Relating Values and Leadership Competencies: How Can We Do Better?

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 12:47:41 -0500

In reading a multitude of leadership books written for civilian organizations and business management, I have noted a trend for confusing a leadership competency with a leadership value. Ideally, one has core values, which lead to the development of leadership competencies and are then reflected in exceptional behavior. From the moment of entry into the Service, each member is treated as a leader in training. The goal is to create leadership competencies and inculcate institutional values so that regardless of rank, when finding oneself in a crisis, those competencies come to the fore and are reflected in ethical decisions and judgments.

As an example, numerous authors use "integrity" as a leadership competency. I argue one can be an extraordinary leader without integrity (the dictionary definition: adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty). For example, Stalin and Hitler were effective leaders, but I would not bet a penny on them possessing integrity.

An example of a desired leader competency would be "decisive under pressure" (derived from Clausewitz's classic "On War" but is also listed in Wooten & James [2008]). Others could be “persuasive both up and down the chain of command,” “motivating,” and “energetic.” Wooten and James (2008) list “communicating effectively,” “promoting organizational resilience,” and “sense making,” among several others.

One's "character" is derived from the concepts that an individual consciously decides to value. If I say I value integrity but you catch me lying on a readiness report, then there is a disconnect between my values and my behavior, thus calling my character into question.

History is rife with military leaders who failed to uphold institutional values and it was reflected in their behavior, but there are differences between character failure and human error. Tom Ricks, in his book "The Generals", makes a persuasive case that the Army in particular has failed to train, educate, and promote good leaders which has led to mediocrity. I don’t completely agree with his assessment, for in my own career I didn’t meet any “donkeys” but I certainly witnessed “lions led by snakes” and “lions led by eagles.” I have also seen people stumble under pressure, stress, and loss and then be unmercifully sacrificed. Have we built a culture in our military which construes human error (which I argue can build knowledge and character) as character failures which become career ending?

So my question to the community is: which one value do you see as crucial to military leadership and what is its relationship to the leadership competencies that it underpins? How can we as a military community do a better job instilling that value or developing desired leadership competencies?

If you don’t mind me quoting you in future articles or discussions please be sure to add “can quote me” at the end of your reply. Thank you!

Response by PO2 Jon Van Dop made Nov 24 at 2014 1:14 PM

PO2 Jon Van Dop — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 13:14:08 -0500

It's hard to pick just one.

However, my first value would be focus. A leader, military or otherwise, needs to have an immovable focus on the mission. Every decision he/she makes needs to be derivative from the question, "How am I going to prepare for or execute my mission today?" That will include taking care of subordinates, equipment issues and training during non-deployment times as well as strategic decisions during mission execution.

It is easy to begin to see things through lenses other than the mission. Self-interest quickly changes the question from "What is best for the mission?" to "What is best for me?" Other perspectives can be distracting as well.

So, to use your example of integrity in a FITREP, the question the military needs to answer is, "How does filling out a less than stellar report help the mission?" If the mission focused leader understands the answer to that question, then the integrity issue will solve itself.

You can quote me.

Response by SGT Kristin Wiley made Nov 24 at 2014 5:47 PM

SGT Kristin Wiley — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:47:07 -0500

Ma'am,

You can be an effective leader without integrity. Instead of winning the hearts and minds of our troops some leaders such as Stalin and Hitler use fear and violence to be 'effective'. My definition of integrity isn't 'honesty', but closer to 'being honest for the right reasons.' If you are going to be an extraordinary leader you need to win the hearts and minds of your troops, and with integrity you will have the strength to say what needs to be said and to without hold information when it needs to be withheld. Integrity earns you trust, trust earns you loyalty and respect. In my life, integrity is more of a lifestyle than a value. Having integrity means you have the morale compass to do the right thing on and off duty, unlike some individuals who only do the right thing when someone is looking.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 25 at 2014 12:51 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 00:51:03 -0500

I would say trust. With it men(and women) and women will follow someone to the gates of hell, without it there is insubordination which could lead to a plethora of things far worse.
This is something that I brought up numerous times over the last couple of years in class and now back in the force. The development of trust is not a one way street, it is a multi-lane superhighway that gets bigger the higher up you go, and we give the obligatory hand-wave to "mutual trust" in doctrine without fully defining it. If we were to say that trust was more than just a one-way or partially two way street, I believe that Mission Command as a philosophy would be believed at all levels and therefore the buy-in/belief would permeate to the lowest levels.

Response by Capt Jeff S. made Nov 26 at 2014 9:44 PM

Capt Jeff S. — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 21:44:37 -0500

We have already discussed Integrity and I like what SGT Kristin Wiley had to say about it. It IS doing the right thing when nobody is looking.

So far nobody has discussed "courage."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courage

Courage can be both moral and physical. Physical courage is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death, whereas moral courage is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement.

A Biblical example of courage is depicted in the story of David vs Goliath:

King David showed a great deal of physical courage when he volunteered to go and fight Goliath. He wasn't initimidated by Goliath's size and taunting threats. In fact, it angered him and provoked him to action. In his shepherd's mind, he likened Goliath to a lion or bear, whom he had engaged and fought off many times while protecting his flock. He recognized that if he got close to Goliath (within range of Goliath's spear and javelin), he would be at an extreme disadvantage (even with armor), so he opted to wear no armor (for better mobility) and use his sling, a longer range weapon with the lethality and stopping power of a .45 cal. He was confident in his ability to employ his T/O weapon accurately and knew where Goliath was most vulnerable. As for the rest of the story, it's history. ; )

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 27 at 2014 3:14 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 03:14:37 -0500

Prudence to be able to see different perspectives and helping to make better decisions.Temperance in learning to control your emotions. Fortitude to be courageous and persistent And Justice to treat people fairly.

Without prudence you won't be able to collect evidence or information from knowledgable sources before making decisions or moving ahead. You need to be objective and reflective before choosing your course of action.

Temperance will help you avoid greed or lack of self control and to admit to mistakes and allow you to work on correcting them.

Fortitude helps you overcome your fears. You can't be courageous and worry about failure. You need the fortitude to carry on and be prudent in your decision making.

Justice in treating people fairly will also benefit you and help your success as well as benefiting society as a whole.

Response by PO1 Walter Duncan made Nov 27 at 2014 10:05 AM

PO1 Walter Duncan — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 10:05:51 -0500

I had the distinct pleasure of working under many different styles of leadership in my time in the military. I saw my command flourish and I saw the same command under different leaders wane. Leaders are sometimes born , but they can also be trained into their positions. But, the biggest obstacle they face is pride. Pride of their rank and the power that comes with the title. If the individuals in the command become overly prideful with the titles and their ranks in the command and the command is in support of the philosophy of said command style, then there will be a fracturing of the command to it's lowest levels.
Honor, integrity, justice, respect, communication, etc. will mean little in the command if it is fractured from the lowest levels of its basic structure. All od the leadership schools in the world will not fix these issues. It is a command problem that has to be dealt with at the most simplest of issues, I came up with this on my own, 3T's - TRUE TEAM TRUST.

1. You have to be TRUE to one another. We all know we watch one another's back. We got this, but does our superior officer have our back and do we have his. Even when there is a problem , no matter how minor. We have to be True.

2. We have to be a TEAM. None of this little yippy team stuff, I mean we are a TEAM from the Top of the Command to the person who just reported today. Take them and don't let them hang out there, help them. Not like someone left you hanging. Give them some guidance. Be polite, show them what it is like to be professional and courteous, yet knowledgeable. If you do not know , you will find out. You want to learn and you want to teach. We all want to learn all we can so We function no matter what. That is the best Team there is.

3. Then there is TRUST. This is one that can be earned early and last a lifetime. Trust is an Honorable code of all service members that we should take pride in. It is not just about a word, but it says that every time you write, say, initial or work on a piece of equipment and give the go ahead then you are saying that it is solid. We put our lives and the lives of countless others on the line every day, we MUST have their complete TRUST or we have nothing. It can be lost so easy, losing peoples Trust can cause fractures in a command swiftly and they can be devastating. They will travel through many levels , departments or further. Trust lost can affect the Team which in turn will lead to an ineffective command structure.

TRUE TEAM TRUST!

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made Nov 28 at 2014 8:30 AM

MSG Floyd Williams — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 08:30:37 -0500

COL Smith......Classroom lecturing and training, Senior NCO's should implement this in the training schedule at least two (2) days a week.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Dec 3 at 2014 8:36 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 20:36:16 -0500

COL Smith, Great leaders are consistent, allowing SMs to develop confidence that tomorrow will not bring a new set of rules or conduct.

Response by LTC Wayne Dandridge made Aug 25 at 2020 11:49 AM

LTC Wayne Dandridge — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 11:49:14 -0400

Military & Civilian Leadership --- A Guide for Military, Civil Service, Political, and Industry Leaders

August 25, 2020
(A Personal View from Chapter 2 of the Award Wining BLADES OF THUNDER Book one)

This leadership article is based on an award-winning speech that Lieutenant Colonel Larry Dandridge gave at the Armed Forces Staff College in 1984. The article describes what is and what is not good leadership. It is based on the leadership taught to and followed by members of our armed forces. This news-paper and magazine leadership article has been updated frequently and published in various other forms in over 23 magazines and newspapers and three books in the USA, Germany, Canada, and England over the past 35 years.

An older version of this leadership article has been used, under various titles, by dozens of businesses and government/military organizations and schools, including: the US Military Academy at West Point, the Department of Homeland Security, The German War College, the Association of the US Army (AUSA), the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW) Officer Review Magazine, the US Army Engineer Magazine, the US ARMY EUROPE (EURARMY) Magazine, the US Army MP Journal, the US Army AG Magazine, the US Army Chemical Review Magazine, the NATIONAL GUARD magazine, the Berlin Observer Newspaper, and almost every US Army School, including the Engineer, Aviation, Field Artillery, Air Defense Artillery, Military Police, Chemical (NBC), Adjutant General, Warrant Officer, and many other schools to stimulate discussion on leadership.

The information in this paper has also been used by many civilian industry companies and organizations to teach leadership to executives, managers, leaders and employees. Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC; Cobro Corporation of Saint Louis, MO; QinetiQ North America Inc. of Belcamp, MD and Huntsville, AL; Westar Aerospace and Defense Group of Huntsville, AL; McAdams Technologies Inc. of Alexandria, VA; CLC Hospice LLC of Southeast, MO; and many others have used Larry Dandridge’s Leadership Articles to stimulate thought on, “What is good leadership?”

This leadership speech is in Chapter 2 of the award winning, popular (over 175 five-star reviews) , non-fiction, military history, and action book, BLADES OF THUNDER (BOOK ONE), which was published in 2015. That leadership article and speech have been described in dozens of book, newspaper, and magazine reviews as "The Best Short Course in Leadership Ever Written". The leadership article below is Copyrighted to W. Larry Dandridge 2015 but can be used by any military or government agency for free.

Leadership: A Personal Point of View
Leadership is treating men and women equally without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, custom, or political party. Leadership honors our country’s military men and women, including our Prisoners of War (POWs) and Missing in Action (MIAs). Leadership is visiting your wounded and sick frequently. Leadership is knowing and living by the Constitution, the Code of Conduct, the Geneva Convention, and the basic human rights of all mankind. Leadership is duty, honor, and country.

Leadership is taking the point position when your flight, unit, or business is expecting contact with the enemy or competition with other businesses. (Don’t interpret this to mean the point or flight lead position is where the commander should be all of the time.) Leadership is flying a crippled bomber to the ground when one of your wounded crew members cannot bail out. Leadership is keeping your young soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, and coast guardsmen (and employees) alive. Leadership is never leaving your wounded behind. Leadership is writing a dead trooper’s or sailor’s family or employee’s family a personal letter immediately after the battle or fatal accident.

No compromise of the integrity of one’s word, deed, or signature is leadership. Setting high standards and seeing that they are met is leadership. Intelligence, dedication, creativity, and selflessness are leadership. Stamina, vigor, and commitment are leadership. Spontaneous, contagious enthusiasm is leadership. Initiative, self-improvement, research, and professionalism are leadership. Reading and studying the subjects important to your job and family are leadership.

Leadership is rewarding a soldier, sailor, airman, marine, coast guardsman, or civilian employee, with the appropriate recognition, immediately after exceptional service. Leadership is commanding, advising, mentoring, and managing. Leadership is establishing and meeting, by priority, specific and legal objectives. Leadership is managing by exception, using job enlargement, and seeking job enrichment. Leadership knows that leading is more than just “follow me”, but also, and maybe more importantly, “follow my orders and directions”.

Believing in God, family, and country, in that order is leadership. Being humanistic is leadership. Trusting well trained Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coastguardsmen, and employees’ ideas and decisions is leadership. Knowing what and where the mission is at, when the troops (and civilian workers) and material are to be there, and how many troops and systems are needed to win is leadership. Blocking out periods of private time to accomplish creative work and recharge is leadership. Compromising for the good of the whole with sister departments and partner leaders on budgeting, planning, and executing is leadership.

Leadership is not glorifying war. Leadership is not doing “anything” just to get promoted or elected or reelected. Leadership is not winning the battle at all costs, nor is it losing a war to avoid causalities. Leadership is not found in the security of a well-fortified command bunker, nor is it found in a plush officers’ field mess or golf course.

A leader is assertive, but not aggressive. Leadership is not ruthless nor mindless discipline, but it is the ability to do the right thing at the right time, by putting the whole before the parts. Leadership is not a good efficiency report, nor is it paper readiness. Leadership is not a court martial for every mistake nor is it leniency for serious violations. A leader is fair, predictable, and consistent.

Giving a superior sound professional advice, even when you know he or she does not want to hear it is leadership. After you have given your best advice, following all legal, moral, and ethical orders, even when you do not agree with them is leadership. Leading when you can; following when you should; and getting the hell out of the way, when you have nothing to offer, is leadership. Learning the language, culture, and customs of a host country and partner country is leadership. Staying in top physical condition is leadership.

Leadership is a general or admiral who knows the friendly and enemy situation, knows the immediate action for his or her rifle, and knows his or her enlisted aides first names and family situations. Leadership can recite the Lord’s Prayer. Leadership is a private or seaman who knows that he or she is in the chain of command and may have to take over when senior in rank. Leadership knows that a water truck in the desert is worth more combat power that an extra armored cavalry regiment.

Leadership is not being right all the time, and it is certainly not being wrong most of the time. Leadership fixes problems---not blame. Leadership is adaptability, appearance, cooperation, and decisiveness. Leadership is not reluctant to get dirty, muddy, greasy, or physically tired with his me and women.

Leadership displays knowledge, manages resources efficiently, and plans beyond the immediate requirements of assigned duties. Leadership creates an organization of mutual respect. Leadership is building an organization and environment where it is not necessary to tell troops, sailors, Marines, or employees what to do. Leadership knows that combat or tariffs without conscience are evil.

Not forgetting that the past is our heritage, the present is our challenge, and the future is our responsibility is leadership. Not being overweight, not smoking, saying no to drugs, and not drinking alcohol in excess is leadership. Delegating authority, commanding confidence and respect, and accepting full responsibility for your actions is leadership. Ingenuity, sociability, tact, and tenacity are leadership. Cross training is leadership.

A good leader knows why there are air, land, cyber, space, and sea forces; why there are cavalry, infantry, armor, artillery, aviation, amphibious, special operations, propositioned, recon, and logistical forces; and why combined arms and concentration of combat power are important. A true leader knows about air, land, sea, and cyberspace battle and defense in depth, civil affairs, urban operations, counter insurgency techniques, the advantages our forces have at night, and how to use them. A wise leader knows that young military men and women spend most of their time worrying about and planning tactics, while older more experienced Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, and sailors (and Civil Servants) spend the majority of their time worrying about and planning logistics.

Leadership can be good or bad, centralized or decentralized, warm or cold, offensive or defensive, macro or micro, or expensive or free. Leadership can be Catholic or Protestant, Jewish or Moslem, Hindu or Mormon, Atheist or Agnostic. Leadership prevents over mobility of junior leaders and troops, by keeping them in their jobs long enough to really learn their jobs and their common and collective tasks, and to work as team members. Establishing and promoting worker and troop certification and team certification programs are leadership.

Leadership provides their troops with plenty of clean water and hot food. Leadership keeps their troops as comfortable as possible, keeps them feed, keeps them clean, keeps them supplied, keeps them informed, and keeps them from becoming depressed and suicidal.

Good military and civilian leaders hope and pray for the best but plan for the worst. Leaders know about the need to wage “total war” to win. Good military and civilian leaders know the special advantage the defender has in cities, mountains, and jungles. Good leaders know how to “own the night” and take maximum advantage of all of the combat arms team, and is skilled in the use of snipers, attack helicopters, counter artillery, naval gun and missile fire, submarine support, and close air support. Good leaders know not to keep troop’s weapons locked up and away from them, but rather train troops to live with a clean, safe, and serviceable weapon that they are an expert in.

Leadership is embodied in Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Pope John Paul II, Robert E. Lee, Mohammed, Jesus, Joan of Arc, John Paul Jones, Winston Churchill, Sister Teresa, Margaret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela, and many other well-known figures. Leaders also know that hundreds of thousands of the unknown like, Robert Lee Lightle, J.C. Dandridge, Sam Deloach, Bubba Segrest, Luther Bergen, Dan Hickman, Wes Komulainen, Brian King, Frank Gordon, Dick Orrell, and thousands of others are good leaders.

Leadership is not lying to, bullying, or attacking anyone who does not agree with you. Leadership does not abusively and unresponsively use social media to attack, threaten, or insult others. Saying a lie or half-truth over and over again is not leadership.

Commitment to the team and a participatory form of leading that draws on every troop’s and employee’s knowledge and skills, at every level is leadership. Encouraging and rewarding suggestions and complaints is leadership. Having an “open door” and “open mind” policy is leadership. Empowering troops, civil service employees, civilian employees, and support contractors with the tools, responsibility, authority, and accountability to get the tough jobs done is leadership. Making troops and employees multi-process, multi weapon, and multi-functional experts is good leadership. Good leaders practice servant leadership.

Leaders know that “the bitterness of low quality remains long after the sweetness of low price”. Leaders allow talented soldiers and civilian employees long leashes for experimenting. Leaders find ways to satisfy the essential need of troops and civilians to be both part of a team and be recognized as individuals. Leaders know how to use internal and external bench marking, observations, lean six sigma, and inspections to rate their organization’s readiness, products, services, and processes against those front runners in their specialty.

Good leadership is guiding. Leadership is legendary. Leadership is foresight. Leadership is absorbent, abstinent, and, unfortunately, at times it is abominable. Leadership is baccalaureate, balanced, basic, and too frequently backward and barbaric. Leadership has saved lives, killed, stopped wars, and started wars. Leadership has walked softly and carried a big stick, but it has also been loud and nonviolent.

Saying what you do in clear and concise Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Plans, Process Maps, and Operations Orders is leadership ---- and doing what you say is leadership. Following those standardized processes is leadership. Breaking down communication barriers between staffs, line units, support organizations, political parties, allies, and sister units is leadership. Getting at least a black belt in Lean Six Sigma techniques is leadership.

Asking deep probing questions (the five-why technique), finding root causes, and developing sound counter measures to mistake proof processes is leadership. Changing problems into opportunities is leadership. Knowing that you can seldom wait until you have all of the answers is leadership. Repeatedly doing simple things that demonstrate sincerity is leadership. Listening to the voice of your internal and external customers is leadership.

Leadership is honesty, enthusiasm, loyalty, courage, and wisdom. Taking care of your soldiers’, civilians, sailors, airmen, coast guardsmen, and marines and their dependents is leadership. Leadership includes being a good boss, comrade and friend, father or mother, son or daughter, sister or brother, and husband or wife. Being a trustworthy ally and predictable trade partner is good leadership. Knowing that the profession of arms is much more than just a job is leadership.

Being an unquestionable friend to the environment is leadership. Basing decisions on facts is leadership. Promoting and rewarding continuous improvement and value are leadership. Being a champion of safety and quality is leadership. Staying focused on internal customers, external customers, the enemy, and competitors is leadership. Finding and eliminating the eight types of waste (waiting, overproduction, rework, motion, transportation, processing, inventory, and intellect) is leadership.

Performing preventive maintenance, knowing what cellular techniques involve, being skilled in set-up reduction, understanding mixed-model methods, and understanding rocks-in-the river problem solving and inventory management is leadership. Knowing how to level and balance work load, understanding that distance (to supplies, replacements, ammunition, fuel, ships, vehicles, aircraft, etc.) is usually evil. Ensuring things are at worst “in-time”, and at best “just in time” is leadership.

Leadership is enthusiasm, optimism, helping, training, encouraging, understanding, motivating, disciplining, crying, laughing, standing firm, giving way, counseling, correcting, giving a second chance, and trying again and again. Leaders are tall, short, thin, heavy, male, female, black, brown, white, yellow, old, young, and naturalized and un-naturalized. Leaders are from the city and from the farm. Leadership works hard to close the gap between a soldier’s and civilian employee’s potential and their performance.

Knowing how to use teams, flow charts (value streams and process maps), simple yet powerful statistical methods, simplification, continuous improvement, responsive complaint and suggestion programs, and standardization to get the tough jobs done is leadership. Leadership makes quality easy to see, feel, smell, taste, and hear, by finding root causes, mistake proofing the process, and permanently fixing the problem. Leadership is clarifying processes, identifying the detailed steps of each process, eliminating all non-value-added activities, performing preventive maintenance, and making every troop and employee an expert at common tasks --- everyone should be an Infantryman first!

Leadership is caring, compassion, understanding, concentric, and leading by example. Leadership knows that treating all prisoners and detainees in accordance with the Geneva Convention and other appropriate protections is absolutely essential to having any kind of chance of getting the same humane and dignified treatment for our Prisoners of War (POWs) from our enemies.

Leaders look you in the eye, kick you in the ass, cover your flank, and take your place on the most dangerous mission. Knowing there is a place for everything and everything in its place is leadership. Leadership admits mistakes and learns from them. Going through the food line and eating last is leadership. Leaving the pickup zone (PZ) last on the last helicopter is leadership. Going up the hill first and pulling your troops up behind you is leadership. Sharing the pains of heat, dirt, cold, wet, insects, leaches, fleas, lice, and other harsh environmental conditions is leadership. Packing your own roll and digging your own hole is leadership.

Leadership comes from experience, but experience comes from making some mistakes. A leader changes the odds and knows the risks. Leaders develop and reward teamwork. The tides, the channels, the seasons, the winds, the hazards, the weather, the enemy (or for industry the competition), the terrain, and the best forecast are all known by leaders. Leadership knows that the one most important word is “we” and the least most important word is “I”. Leadership knows there is no end to change, except failure. Leadership knows that if you treat every customer (and trooper) like your last or first, you would never have to worry about repeat business or recruitment.

Leaders often make good grades in school and have numerous years of formal education and many important degrees. Less often however, they also have been known to fail math, English, and other equally important subjects. Leaders make sure the enemy gives his life for his cause. Leadership ensures his troops always have the tactical advantage, best training, best equipment, and the highest morale, and plenty of water, rest, and hot food. Leaders work hard at ensuring the workload is distributed equally among all troops and workers.

Leadership is not promoting or supporting racism, injustice, and extremist groups like Neo Nazis, white supremist(s), and anti-Semitics. Leadership is not bragging to and threatening troops and employees. Leadership is not disrespecting our allies and their leaders. Catering to and complementing our worse enemies, like Russia and North Korea is not examples of leadership. Not following the advice of your expert staff and assistants in the diplomacy and defense areas is not leadership.

Leadership comes from family, friends, teachers, coaches, and pastors. Simple, easy-to-understand orders come from leaders. Complex tasks are changed into short and accurate plans through leadership. Leadership can be learned and taught, but it cannot be forgotten nor brought. Leadership can be seen, tasted, smelled, felt, and heard, and it can come from a blind person with no hands who cannot hear, speak, nor walk.

Leadership does his or her best to observe the ten commandments. As Tomas Paine said, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way”. Finally, a leader is so in love with life that he or she is willing (but not wanting) to die to ensure that others live and our great nation will go on!

Yes, Colonel Alic1a Smith, you can quote parts of this speech and article but email me at [login to see] or call me at [login to see] to get permission to reproduce the entire article. Thank you. Sincerely, Larry Dandridge

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Larry Dandridge is the current CEO, Editor, and a Senior Writer with Tigers, Vikings, and Vipers Publishing, LLC. He is also a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a certified Business Process Re-engineering Instructor. His latest military history and action book includes 416 pages of edge-of-your-seat reading and 46 combat pictures. BLADES OF THUNDER (BOOK ONE), is an award winning, all five-star reviewed, action-packed, informative, fast selling, and non-fiction account of the US Helicopter War in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969. 1968 and 1969 were the two bloodiest years of America’s longest and most controversial war.
His leadership, logistics, and aeronautical articles have been published in the US, Germany, and England in over 20 magazines and newspapers and two books. Chapter 2 of his latest book has been described by many as the “best short course in leadership ever written.” His leadership speech and articles have been used at West Point, the Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard Academy, the German War College, almost every US Army school, the Association of the US Army, and many corporations to teach leadership.
Blue-Cross Blue-Shield of SC, QinetiQ North America Inc., Westar Aerospace and Defense Group, Cobro Corporation, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), the Association of the US Army (AUSA), the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW), and many other organizations have also used Larry’s leadership and logistics articles to help train employees and executives.
Larry is the past Founder and CEO of the most successful hospice, CLC Hospice LLC, in Missouri. He also worked for QinetiQ North America (QNA), Inc. as a Regional Manager, Program Manager, Proposals and Marketing Manager, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Larry holds the record at Cobro Corporation, Westar Aerospace and Defense Group, and QNA for the most contracts won in a one year, five years, and lifetime. Larry’s logistics division won more industry awards than any other company in the aerospace field from 1994 through 1999.
LTC (Retired) Larry Dandridge is an ex-enlisted Army infantryman, warrant officer aviator, and retired aviation commissioned officer. He is a certified flight instructor in helicopters, airplanes, and Instruments, and has a commercial pilot license in single and multi-engine airplanes and helicopters. He served as an Army flight instructor, flight examiner, flight commander, maintenance test pilot, airport manager, US-German negotiator, locomotive operator, procurement official, and logistician in the US Army for 24 years. Larry was severally wounded in Vietnam in 1969 flying an attack helicopter.
He is also the past president and the current VP for Veteran Affairs for the award-winning Association of the US Army (AUSA) Charleston, SC Chapter. He has led many efforts to help our military men and women, veterans, and their families to find jobs, obtain housing and grants, and much more. Larry is also an honors graduate of the Saint Louis County and Municipal Academy and the Southwest Alabama Police Academy. He set many records in arrests, crime prevention, community policing, marksmanship, and DUI enforcement as a police officer. Larry also went through counter terrorism training in the US Army and served in combat in Vietnam and Iran.
A member of the West Point Logistics Hall of Fame (inducted in 2002), his awards include the SC House of Representatives February 1, 2020 Resolution and Service Award H.5224, 2018 Military Writers Association of America (MWSA) Silver Writing and Book Award; 2006, 2007, 2008 Association of the US Army (AUSA) Exceptional Service Awards; 2009 AUSA 3rd Region Brenda M. Dougherty Award; 2009 Ralph H. Johnson VA Med Center Volunteer and Sponsor of the Year Award; 2010 MOAA Charleston SC Robert J. Lahm Award; 2011 AUSA 3rd Region Significant Achievement Award; the VA Special 2012 Volunteer Award; three Army Silver Quill (Writing) Awards; the 2016 National Aging in Place Award; and was the Runner Up for the 2012 VA Spirit Award.
His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, German Silver Cross, the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, five Meritorious Service Medals, 15 Combat Air Medals, and two Silver Quill Awards.
If all this military, industry, police, and hospice work was not enough, Larry also taught economics, industrial operations, business, aeronautics, technical writing, and other courses and ran university extension divisions, part-time, for ten years for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Chapman University, the University of Maryland, and Lassen Community College.
Larry also played in ARMY WIVES as Corporal Arnold Sedowski, a Vietnam War Veteran, in speaking parts. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Larry’s BLADES OF THUNDER book sales, over 170 speeches, and book signings have raised over $70,000.00 for the beautiful and miraculous FISHER HOUSE CHARLESTON. Larry is most proud to serve as a Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador and he and his BLADES OF THUNDER Book were key players in raising over $5 million dollars to buy the land that Fisher House Charleston was built on.
Today, between writing books, Larry is the VP for Veteran Affairs for the Lowcountry SC (Charleston) Chapter of AUSA, the Good Will Ambassador for Fisher House Charleston, and a volunteer Patient Advisor at the RHJ VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC where he teaches Patient and Family Centered Care. He also serves on the Customer Service Council, the CEO’s Veterans Service Officer Council, and the Patient & Family Advisory Council at the local VA hospital.
Larry is married and has five children, nine grandchildren, and a miniature Italian Greyhound. He likes to read, write, act, play tennis and pickle ball, fish, work out at the gym, do volunteer work, and spoil his grandchildren and his Greyhound.