Soldier's Creed, Am I an Expert and Am I a Professional Essay

Professionals from various fields work together to build a structurally sound foundation that cannot be shaken. This foundation is the cornerstone on which the Profession of Arms relies. The Army’s professional expertise are rallied in four branches: military-technical expertise, human development expertise, moral-ethical expertise and political-cultural expertise. They are broad areas that allow the Army to operate as a force.

The creed of the noncommissioned officer is a baseline for all noncommissioned officers Corporal all the way up to Sergeant Major, on how to conduct oneself in the leading of soldiers. It does not outline every single situation you may come into throughout your military career but if you live this creed then you should be set for success. In this paper we are going to take an in depth look into the creed and how you can apply every aspect of it to leadership.

Stewardship of the Army Profession is the last of the Five Essential Characteristics of the Army Profession, but in terms of importance, it is just as, if not more important than the other four. The United States Army’s ADRP-1, or Army Doctrinal Reference Publication 1, even defines stewardship as “the responsibility of Army professionals to ensure the profession maintains its five essential characteristics now and into the future”. Such importance is placed on this characteristic because Stewardship of the Army Profession is the one that ensures the other four are maintained. I sought out the definition of stewardship because despite having spent almost three and a half years and West Point, I was not entirely sure what the doctrine behind Stewardship was. In doing this, I felt like I was better prepared for both this paper and ensuring that the corrections I made were stewarding the profession. With this newly acquired knowledge, I set out to make my corrections.

As the Army transitions from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, the organization is well served to take a long look in the mirror. After ten plus years of deployments, our combat tested warriors are sure to possess more than enough valuable knowledge to reinforce and improve upon our status as a profession. A TRADOC published paper explains “to be a professional is to understand, embrace, and competently practice the expertise of the profession.” I believe the profession of arms exists and there are many components that reinforce this argument. Among these components, initial entry training and institutional learning, shared values, and a monopoly on our mission are three of the most important tenants. All Soldiers must graduate

Army leaders must balance the link between the Army’s culture and it’s climate and institutional practices. When there is a proper balance it has a huge impact on the mindset of the Army’s Soldiers. Their actions or inactions impacts the five key attributes of the profession, and the four fields of expertise, and have long term effects on the Army’s culture and climate. These actions influence Soldiers’ perceptions that they are serving professional who have answered the call of service to the republic, it is important that Soldiers understand that their role is a calling and not just a job.

My leadership philosophy revolves entirely around the Army Values. In every action I take as a leader, I assess whether or not it lines up with the Army Values and the potential impacts. I have had a variety of leadership assignments during my career, all requiring a different leadership approach, spanning from team leader through platoon sergeant. My conflict resolution skills have greatly evolved through my twelve years in the Army, from rudimentary conversations to in depth problem solving. My professional development has had a profound effect on my leadership abilities, from NCOPD’s to mentorship from senior non-commissioned officers (NCO’s).

In the times in which we live technology, knowledge, development strategies and the environment involve a complex panorama that the U.S. Army must face. The most efficient way is through specialized training and looking for means to develop NCOs for the challenges of upcoming event. The NCO 2020 strategy changes the way we educate and train our Soldiers. The educational model used by the military in the last decade was the Noncommissioned Officer Education System (NCOES). This now going to be transformed into Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development System, or NCOPDS. One of the most important goals of this new educational model is that it will provide the Soldier with a long-term career focused on the training, education and experiences acquired during his career, being these institutional, operational or self-development.

The situation in today 's Army is clearly much different from what existed years ago. Many changes have occurred, moving the Army 's EO program from a strictly educational and training initiative to a multifaceted management program with clear goals and objectives. These goals and objectives are also an integral part of human relations and are nurtured and developed through a professional military education system.

The United States Army is always constantly changing as we are a living breathing organization. From the time that Soldiers were drafted into the Army and went straight to war, to the Soldiers just signing up and doing their time and getting out. In today’s Army there are more and more of our service members staying in twenty years or even longer turning the Army profession into their careers and livelihood. As the Army continues to change we have begun to shift to be a better professional Army. “Professionals require years of study and practice before they are capable of expert work” (DA HQ, 2010, p. 2). Professionals use life-long pursuit to build their knowledge to become an expert in their field. In turn, they then lead, train and develop other Soldiers to become skilled professionals in their

To understand whether the Army is a profession of arms, we must understand the term profession and what it takes to be a professional. “Professions use inspirational, intrinsic factors like the life-long pursuit of expert knowledge, the privilege and honor of service, camaraderie, and the status of membership in an ancient, honorable, and revered occupation. This is what motivates true professionals; it‘s why a profession like ours is

The Army Officer Corps was later professionalized in the late nineteenth century through professional military educational systems such as staff schools at Forts Benning and Leavenworth and the Army War College. With these reforms, bonds of trust between the Army and the American people began to grow. For many years some believed that only officers were professionals, but in the aftermath of Vietnam while rebuilding the ―hollow‖ Army, professional status was extended beyond the officer corps and was earned through professional development by warrant officers, NCOs, and many Army

Leadership, according to the Army doctrine, represents individuals’ ability to influence people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization (“Leadership” FM 6-22). However, the varying characteristics of individuals that the Army attracts may instill this doctrine in many different ways, leading to different representations of leadership. Some individuals choose to lead their subordinate in a stern matter, only displaying matured emotions and a “tough-loving” attitude to guide them in the right direction. Others

Training and Doctrine, second priority: As an institution totally committed to training Soldiers and developing future leaders across the United States, our cadre must obtain and hold the proper certifications to instruct and guide Soldiers. With the Army Learning Model (ALM) being at the forefront of our training, we must continue to modernize our equipment and facilities to enhance the training experience of Soldiers and units at the KSRTI while always adhering to the Program of Instructions (POI) and Course Management Plans (CMP). Instructions, including practical exercise, should include discussions of the Operational Environment (OE) conditions through the OE variables. These efforts lead to better trained Soldiers and set the right conditions for the 235th Regiment’s to remain accredited and relevant to the One Army School

The Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer states, “No one is more professional than I,” “I will strive to remain technically and tactically proficient,” and “All soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership.” As America transitions from a nation at war to a nation at the ready, it is imperative as noncommissioned officers, that we remember those responsibilities set forth in the creed in which we live by as we forge our next generation of soldiers and leaders. How we forge our future leaders, train our soldiers, and how we develop ourselves as noncommissioned officers is outlined in Army Regulation 350-1, Army Training and Leader Development. From

The Army’s schools will educate the new recruits in their new skills, increase and maintain the skills of season career personnel, with the ultimate goal of achieving the mission. The US Army stated mission is “to fight and win our Nation’s wars by providing prompt, sustained land dominance across the full range of military operations and spectrum of conflict in support of combatant commanders (U.S. Army, Organization, n.d., para. 1)”. The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) is the Army Command (ACOM) that is in charge of recruiting, training, and educating all Soldiers (officers, warrant officers, and enlisted). There are other ACOMs in which the Army relies to achieve their mission. However, for the purpose of this work, the author will only concentrate on TRADOC.