What's more important to you? A "dog and pony show" for a VIP? Or seeing your unit in action like any other day?

2014-04-22T20:35:05-04:00

When you get the news that someone in a very high position is visiting your unit, does it bother you that your own leaders go out of their way to impress this visitor? I personally would love the day when a high position leader like the CSA, SMA, or a Regimental CSM or Branch Chief makes an unannounced visit to see how things go day to day in your unit. What is the significance of a static display? If the visit is to see how your Soldiers are performing, then visit for that reason.

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Apr 22 at 2014 8:49 PM

2014-04-22T20:49:57-04:00

When I was a young Lieutenant, I was taught to always conduct training as though there would be a VIP observer, else if the day a VIP ever did show up and I asked my troops to behave differently, I would stand to lose their respect in a lose-lose situation. Either 1) we were doing something wrong before, in which case, why would I have allowed that? Or 2) we were not doing anything wrong before, but I would be compromising our appearance for the pure benefit of a VIP's expectations. Either way, I think it makes you look poor as a leader. I therefore always led training with the integrity of what I thought was the right thing to do. This paid dividends when VIPs did eventually come, and we did essentially nothing different. I could feel a sense of pride in my troops, and they felt that they were a squared away unit. <div><br></div><div>No unit is perfect, and I don't think trying to pretend to be perfect is helpful to anyone. I think not showing our senior leaders the reality on the ground, whether in training or while deployed, does them a disservice, gives the wrong impression of what is actually going on, and is therefore actually disrespectful in a way.</div>

Response by CPT Treg Ogborn made Apr 22 at 2014 11:07 PM

2014-04-22T23:07:58-04:00

The only thing I do with my guys when we are expecting a VIP visitor is to put out a few signs welcoming them and make sure that all of our unit stats are up to date. When I was overseas, the Dog and Pony show was an occupational hazard for Soldiers in the rear (Camp Arifjan), and they hated it. I agree with MAJ Weiss' perspective generally, but regular Dog and Ponies close to the flagpole are moral murderers. Being observed in training is a motivator by comparison - doing what you do in the field should look right naturally, staging trucks and equipment so a few 2-3-4 stars can touch it sucks.

Response by SGT Shon D. Hill made Apr 23 at 2014 8:19 AM

2014-04-23T08:19:37-04:00

I agree and believe that many of the so called D and P shows are irritating and seem counterproductive, but the discipline required by leaders and soldiers to perform under such conditions should not be overlooked. Great topic! SGT Shon D Hill, Disabled Combat Vet

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2014 11:21 AM

2014-04-23T11:21:48-04:00

I have skin in this game as the trip planer for a COCOM CSM. No, most DVs do not want the Dog and Pony show. After the office calls and briefs then they mostly want to interact with the Soldiers in their offices or at lunch. Maybe an Enlisted Call to field questions and get a sense of the morale but other than that it is up to the Command they are visiting to set the schedule. Most Commanders and CSMs are very proud of their units and one way of showing this pride is the Dog and Pony show. Yes, it does suck.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2014 4:07 PM

2014-04-23T16:07:55-04:00

I agree. Announced visit should only be for meeting with the leadership. At the same time, the visitors may not have access to the work place or even have an idea where the work place is without notifying the visited unit/organization.

Response by MAJ Steve Sheridan made Apr 23 at 2014 4:16 PM

2014-04-23T16:16:25-04:00

Seeing my Unit in action like any other day because we're always ready for VIPs.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2014 7:38 PM

2014-04-23T19:38:46-04:00

My unit goes about it's usual routine. But we are also a band, so we are already kind of a "dog and pony show."

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2014 9:50 PM

2014-04-23T21:50:34-04:00

As a TPU LT in the Army Reserves I had the SMA visit Fort Bliss where I was overseeing my "company" (it was all three companies rolled up for AT under me) build vertical projects for an active duty training site. We heard he was coming and were told when we first got there because of where we were that only 2 stars and above and their CSMs get the dog and pony show and only 2 stars and above get saluted. Fine by me as we had a lot of work to get done. Well he came within two hour notice and it was our practice to have an early morning shift and a night shift due to the heat. My guys left at the end of their shift and only my PSG (who was acting 1SG) and I stayed behind to talk to the SMA. He was content with only observing from a distance and did not even want to talk to us. I feel that there is some value in leaders interacting with the Soldiers as a COL had done the day before, but not at the cost of interrupting the entire training mission as he had done for half an hour. One-on-one and asking what they were doing would have been more beneficial I believe to demonstrate the he/she cares about what they are doing and gives the Soldier an opportunity to brag about what they are doing and take pride in it. The snub by the SMA was just that. He was just there to look and get his dog and pony show and leave. The SGM of the area was never around and did not interact with myself or any of the people on the project but came flying out of the dog and pony show. I feel that dog and pony only had a time and place when in parades, change of commands, visiting dignitaries, and other items like that. Let us do our jobs and interact one-on-one to show that you care. You will get more frank answers and learn more about what is going on with your troops if you do that than if you talk in a group.

Just my two cents.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Dec 14 at 2014 11:13 PM

2014-12-14T23:13:42-05:00

The term "dog and pony show" is no longer approved for use. In the future, please exchange that term for "canine and equestrian lalapalooza."

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Dec 14 at 2014 11:32 PM

2014-12-14T23:32:48-05:00

I would prefer to show the unit how it is without "sugar coating."

Unfortunately my commander, when I was a captain, kept saying "if it looks good, it probably is". He lost some cool points that day.

Fast forward a few years later. When I served as BN S3 and later BN XO for a WTB in Alaska, the units could take care of a VIP visit with just a 10 minutes heads up. No dog and pony show here. Just our day to day operations.

Response by CMC Robert Young made Dec 14 at 2014 11:34 PM

2014-12-14T23:34:47-05:00

Would rather see them working!!

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jan 27 at 2015 3:58 PM

2015-01-27T15:58:43-05:00

"No combat ready unit has ever passes inspection" - Murphy's laws of combat.