The Foundations of the U.S. Army Leadership

Introduction

• Army service is challenging and dangerous;
• Subordination is vital for the Army;

The basis of leadership in the Army:

• History;
• Relationship with the state;
• Accountability;
• Foundation documents;

Serving in the Army is a difficult task, and it requires dedication and readiness to face challenging situations. In many cases, soldiers are wounded or even killed during military operations. Thus, subordination and adherence to the leadership’s commands are essential for enabling this organization’s functioning. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the basis of leadership in the United States Army and disclose what allows military professionals to manage their subordinates effectively. Accountability, the history of the Army, the connection to the state and its government, responsibility, and the foundation documents are the basis of army leadership.

Purpose and Levels of Leadership

Leaders in the Army:

• Show a direction to subordinates;
• Create a sense of purpose;
• Motivate soldiers;

Levels of army leadership:

• Strategic
• Direct
• Organizational

Leadership in the Army can be defined as the provision of a purpose and direction to the subordinates. Moreover, army leaders should create a vision that will motivate the soldiers to go on missions and complete tasks. Moreover, due to the nature of army subordination, the soldiers should obey the tasks while being trained to become leaders once they progress in their military careers. In general, leadership in the U. S. Army is divided into three levels, which are: strategic, organizational, and direct. As these levels progress, the responsibilities of leaders and the importance of tasks they oversee increase, which creates a need for strong accountability.

Accountability of Army Leaders

Accountability can be described as:

• Taking responsibility;
• Acting ethically;

Army leaders have to be accountable and:

• Possess the skills for planning;
• Create operation plans for soldiers;
• Command operations;

One can describe accountability as taking responsibility for one’s actions or decisions. Additionally, this concept implies that individual acts in alignment with ethical standards.

From the perspective of the Army, leaders’ decisions directly affect the troops, who may be injured or killed due to improper planning. Moreover, the soldiers are obliged to obey the orders of their leaders, even in cases when this may subject the former to substantial dangers. This means that these leaders have to bear the responsibility of collecting information, having the knowledge and skills to plan and command operations, and deciding on the course of action. Thus, army leaders have to be qualified and act following moral standards.

Accountability

• Responsibility before the citizens;
• Accountability before the government;
• Army and government work in cooperation;

Another element of accountability is the responsibility of this organization before the citizens of the United States. The Army was established to protect the nation and people living within the United States. Hence, it is the responsibility of Amry’s leaders to be accountable before the U. S. citizens. The army leaders cannot act independently and make decisions that will affect the people living in this country negatively. Moreover, this requires cooperation [0]

between the Army representatives and government officials. The leaders of the Army and the government have to work together to protect the state, which creates a sense of accountability not only before the citizens but also before their elected representatives.

Connection with the State

• Army has to protect the state and its citizens;
• The President is the prominent army leader;
• Commander in Chief is the central role in the Army;

The Amry’s main role is to protect the state and its citizens from dangers, such as the invasion of other countries or any other interference in the local processes of any form. In the United States, the leading commander of the Army is the state’s President. This further emphasizes that the leadership in this organization is linked with the country’s foundations. The President can be in charge of operations and can deploy troops for various operations. As the main figure for the military, the U. S. president links this military organization with the country, and therefore, one of the core aspects of leadership is its foundation in the values of the state.

The Constitution and the Government

Essential documents that enhance army leadership:

• The Constitution
• The Declaration of Independence

The Consitution is one of the documents that provide the Army with its’ obligation to protect the nation. Another document is the Declaration of Independence, which was the document that marked the transformation of local militia into the Army as an official and government-led organization. This shows that the Army and the state are governed by the same policies, which means that their values and ethics also align. Hence, Army Leaders are guided by the same documents as the government’s leaders, and both have to base their decisions on the benefit of the nation. Another aspect of these legal documents is that they create a basis for army leadership and subordination, allowing the Army to function.

History of the Army

The history of the Army provides leaders with authority because:

• It was established in 1774;
• Connected with the Declaration of Independence;
• Helped the state evolve and develop;

The Army’s leadership foundations are also connected with the history of the state. Undoubtedly, this organization has played a vital role in the development of this country. First and foremost, the Amry was established after the Declaration of Independence was signed. It is one of the first national institutions as well, which shows the importance of the Armed Forces. Hence, Amry’s leadership is accompanied by the history of this organization since Amry has protected the state since the 1770s and continues to do this to this day. Hence, the leader’s authority is based on the chronicle of this organization and the contribution it has made to the establishment and development of the U. S. 8. Foundation Documents

Examples of Army documentation:

• Army regulation 600–100
• Army leader development strategy
• FM 6-22

The founding documents:

• Describe the roles and responsibilities;
• Act as a manual for leaders;

In general, the U. S. Army has a plethora of documents that outline all aspects of its work, including the subordination between individuals and the tasks and responsibilities of each. Army regulation 600–100 is one example of a document that describes leadership in detail. In this text, there is a detailed explanation of the levels of leadership and the tasks of a leader at each level. Moreover, there is an outline of how leaders should act in different scenarios. The army leader development strategy is another document that describes the learning process for future leaders. Finally, FM 6-22 document, also titled Army Leadership, is a manual for leaders that they can use to work effectively.

Foundation Documents

Army regulation 600–100:

• Describes the basis of leadership;
• Implies soldiers’ leadership training;

FM 6-22

• Provides detailed examples of each task;

These documents are instructions that both the leaders and the soldiers learn and use in their daily work. Hence, they build the foundation for leadership as they describe the details of how this organization should function. For example, Army regulation 600–100 cites the need to prepare every soldier to become a leader. This necessity is described as a responsibility of the current leaders. Hence, Army regulation 600–100 requires the existing Army leaders to train and prepare the future generation for their leadership roles. In comparison, FM 6-22 details how leaders can inspire or motivate the soldiers. For example, the manual describes “influencing” as a process that allows controlling the soldiers and civilians. Thus, the U. S. army’s foundation documents detail the various aspects of leadership and create a framework for practical application.

Conclusion

This presentation:

• Describes the term “leadership”;
• Explains the specifics of the army leadership;
• Details the foundations of leadership;

The Foundation of Army leadership consists of:

• Accountability before soldiers and citizens;
• The Constitution and the U. S. government;^[0]
• The history of the Army and the U. S.;
• Documents and manuals;

In summary, this presentation provides details of the foundations that are the basis of leadership in the United States Army. The first part focuses on explaining the terms, such as “leadership,” and the specifics of being a leader in the Army. Next, the foundation elements were explored. The basis of the leadership that allows the military to be successful and protect the nation includes the history, the Constitution and the U. S. government, accountability before the soldiers and stakeholders, and the Army’s documents.