Do Army leaders have to consider social responsibility?

2013-12-11T22:56:50-05:00

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana; font-size: 13 [login to see] 16211px; background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238);">What are ethical and  social responsibility issues to be considered by Soldiers as leaders in making decisions?</span>

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2013 11:06 PM

2013-12-11T23:06:12-05:00

Being a decent person means to think about what you say before you say it. It is just like any situation, do I shoot? Do I mention something that a person might be sensitive to?

This is not about coddling someone but common sense seems to dictate a practical and pragmatic approach to dealing with people. Set out boundaries and teach adaptability because later on as leaders, they will have to be educated enough to know what is best for the unit and then the individual.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2013 12:23 AM

2013-12-12T00:23:31-05:00

Please Define "social responsibility".

Response by A1C Michael David Severson made Dec 16 at 2013 9:27 PM

2013-12-16T21:27:44-05:00

The word "Social" is synonymous with communal, community, group, affiliation, organization, etc.

Unit cohesiveness, esprit de corps, and the overriding mission of a unit, command, service, or for that matter, the entire armed services collectively, is what we are all about.

The responsibility part is pretty much self-explanatory, in which our cognitive faculties connect to the ethos of our particular assignment, and render proper actions in kind.

It takes discipline, wisdom, insight, training, and excellent leadership to pull all of this together. I have seen all segments of the spectrum where these elements were good, bad, and everywhere in between.

Sometimes it is the leadership, at other times, it is members of the ranks that affect this delicate balance, just as homeostasis is a delicate act that keeps our bodies strong and healthy to not only survive, but thrive in daily life.

All this said, it takes a solid understanding of the "big picture," and not just about self, or what rewards self. An altruistic perspective is part of the equation. The Rambo/"Army of One" mentality is pure myth, and it will result in more lives lost than anything.

When I look at the 3 pillars of the USAF, I see the right mentality in place, if it is indeed practiced universally without exception: 1) Integrity First, 2) Service Before Self, 3) Excellence In All We Do.

The challenge is to take intention, and to translate it into reality, platitudes into productive priority, and standards into consistent reproduction. Again, this is a significant effort, but when practiced consistently, it has a moral watershed effect that will benefit not only the military, but also overlap into civilian society as well.

We can set an example of virtue, in uniform or out of it, if we take this mission-critical component to heart.