Acts of Leadership

I had a Bn Cdr at Ft. Bragg, who made it a point to show up at a unit while they were either emplacing or breaking down to make a move. When he his driver pulled into the perimeter, he would go around and help Soldier's set up or tear down (whichever) before he would head over to the unit CP. He made it a point to do so as leadership tool after he heard me (HQs 1SG) raising hell with a couple "special" Bn Staff Officers who wanted to sit on their ass while Soldiers and NCOs were trying to make movement or set up times per Bn SOP. It worked and lasted long after he departed the Battalion. This simple act of taking a few minutes to be part of the Team was very positive influence on Soldiers and NCOs!

I have had the privilege to know a leader who is the epitome of everything I aspire to be: professional, fair, and empathetic. His reputation was above reproach. He set a high standard, and encouraged me to not only meet it, but surpass it.
He began his career as a lowly enlisted combat Marine. And now he is a MAJ in the ARNG.
When we slept in the field, so did he. When we marched 20 miles in the sand, with bloody, blistered heels, so did he.
When I found myself in a situation in which I didn't think I could resolve, he was my light in the darkness.
He knows the names of my children, my husband. And has this distinguished distinction, of all the leaders in my career: Not a single person to whom I have ever spoken, has uttered anything negative about him. Not a single, solitary word.
"Leadership" means something to me. And his actions, words, knowledge, empathy, and sacredness of Oath are my standard in a leader. I see many of these traits on RallyPoint.
There are a few in whom I recognize these qualities, by the merit of their responses to other service-members, compassion, and their integrity of their world-view and sincerity in their answers. That, to me, is what composes, and ultimately develops, a great leader.

As a 1SG, we returned from every FTX, deployment we went on as a unit, or a platoon returning, I would grab the commander and say, "lets go". Off we headed to the motor pool, washrack, or Platoon areas. We would spend a couple hours going around helping each platoon with part of their recovery. We made it to help our drivers either wash "our" vehicle and/or some type of recovery. Recovery was usually about a 3 day process for the unit, however the couple hours we used for Soldiers to see us actually out there working, getting dirty and sweaty with them went a long way. I made sure every NCO and young officer understood the purpose and the long term benefits it brought to the "unit" as a whole. When we were in the field, it was not unusal to see the commander and I either serving or actually cooking eggs in the MKT once or twice during the exercise, FTX, deployment, etc. The fact that we couldn't cook worth a damn didn't matter, but the time spent interating with the Soldiers as they went thru the chow line was priceless, kept the cooks motivation up, it made them want to put out a better meal and brought big "unit" dividends long term. When Soldiers see their leadership sharing in their hardships when you don't have too, but do it anyway, will go a long way in motivating them to give a little bit more when needed and the leadership is not present!