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Leadership (IV) - A Master Sergeant Sounds Off November 4, 1998 Comment: #209 Discussion Thread: #s 206, 207, and 208 References: [1] Email from MSG ZZZ responding to #207. Attached. [2] Email from MSG ZZZ responding to #208. Attached. I received the two attached responses from a Master Sergeant stationed at Ft Sill, Oklahoma. These reactions are thoughtful and deserve your careful attention and comparison with the referenced messages. Chuck Spinney [Disclaimer: In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 107, the following material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.] RE: #207: "Lord, you wonder how the Army survives sometimes when you read about boneheaded things like this. It's a backhanded tribute to the resilience of the American enlisted soldier, I guess. They're gonna persevere despite the type of leadership they're given. I thought the info about the soldiers deciding to go for the Gilmore trophy on their own was rather interesting, too. Kind of neat, eh?" RE: #208: "Undoubtedly, many people want the officer and enlisted personnel systems of the services to be fair and equitable. Unfortunately, being a human enterprise, these systems will almost always be flawed even though we work diligently to make them the best possible. Bottom line: I believe that each individual knows his or her own worth and if the service chooses to recognize that, it's fine. If not, I feel it's the service's loss. I or other enterprising individuals will take our talents elsewhere and use them in accordance with supply and demand, or we'll stay in the service at a lower grade and continue to excel, regardless of the lack of recognition. It's mind over matter. If you don't pay it any mind, it doesn't matter, and you continue to do an outstanding job anyway.. For the most part, I've seen competence at most ranks and grades so our flawed system seems to be working in some way shape or form. Soldiers get in uniform and show up for work each day and The Army Goes Rolling Along, albeit in fits and starts at times. The Half Section rides on!" |