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Punctuality In The Military Essay

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Punctuality is a concept that is held to a different standard in every culture in the world. In Switzerland, for example, the train schedule is almost to the second. If a commuter is even thirty seconds late for the train, it will have already departed. On the other hand, in Italy, which is right next door to Switzerland, the train schedules are quite a bit more relaxed. If a train is not posting delayed warnings, it almost comes as a surprise. However, there is one cultural norm that all peoples across the globe can agree upon: respect. Being respectful to our peers, superiors, and subordinates, is an extremely important part of the Army lifestyle. One way that we show this respect is through an even more disciplined version of punctuality …show more content…

In fact, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Mark Bender built the bridge between the two in his book Operation Excellence: Succeeding in Business and Life the U.S. Military Way. In this book Mark Bender brings up many topics that he believes merges success in the military and success in life. One such way to self-improvement that Mark Bender discusses is timeliness. Bender argues that self-discipline is the essential key to all success. Timeliness, in the form of being on time to meetings, turning in work on time, and even more simple tasks such as waking up at a specific time and not wasting the morning pressing the snooze button, leads to a disciplined life. Having discipline not only helps in business, but can lead to helping build personal wealth through having the discipline to save money, not spend frivolously, and invest intelligently. Punctuality is simply another form of self discipline practice, and leads to building oneself into a better and more functional human …show more content…

Building a culture of respect and regard for another's time is important in every level of relationships in the military, seniors, peers, and subordinates. Being punctual is a sign of excellent leadership, as well as a sign for the potential for more responsibility and leadership opportunities. Timeliness is a key part of self-development. Being self-disciplined can lead to building a better personal life for oneself, and being on time in your daily activities is a good opportunity to put self-discipline in to action. Finally, timeliness is an important aspect of the military community that non-military personnel respect and admire. Maintaining that imagery and persona of a military member can lead to great opportunities outside of the military. Clearly, punctuality is key to being a better

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