Military Bearing

Napoleon Bonaparte said it best, "If you build an Army of 100 lions and their leader is a dog, in any fight, the lions will die like a dog. But if you build an Army of 100 dogs and their leader is a lion, all dogs will fight like a lion." Walking amongst the ranks today, it is obvious that military discipline is not currently what it used to be. Discipline must be enforced in a unit's structural atmosphere, as the mission increases and tasks before them become more difficult.

Every Soldier is always on display, and his or her actions speak louder than words. The purpose of this essay is to inform the reader about what military bearing is, issues that affect military bearing, and the importance of military bearing and being professional.

Military bearing and professionalism are carrying oneself in a way that always brings praise upon you as an individual and the armed forces, and upholding the Army values. It is undoubtedly what separates a civilian from a service member.

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It is having the capacity to sustain standards, and to not only present and develop yourself with an authoritative presence, but to display oneself confidently. Professionalism is essential to any job, but the existence and need for professionals is huge when it comes to the military. In the Armed Forces, we show respect to our flag and officers by saluting, standing at parade rest or position of attention, and keep composure during difficult situations. But it is more than that, it is always doing the sometimes-difficult right, over choosing to do the easy wrong in bad situations and during situations of conflict.

Self-discipline is doing the right thing without someone having to tell you. This applies to both on and off duty hours. Pride, motivation, personal appearance, and following the Uniform Code of Military Justice are just the basic foundations required by service members. Consequences are becoming rare with every day that passes, which in return is not deterring other service members from poor behavioral choices.

There are multiple issues with military bearing. Soldiers and leaders are failing to demonstrate professionalism and bearing, but enforce their place and position. This is true amongst all levels of leadership, considering most individuals believe respect is a two-way street; sometimes just being professional is not enough. What about conflict, difference of opinions, or how an individual perceives information? Conflict does not always occur in actual situations. For example, one Soldier may have an issue with another, without the second Soldier even realizing it. Perhaps the Soldier is not at fault for the misunderstanding. Communicating ineffectively will drown out what an individual thinks the other person is saying, and cause a person to receive something different than what was initially said. Conflict exists in all units, and every Soldier will face situations that will question their military bearing. This is due to the simple fact that people will always have different viewpoints, ideas, and opinions. The issue is how a person deals with or handles oneself when differences arise or in a stressful situation. The single biggest issue in regards to military bearing is integrity. A service member can be taught the definition of integrity, analyze what it might mean in regards to their specific job duties or personal life, talk about what it means to them in their own words, but applying it when nobody is watching is the issue at hand.

The Uniform Code of Military Justice, along with Army Regulation 600-20 and FM 1 (The Army), provides all Soldiers with guidance on how to conduct oneself on a day to day basis. Otherwise, legal repercussion and punishment is implemented, which can ultimately result in separation from the service. Although there is a new generation of Soldiers and their thought process is different regarding the respect given and earned method, it is a matter of continuing to respect the rank. The rank system in the Army was created for a reason, and the person earned that rank. Whether it be a positive way or not, whether we agree with it or not is irrelevant. Just because the Soldier respects the rank, does not necessarily mean oneself has respect for the individual wearing it. Soldiers simply do not take self-discipline seriously, nor take kindly to correction. It is commonly perceived that if a leader corrects a Soldiers wrong doing, that it is out of dislike, or that the leader is trying to ruin that Soldiers career.

By example, leaders first must earn the respect of their Soldiers. After all, the key factor to instilling military professionalism within a unit, is the influence the leader has on their beliefs and values. Conduct displayed by leaders is the conduct emulated by their subordinates. The leader who lives the core Army values, will in return have Soldiers who will always respect the leader's rank. The leader that lacks military discipline, jeopardizes losing the trust and respect of their teammates. Leaders must always conduct themselves with professionalism to create an appropriate work environment. Leaders that promote personalities of professionalism without pride standing in the way, have Soldiers with high levels of loyalty and discipline. It is critical for a leader to be hungry for knowledge and understand that military bearing is continuous. Junior Soldiers will base their respect towards their leaders on the leader's demonstrated character, knowledge, and professional skills. Presenting a professional character for subordinates to emulate is the way Soldiers and leaders should always be conducting themselves. Presenting professionalism is taking pride in oneself, realizing and reflecting on the fact that a person serving is privileged to be a part of that one percent, eventually becoming a leader in service of both seniors and subordinates. Most of all, military bearing is critical because every service member represents the United States of America.

Finally, when discussing the importance of military bearing, not just leaders, but all service members must display a professional appearance. Furthermore, having an attitude of competency while in the workplace is essential to creating a suitable place for all personalities. Military bearing is not just customs and courtesies. What about in a combat environment, where the need to keep your composure and stay calm to keep in the fight? Composure is of extreme importance, so that your mind can be at ease to lead others and take direction in a life or death situation.

In conclusion, accepting that the military bearing that presented by oneself will define the way in which leaders guide others, how superiors view Soldiers, and how the world views Soldiers. Respect for authority is a tool, which concentrates on the Soldiers role as a member of a team, and his or her relationship amongst other Soldiers. Every Soldier must understand that their military discipline does not end when one removes the uniform at the end of the day. It is important for all service members to take full responsibility for their actions, and the actions of their Soldiers. Both positive and negative criticism comes from every person's behavior and the way they handle situations. First impressions do count. A negative first impression on a subordinate will absolutely affect their trust in the leader and respect towards the leader as an individual with authority. Service members must remember that most of the civilian population has direct contact with them during off duty hours, and that is when they make their judgements towards them and form opinions on the Armed Forces.