Growing Army Professionals Closing the Values Gap

A soldier is a steward of their profession. It is their responsibility to maintain the trust of their fellow soldiers, become an expert in their MOS and soldiering skills, while maintaining honorable service, and how the army values help us become stewards of our profession. They should be examples to soldiers and the epitome of professionalism. A soldier represents more than just them selves but our country as a whole.

Trust in your fellow soldiers is hard earned but a necessity. The soldiers under you will follow your direction knowing that you are leading them correctly and trusting in you as a leader. Your officers and senior leadership will trust in you to preform your job correctly and that they will not have to stand over your shoulder or worry about assigning task to. They will know that you are professional. You also want the American citizens to trust in you. They should have trust that you as a soldier will ethically and effectively serve our country, because you represent the Army when they see you. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said “Trust is earned not given. It is not rank-oriented. It is deeds, not words.” He also stated its important for the leadership to listen to and trust younger soldiers. Loyalty and selfless service are the Army values that will build trust. Loyalty to your soldiers and your country will make your soldiers trust you they will see that you care not only about them but about the bigger picture as well. Selfless service will also build trust from your command and your soldiers everyone will see that you go above and you will sacrifice your needs for your soldiers.

Part of the way you gain trust is by being in expert in your (MOS) military occupation specialty. This is vitally import because you will have to lead soldiers usually with in you MOS. If a soldier has a question you should be able to answer them correctly or know where to get the answer that is needed. Also you should know  regulation so that you can correct any mistakes that your soldier makes and exemplify what the regulation states. Basic soldiering skills are also something that you should know inside and out you should be able to teach junior soldiers the proper way to do something and the purpose for why it is done. The is covered by the Army’s value’s of duty and integrity. Duty is how missions are completed and once one task is completed you will move on to the next task this will only happen by being an expert in military task and your MOS. Integrity means always doing the right thing even though this also builds trust if you do things with integrity you will do them correctly and that will build your expertise in a given area.

Honorable service encompasses professionalism, trust, mastery of your job and being of a high moral character. This will follow you even after your career this is what employers see when they hire a service member. Serving honorably is giving up part of you for the greater good sacrificing time with family, friends, and the things you care about to do the job that needs to be done. Serving with honor is also doing what is morally right. Honor is also a big part of the army core values. The reason the American people trust our military is because of the honor we have. We uphold honorable service by living the army values, serving our nation, and upholding the army values. We support the constitution in a way that upholds the rights and interests of the American people.

In conclusion you have seen the reason trust is important from your soldiers and civilians alike. Why having mastery of our job is so important in leading and why it will help you build the trust of your soldiers. Finally how honorable service is what defines stewards of the profession by encompassing a variety of different traits. All of this can be achieved through the army values. Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage. These are the values of the Army that build stewards of the profession they build trust, honorable service, and will make you an expert in your field. As soldiers it is our duty to make good decisions and take the best course of action. These are the things that will make us stewards of our profession.

References

SFC Piper, Raymond (2012 October 26) Trust is the bedrock of the Army profession.

https://www.army.mil/article/89904/csa_trust_is_bedrock_of_army_profession efficient

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