General Moore's Ethical Leadership

General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. (born in 1912-2002) was the first African-American General in the America Air Force. Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., his father, was the first African-American to earn the title general in any branch of the American military. This paper aims to prove that General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was a visionary and ethical leader. After graduating from the University of Chicago, the United States Military Academy commissioned him. He was one the first African Americans to be admitted to the Army Air Corps and to pilot training. General Benjamin had led 60 combat missions and promoted to Colonel by the end of World War II. He was the one of the first black pilots in the military and the first African American cadet to graduate from West Point Academy in the twentieth century (Lerner, 2003). With his effective accomplishments, I believe he provides a perfect example of who we should all look at as a visionary and ethical leader.

In 2012, General Dempsey states “Mission Command is fundamentally a learned behavior to be imprinted into the DNA of a profession of arms.” The way Mission Command has evolved through the past years is indicative to the US Military adjusting to a new threat. The concept of Mission Command is not new, what is important is how General Dempsey states “Education in the fundamental principles of mission command must begin at the start of service and be progressively more challenging..” The General emphasizes the need for education at the start of the individual’s service. Additionally, this highlights the United States Army’s doctrinal adjustment to the new threat. During the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US faced an enemy whose creativity and adaptability are two of its greatest assets. The fast-paced situation changes in both of those AOs required tactical level leadership maintain the autonomy to “exercise disciplined initiative.” This type of initiative historically leads to mission success, specifically in fast-paced situations where a key to success is forcing the enemy to react.

What might have been the setback we previously faced in making decisive, clear or sound effective decisions? Was it a defect in how Commanders and Leaders led units or troops, or perhaps the philosophy in which we chose to command and control every aspect of the battlefield? What does it mean to recognize or comprehend the art of Command and the science of Control? The six principles of mission command are key in developing a cohesive team that will support all aspects of the mission. Asking “why” is now encouraged when it pertains to certain situations or missions. Understanding the purpose of why a course of action or desired outcome is necessary, leads to mission success and a cohesive unit with thinking leaders. Thinking clearly usually isn’t an issue for most leaders, but position an individual in a situation of extreme stress or complexity, then there might be a reason to be concerned. Through

There is a multitude of issues preventing the 4th ABCT from becoming one of the best BCTs in the division. However, I quickly realized in my assessment that this is directly linked to the previous command team. Therefore, the climate has become extremely toxic to the point where primary staff officers are ready and willing to resign their positions. The BCT is over worked, overloaded, and poorly led by its leaders causing an increase in DUIs, domestic abuse, and multiple divorces. Furthermore, there is a lack of commitment to the men and women within the BCT from their leaders, which stems from the poor ideals portrayed, threw the previous BDE CDR and CSM. Moreover, hazing, favoritism, and sexual misconduct have driven a deep divide within the BDE. One of the key components

Has your leadership ever been tested and what do you set your foundation on? If the country became divided and you had to choose a side, could you? What would you base your decision off of? This is the decision that Robert E. Lee faced when the Civil War kicked off. Robert E. Lee was a visionary leader and ethical leader during the Civil War. First, as a visionary leader, Robert E. Lee set his leadership foundation on self-discipline and used Transformational Leadership Behavior “Individualized Consideration” to lead and motivate his troops into battle even when they were outnumbered. Furthermore, as an ethical leader, Robert E. Lee’s loyalty to his homeland allowed him to overcome an “ethical dilemma” using “critical thinking” to avoid an “ethical trap.” Finally, Robert E. Lee’s actions allowed me to reflect on improvements to my visionary and ethical leadership traits in my new assignment and deployed environments. Robert E. Lee knew he had to be “self-aware” and utilize his men to their full potential before he could march them onto the battlefield where the odds were against them.

Training objectives must support the mission profile and meet the commanders desired end state. Prior to the 56TH train up at the National Training Center (NTC) the deployment location changed from Iraq to Afghanistan (case study). Changes to mission essential tasks were not identified prior to NTC, resulting in the BCT training on collective tasks and validated during MRE based on the Iraq mission profile. However, the shift to the Afghanistan mission profile created gaps in training not identified until units arrived at Bagram Air Field (BAF). i.e. the BCT had to establish an MRAP drivers training program at BAF extending the RSOI process. Training gaps were not limited to company level shortfalls as battalion and brigade staffs were not able to anticipate potential threats and capitalize on opportunities. (case study 2)

It’s late afternoon on March 9th, 1945. The sun was shining brightly through a scattered deck of clouds dotting the sky and there was a refreshing northeasterly breeze coming off the surrounding waters. General Curtis LeMay is standing in the thick tropical air of Northwest Field on the small Pacific island of Guam. He watches as over three hundred B-29 Superfortress bombers launch northward towards Tokyo where they will use new and unproven tactics for delivering the most devastating firebombing campaign in history. Through General LeMay’s vision and innovation he changed established doctrine of how bombers should operate in the European and Pacific theaters and enabled untold successes but at what cost to American values and law?

LTC Moore’s style of leadership was one that instilled confidence and set high expectations and standards for his leaders. He stressed taking care of each other and implemented tough and realistic training in order to ensure the best chance of his Soldiers surviving in battle. He believed in cross training and decentralization. In a field training exercise, he killed off the

Although Theodore Roosevelt led by using Intellectual Courage, he held another great attribute of Ethical Leadership. He was the epitome of an Ethical Leader portraying one of our own Air Force Core Values of Service Before Self which is defined as the ability to have professional duties take precedence over personal desires (BCEE,

The 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) has a proud history of accomplishments. It has served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Historically, the morale across the brigade was high; leaders took care of their Soldiers, and all of them did their best to train them, accomplish missions successfully, and support them in any way. The 4th ABCT HQ, as well as each of the battalions, were highly efficient and effective, and most of them were jubilant to be part of the brigade. Three years ago, one of the best maneuver brigades in FORSCOM was the 4th ABCT. The brigade had focus; leaders and soldiers were dedicated, and there was a strong work ethics. However, the 4th is facing some challenges ahead that are going to make difficult to reach its full potential. Amongst several leadership problems, there is a major one. There is not an organizational vision in the brigade, and if there is, it is unclear and poorly evident.

There are a number of qualities that quantify good leaderships and good leaders. According to Kouzes and Posner in their book The Leadership Challenge, all successful leaders have (5) practices in common. They “Model the Way”, “Inspire a shared vision”, “Challenge the process”, “enable others to act” and “encourage the heart”(15). Never is there a more important time to have exemplary leadership, than in a time of war. Both the American Civil War and World War II showed what was possible through good leadership. From abolishing slavery and preserving the Union, to fighting tyranny and oppression abroad, both events in American history had a profound impact on all those involved. The impact would most certainly be different if not for the leadership of Colonel Lawrence Chamberlain of the Union Army during the Civil War and General George S. Patton during World War II. Both leaders possessed the 5 practices essential for god leadership, yet both leaders to different approaches to accomplish their goals.

The 4th ABCT has numerous issues preventing the BCT from regaining past title as one of the best BCT in the division. However, I quickly realized in my assessment prior to taking command that this is directly linked to the previous command team. The climate has become extremely toxic to the point that primary staff officers are ready and willing to quit or resign their positions. The BCT is over worked, overloaded, and poorly led by its leaders causing an increase in DUIs, domestic abuse, and multiple divorces. Furthermore, there is a lack of commitment to the men and women within the BCT from their leaders, which stems from the poor ideals portrayed, threw the previous BDE CDR and CSM. Moreover, hazing, favoritism, and sexual misconduct have driven a deep divide within the BDE. One of the key components that I noticed was a lack of commitment to the Soldiers and leaders at all levels

John F. Kennedy was a visionary and an ethical leader through his Space Race vision and his actions during the civil rights movement. As a visionary leader he used Inspirational Motivation to rally a diverse team in pursuit of his space vision, despite extreme challenges. He showed he was an ethical leader during his stand-off with Governor Wallace. This led the way for civil rights for African-Americans and laid the foundation for equal opportunity for all Americans, changing our country’s morals and ethical values. Lastly, I will highlight two situations that enabled me to reflect on my visionary and ethical leadership; one where I had to use Inspirational Motivation to rally a diverse team to achieve an unimaginable vision, and another where I was faced with an emergent leadership issue and how I applied ethical behavior to evaluate and correct this situation.

This essay will outline how Gen. Moore was a visionary who displayed transformational leadership skills through idealized influence that aided the United States in its success on the

The quote above personifies what type of person LT. Colonel Moore was. In today’s society you will rarely find individuals such as LTC. Hal Moore that exhibit those rare qualities of what a leader should be. In this essay I will describe some of the leadership qualities that are displayed in the movie We Were Soldiers. I will also discuss how the characteristics were portrayed, evaluate the success or lack of for each, apply a real life situation and explain how his leadership style affected those who followed.