Synthesis Essay - General Billy Mitchell MSgt Robert C. Poore
Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy Class 15-C
7 April 2015
Instructor: SMSgt Stephen Kramer
General Billy Mitchell
“Guilty of Insubordination!” This was the verdict in the court martial of General William “Billy” Mitchell. General Mitchell spent his adult life pursuing his ideal of a separate Air Service recognized as a dominant force in military capabilities, but his actions in pursuit of his beliefs undermined military leadership at the time. General Billy Mitchell was a Visionary Leader but his decisions also made him an Unethical Leader. To solidify this claim, we will examine how General Mitchell’s forward thinking and refusal to accept the status quo led to the creation of the modern Air Force, how his tactics to realize his vision were not ethical, and how his visionary, but unethical leadership traits and behaviors are relevant to examples of my own leadership behaviors.
Visionary Leader
General Mitchell was a Visionary Leader who recognized the US military must include air power as a dominant role in its Operational Doctrine in order to successfully prosecute and decisively win future wars. According to Jeffers (2005), US Operational Doctrine dictated the US Navy Fleet was the key to winning wars prior to World War I. While in command of all 1,481 American and Allied airplanes in France during World War I, General Mitchell successfully created and employed his air
Ethics Theory for the Military Professional by Chaplin (COL) Samuel D. Maloney illustrates the complex ethical decision making process. Army Leaders are responsible for professionally, and ethically develop subordinates. Developing unethical subordinates in a zero defect Army is a leadership challenge. Goal-Oriented Aspirations, Rule-Oriented Obligations, and Situation-Oriented Decisions provide leaders an understanding of the ethical decision making process. The first step to Professionally developing subordinates is identifying, and providing input on all subordinate goals. Leaders are obligated to enforce rules and regulations. Understanding subordinate character provides leaders with the information to evaluate a soldier’s integrity. However,
The movie “Twelve O’ Clock High” is a case study in the application of leadership theory during World War Two. Gregory Peck portrays Brigadier General Savage, a United States Army Air Force officer thrust into a situation that requires a maximum effort both on the ground and in the air as he attempts to re-invigorate an undisciplined, anxiety ridden, and ineffective combat unit. Throughout the movie we observe Peck’s character employing a variety of leadership methods, but ultimately discovering that true combat effectiveness and cohesion is accomplished through a
Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer is a very influential novel in the military. In fact, it is required reading material for all 1st Lieutenants in the Marine Corps as well as in the United States Military Academy at West Point. Many Army leaders have read the book and often discuss it among themselves in social situations. Although a fiction read, many leaders extrapolate the use of mission command as well as the leaderships attributes. In this analysis I will be comparing a single event in the novel to the Army’s leadership principles as well as Mission Command. I will then provide a personal reflection and conclude.
The book Black Hearts opened my eyes to how leadership from a single Officer can have a grappling effect on such a wide range of soldiers from the lowest of ranks. One of the best takeaways from Black Hearts is to never do anything: illegal, unethical, or immoral. Although this is a easy statement to repeat, Black Hearts demonstrates the difficulties that lie behind these words. It has also painted a picture of how leadership can topple extremely quickly from a top down view. The Army is portrayed in a bad light throughout the book relentlessly. This is due to the concentration of poor leadership of the 1-502nd Regiment (Referred to as “First Strike”), a battalion of the 101st Airborne Division.
The legacy leader I have chosen to write about is Brigadier General (BG) Richard T. Ellis (Deceased). BG Ellis was a true influential leader in the United States (U.S.) Army and intelligence community. This paper will discuss how BG Ellis showed leadership attributes and competencies covered in Army Doctrine Publication (ADP) 6-22 and Army Doctrine Reference Publication (ADRP) 6-22. It will also discuss how he influenced leaders and changes in the intelligence community. Finally it will cover how his actions influenced me in my military career.
Throughout military history, there have been many leaders that can be considered either visionary or ethical. This paper will discuss how BG Robin Olds was a visionary leader, but not a very ethical leader. From the beginning of his career, he was a visionary in aerial combat tactics and a true believer of leading from the front. His vision of aerial combat was beyond his years, but often fell upon deaf ears due to his flamboyant nature. He never hesitated to say exactly what was on his mind, which is why his actions could be considered unethical. But, his men loved him, and would follow him to hell and back. First, this paper will discuss BG Olds’ visionary leadership abilities he displayed the Viet Nam
General Arnold displayed the characteristics of a pioneer and Visionary Leader. He served in the capacities of a creator and in every sense; Arnold literally invented the modern U.S. Air Force (Bill Yenne, 2013). Our student guide on Team Dynamics tells us that a creator generates fresh and/or original ideas that defy generally accepted structures or roles (Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (BCEE), 2016). He is and was the first and only five-star general to command the service and he’s credited with developing the idea of airpower. His creative leadership traits enabled him to
The main purpose of this paper identifies an ethical dilemma when leaders in aviation prepare for predeployment and deployment operations. The United States (US) Army Aviation branch remains a small
Charged with sex-related crimes involving 10 female Airmen, 4 counts of adultery, and several other charges such as indecent conduct, misuse of position, and maltreatment of enlisted Airmen, former Command Chief of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) CMSgt William Gurney failed to ethically lead his Airmen. By his own admission, he was “caught in a cycle of sin and failed as an Airman and a husband.” 1 In this essay, I will discuss the Chief’s specialty and some of the positions he held as a Printer Systems Operator, I will then highlight the unethical events that took place from a few different viewpoints to include the accused and his alleged victims. Finally, I will give you my opinion on how I would have acted if put in the same
The purpose of this paper is to address how I, SSG Schumacher, have identified Major Robert Rogers as a legacy leader and a leader of influence in my military career as a non-commissioned officer and member of the military intelligence community. This paper will cover three main topics in which I will first discuss a brief history of the life of Major Rogers. Then, his impact on the evolution of warfare and leadership attributes on the United States Army. Finally, I will discuss how his leadership attributes led to him making an impact on the military today and Soldiers such as myself.
I am Joseph Maruska, I am currently a Major in the United States Air Force. This essay will introduce you to my personal command philosophy. It will also summarize and analyze a brief interview recently conducted with a current squadron commander using my own leadership philosophy as a guide. Throughout this essay I will draw upon my own personal experiences and thoughts, lessons discussed throughout the Leadership and Command Course, as well the discussion with a current squadron commander. Leadership and command styles come in many different forms and there is not necessarily a correct or incorrect way to lead depending on your organization or current turn of events. This essay is simply my thoughts after being in the Air Force for the last eleven years.
The timeliness and accuracy of decision making comes over time. Seasoned leaders respond to issues with a calculated cool because of years of experience. A key to military officer development are its structured leadership opportunities. General Savage spent many hours in the copilot seat before he sat in the pilot seat. A key to his decision making process is the introspection he developed from watching and being mentored by officers senior to him.
This report will analyze the question: To what extent did the introduction of aviation affect United States military strategies in World War I? The early adoption of aviation into the U.S. military and the manner in which the early air force used air power shall be discussed in this examination.
“The power of an Air Force is terrific when there is nothing to oppose it” (Churchill,
Billy Mitchell was an Army Brigadier General and a famed aviator, considered by many to be the father of the United States Air Force, he was one of the loudest proponents of air power after World War I. He is also one of the most polarizing figures in aviation. People argue how helpful he actually was to the development of US aviation. William D. O’Neil, argues that his campaign to promote airpower was handled the wrong way. His use of scare tactics, embellishments of fact and prediction, and his confrontational attitude actually limited his ability to compromise with other branches and effectively sell his ideas. An author in support of Mitchell, Robert Burlingame, stated that World War II was the proving grounds and vindication of Billy Mitchell, that he could not have acted any other way, and his loud voice kept him in the minds of all those who heard him, making sure his ideas were not forgotten. In this paper, the argument of critic, William D. O’Neil, will be analyzed along with the advocate, Robert Burlingame will be presented, both sides will be evaluated, and then a synthesis will be made.