust others place in you. The more choices you make based on integrity, the more this highly prized value will affect your relationships with family and friends, and, finally, the fundamental acceptance of yourself.
Personal Courage
Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with our Army. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.
So why did I list the Army Values. Good question because of what I have been seeing in the news about senior officer’s and NCO’s and their transgressions against these values. These are nothing new, nothing earth shattering they embody the principles of our trade and service. They go both up and down the chain of command. Generals and Sergeants Major should be setting the example for soldiers to emulate yet time and time again they are in the news for Lying, cheating on their wives and other indiscretions. When you look in the paper and see headlines like these “Sexual offences, indiscretions are leading causes for firings of US military commanders”, “Here’s how disgraced Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair’s affair will hit him in the wallet” and “Ex-Walter Reed CSM sentenced to 6 months”. Then there are articles like these “The Nine Military Commanders Fired This Year by the Obama Administration” and “Obama Purging Military Commanders”. Why?
I have spent time on The Army Staff, in Component Commands and down to Platoon level. I always thought that Generals, Colonels Sergeant’s Major and Command Sergeant’s Major were in place to support the needs of soldiers and not look for their next star. Unfortunately, I have seen too much of this and not enough of the later. Leaders need to remember from whence they came and on whose blood sweat and tears they got to where they are on. St the example, of Be, Know, Do. Remember the VALUES that are stressed in the beginning to each and every soldier and think of them before you act or say something. Be a Leader with moral fortitude! If you falter or lose you way go to the Hall of Hero’s and look at the names of those whose selfless service have given the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow soldiers, their Command and their Country. The Highest honor this country can bestow is not given to those who turn their back on their fellow soldier but are prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice so that others may live.