Management Military Style

[HoursHore]

Don't you know the first rule of the Military?

If somebody Sh!t5, everybody has to wear diapers.

 

[Kharma Police]

Its very bad to steal Kharma Police's name.......very bad

 

[TankerPuke]

Go Guard!

He's in the Air Force Reserve already. How is that different?

Ahhhhhh yes. I guess you must experience both to understand how true the statement can be

Just a couple of thoughts:

1. F&%^ up = move up.

2. Unfortunately, that is they way it is some times. You simply have to grin and have a sense of humor. I also don't think the comment about remembering others in worse places than you was meant in the tone some have taken it. I was recently on a TDY near hot and sandy places, but VERY comfortable. Some felt it to be their obligation to whine and moan. Our CC asked simply this, "Were you shot at? NO. Did you have hot water in your own shower this morning? YES. Is your A/C in your room working? YES." Perspective...keeps me going sometimes.

Having said that - GOD bless each and every one of you that is in harms way today. Get home same!

PUKE

 

[MarineGrunt]

BTW, here is what a real leader says. It is a quote from LtGen Mattis USMC, "Actually it's quite fun to fight 'em, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling," Mattis said.
"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis said during a panel discussion. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."

Definately. I've had the honor of serving under a few officers like that. I wish they all could be that way (again). It's absolutely ridiculous that Lt.Gen. Mattis caught a bunch of poo-poo from the press about that, but then again, it's not very surprising. Who do we want fighting our wars anyway? A politician in uniform or a bad-ass General that wants nothing more than getting out of his air-conditioned tent, grabbing an M-16 and turning some POS terrorist's head into a pink mist.... It's just too bad that warriors like this are few and far between.

2. Unfortunately, that is they way it is some times. You simply have to grin and have a sense of humor. I also don't think the comment about remembering others in worse places than you was meant in the tone some have taken it. I was recently on a TDY near hot and sandy places, but VERY comfortable. Some felt it to be their obligation to whine and moan. Our CC asked simply this, "Were you shot at? NO. Did you have hot water in your own shower this morning? YES. Is your A/C in your room working? YES." Perspective...keeps me going sometimes.

Exactly. Whenever I catch myself thinking how much UPT sucks sometimes, or how upset I am because I hooked a ride, whatever, I think about my good buddies from my old Marine unit who are fighting in Iraq now. I think about what they are going through... Four of my friends killed in action, one of which will never see his unborn daughter, one who has a fiance who has been completely crushed by his death, my old platoon commander now in a coma, he has a wife and three children at home, not knowing when their daddy will wake up (if ever). All the other Marines patrol every day, walk by a car, looking at it, just waiting to see if it explodes and kills them. Turn a corner, not knowing if there is a sniper or insurgent with an RPG waiting there for you. I think about the families of those fallen Marines and what they must have felt when the chaplain and Marine in his service uniform show up at the door, and what my wife and children would have felt if it would have been me. Thinking all that and all of a sudden getting paid to fly every day and live in a four bedroom house (for free) and the biggest threat I face every day is in the traffic pattern with some dude on his initial solo out there, life becomes not so bad. Then again, I feel like a coward because I am not with my Marines.

Someone once told me that leaders are born, not made. While there is some truth to that, as a whole I would have to disagree. Leadership comes from courage, heart, confidence, dedication and SELFLESSNESS. A true leader does not think of anything except accomplishing their mission and taking care of their men (and/or women). BOTTOM LINE. END OF STORY. As long as those things are taken care of, no matter how, nothing else matters.

I still remember to this day the "12 Leadership Traits" I was taught in Marine Boot Camp. "JJDIDTIEBUCKLE" (as if we need any more acronyms around here)

1. JUSTICE - Giving reward and punishment according to merit in the case in question. The ability to administer a system or rewards and punishment impartially and consistently.
2. JUDGEMENT - The ability to weight facts and possible solutions on which to base sound decisions.
3. DECICIVENESS - The ability to make decisions promptly and announce them in a clear, forceful manner.
4. INITIATIVE - Taking action in the absence of orders.
5. DEPENDABILITY - The certainty of proper performance of duty.
6. TACT - The ability to deal with others without creating offense.
7. INTEGRITY - The uprightness of character and soundness of moral principle; includes qualities of truthfulness and honesty.
8. ENDURANCE - The mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress and hardship.
9. BEARING - Creating a favorable impression in carriage, appearance and personal conduct at all times.
10. UNSELFISHNESS - Avoidance of providing for one's own comfort, and personal advancement and personal advancement at the expense of others.
11. COURAGE - The mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism, but enables a man to proceed in the face of it with calmness and firmness.
12. KNOWLEDGE - Understanding of a science or an art. The range of one's information, including professional knowledge and knowledge of your Marines.
13. LOYALTY - The quality of faithfulness to country, the Corps, the unit, to one's seniors, subordinates and peers.
14. ENTHUSIASIM - The display of sincere interest and exuberance in the performance of duty.

To this day I still have all those memorized, but I'll have to admit I looked up the definitions so I could post them verbatim. I used to read those once a day and evaluate myself of those traits. If there was one in which I was lacking, I would write it in big letters on a sheet of paper and tape it to the door for a week, so every day when I left, that trait was my primary focus for self-improvement. It worked, and I improved myself as a leader. This is why I think that leaders CAN in fact be MADE and are not always BORN. That is why I took the trouble to post this for everyone, so they might be able to benefit from what I have done. Or maybe someone can print out those traits and leave it on the desk of one of these sh!tbirds in question.

Remember, it is EVERYONES responsibility to be a leader. From the newest E-1 in the entire military, all the way up to Commander-in-Chief himself.

 

[Hootie9750]

Awesome post MarineGrunt! You got me pumped! Those are good words for Military or Civilian life.

 

[Batman]

Aetc

Let's not forget that Altus is an AETC base. I know for a fact that there has been an increased focus on stopping alcohol incidents in the training command in response to what happened at one of the UPT bases this past year. I would bet that the other AETC bases have had their own incidents. However, our last incident received so much attention from the top that I am not surprised that you are getting the full "diaper" effect that has already been mentioned. Whenever $hit happens at one base, the ramifications can be felt at all the others.

Just be a good wingman and help prevent future incidents, if you are in a position to.

 

[LJDRVR]

Hang in there man...

Wasn't it Napoleon who once said: "There are no bad regiments, only bad Colonels."

I feel your pain man. I was TDY to Offutt once along with 90% of our squadron. Friday rolled around and some of us (not me) went to the club. (Imagine a dozen intoxicated junior enlisted USAF Honor Guard troops, most cops by training.) Our troops started dancing with what the local folks viewed as "their" girls. Drunken debauchery and fisticuffs ensued, culminated in one of our NCO's driving the bus they assigned us over to the dormitories so the younger troops could fight some more of the locals.

Really bad behavior. A real leader would have investigated, punished those responsible, and counseled those not present that such behavior is unnacceptable in a presidential support unit. (Most of us wern't there.) Instead, this jacka$$ O-3 running the show assembles the entire unit and gives us a public reaming, begining with "You guys are just a bunch off a$$holes!" Needless to say this joker lost all respect and was never an effective leader again.

As a civilian who is no longer subject to the UCMJ, I can honestly say this: By the time they pin on O-6, most officers have become politically oriented mangers, with visions of stars dancing in their head and no guts for doing the right thing if it will put their career in the least bit of jeopardy or harm. I can honestly remember only two O-6's who were worth anything at all from an ability to lead standpoint. On the other hand, I met some O-5's that I'd follow anywhere. Most of them had seen their last promotion board

So, what can you do about it? Like others have suggested, seek out the qualities you wish to emulate in your superiors. It's obvious who the real leaders are, latch onto those folks as much as possible and pick their brains. When you get the chance to be in a position of responsibility, LEAD. Remember what used to upset you and avoid at all costs those types of behavior.

They key though, I think is this: BE YOURSELF! Treat others EXACTLY the way you would like to be treated. I saw too many people (E-4's to O-6's) who felt that they had to put on some sort of "leader personality" in order to be taken seriously. Bull! Take a geniune interest in your troops, don't fake it. (Even a 19 Y/O Crew Chief with an IQ of 90 can spot a fake instantly.) Communicate with an Airman Basic the same way you would with somebody in your paygrade. (I don't mean undue familiarity, just be YOURSELF.)

Good luck man, don't let it get to you. They can question your integrity and professionalism, but they sure as heck can't take them away.

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
I had the pleasure of serving under some fine officers and commanders when I was in the Navy. Conversly, I also worked for some that would be lucky if they could manage a good fart. It was rare that the best pilot in the squadron was also the C.O. or X.O. but I did have that experience also. However, he was a lousy C.O. for a variety of reasons.
I am most impressed with Marine Grunt's post and am grateful that their are young officers of his caliber serving in our military today. I would like to echo the words of General Douglas MacArthur, words that have a higher meaning than the mere utterance of them..."DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY"

regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead

 

[Birdstrike]

...As a civilian who is no longer subject to the UCMJ, I can honestly say this: By the time they pin on O-6, most officers have become politically oriented mangers, with visions of stars dancing in their head and no guts for doing the right thing if it will put their career in the least bit of jeopardy or harm....

Pure BS. Here you just finished ranting against the injustice of your OIC at Offutt reaming out all of you for the inappropriate behavior of a few and then you go ahead and paint all squadron/brigade commanders as losers because of your experience with a few careerists. WTF?

Only about 2% of eligible 06s make it to the dance. Most know they have little chance and the majority I've known strive every day to do the right thing for their troops and their mission. Exceptions, sure, but definitely not the rule.

 

[LJDRVR]

Pure BS. Here you just finished ranting against the injustice of your OIC at Offutt reaming out all of you for the inappropriate behavior of a few and then you go ahead and paint all squadron/brigade commanders as losers because of your experience with a few careerists. WTF?

I think you misunderstand my meaning. (My poor writing skills probably don't help much.) The Offutt story was simply me comiserating with Karma Police, sharing my poor leadership story.

Re-reading my post, it appears I do go off on a tangient regarding O-6's. I used a little too much hyperbole and no continuity, pursuing a rant that wasn't related to the first and last part of my post. What I really should've said was this: The higher rank attained, (Officer or Enlisted) the individual more likely will be politically minded managers who are primarily concerned with the status quo of their careers. I most certainly did not intend to paint all company grade officers with any particular paintbrush. There are some outstanding leaders out there, it only makes it more shocking when one encounters a dud.

For the record, I really did encounter a fair amount of O-6's that were waay too political. Being stationed in D.C. for four years probably didn't help. (Most of the the operational guys were pretty sharp.)