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Mission: Survive and Thrive
When I first went into the Army, the mission statement of any order you received or issued had five elements. The 5Ws: Who, What, When, Where, Why. The most important element was the Why.
The format changed, years later, and became Task & Purpose. The most important element was the purpose.
The reason for the why/purpose is two-fold. First, if the task cannot be achieved, but the troop knows Why he’s doing it, then he can adapt, overcome and improvise in such a way as to generate an outcome that fulfills the Why.
The other reason is that American Soldiery needs to be told Why. The troops may not even agree with the purpose of the mission. But if it’s valid, those rambunctious, pugnacious and inventive little miscreants will get it done.
In my experience, having worked with Partner troops from dozens of disparate nations over the years, this is unique to the American troop.
Now, I can’t help but expand that assessment to the American citizenry writ large. Citizens that are told why they have certain restrictions placed upon them will pitch in, help out, and perform magnificently. Citizens that must suffer restrictions for which there is no discernible, common sense explicable reason, and whose state governors are not even trying to articulate a Why, become frustrated and will rebel.
There could be a valid reason that marijuana shops are open, but barbershops are closed.
There may be a valid reason that you can visit the beach, but cannot go in the water.
There may be a reason that throngs of people can go to Costco, but cannot go to Church.
Note, though, that on those topics, the Why, if it is even offered, is usually ill-defined and reliant on an appeal to authority. The Science is settled! Okay, then break that science down for me, Hot-rod. Show me your facts and figures and calcs. Make it make sense enough that it adds up to a Why.
Or go pound sand.
Published in General
I almost forgot my main point! Yup, a CM is almost always a bad idea. Whenever I gave an Article 15, I always spent time explaining exactly what eh offense was in regular soldier speak and why doing XX was a bad thing…I did a LOT of summary Art 15s and tied to avoid the standard variety as much as possible as those things were permanent and the summaries did not end a budding career…Only recommended one CM (barracks theft and I think stealing from your bunk mate is CRIMINAL- the dimwit stole his buddies ATM card and didn’t realize there were ATM cameras)…
:) !! Not sure. He and spousal unit are still trying to figure out the future (she has already decided not to go her Career Course as it is a pain for two serving spouses to actually be in the same location). He could probably hack SFQC but is something of a smart ass so attitude might be an issue…or not.
You know, I used to know a guy that had real smart ass proclivities. He went and did all right.
Had?
Shouldn’t that be plural?
Well, word on the street from Huggy Bear is that he still has them, but managed to do okay in SF anyways.
That’s more like it. 😉
I remember that someone on the winning team opposed the Nuremburg trials saying that they criminalized losing wars. I think the motivation for my question was my wondering how many countries on the “winning” side have prosecuted their soldiers for giving and/or following illegal orders. The US has, but how many others have?