MISSION REPORT: FORT FUBAR
(CLASSIFICATION: SUPER SECRET SQUIRREL)
SITREP: Selfish Service: The new Army Value
The law of unintended consequences has been in full effect since the army unveiled its “People First” initiative. The noble goal of this initiative was the understanding that soldiers do a lot, work very hard, and that the OPTEMPO and lifestyle of the Army does not always reward them, nor is it good for family life. The Army has long since prided itself on the fact that soldiers are our most important asset. So, it only makes sense that having leaders go out of their way to take care of soldiers should make them feel more grateful. But it didn’t. Since the unveiling of this initiative, somehow soldiers and leaders took “People First” to mean, “Me First.” Furthermore, it has resulted in a culture of soldiers putting their needs ahead of the needs of the organization.
This was not the intent, but this is the reality. How can we fix it? The answer has been there all along. It is the seventh army value: Selfless Service. If John F. Kennedy were writing this article, he would say, “Ask not what the Army can do for you, but what you can do for the Army.” He would also probably be trolled hard core on his social media accounts for his lack of compassion toward soldiers. But this is exactly what we need. Signing up for the military 21 years ago, I had no expectation that I would go to my Drill Sergeant and say, “Hey Battle, I’m going to need a full 8 hours of sleep because People First, Hooah.”
Here’s my next super-hot take, religious exemptions for uniform standards are selfish. It’s like recruits have never watched an army movie or met a soldier. What regular forces soldier is walking around with a beard and/or uncut hair because they think their Ragnar Lothbrok? Joining the military means conforming to military culture and norms. That is what basic training is supposed to do. It’s supposed to transform a civilian and indoctrinate them in the ways of the Army. Instead, we are bending over backwards to accommodate people to intentionally stand out, be different, and self-profess to not want to capitulate to army norms.
The Army must get back to its roots of Selfless Service. “I will always place the mission first” is the cornerstone of the army. Not “I will always place the people first.” Putting the mission first means sacrificing something you love (aka yourself) for something that you should love more (your family and/or your country). If you joined the army to have your every whim catered to, then you are in the wrong profession. It’s time to get rid of the “me first” mentality and realize that serving our nation is a privilege, but one that requires sacrifice. We as soldiers get compensated well. This is not the Army of the draft era. As my drill sergeant once told me, “Ain’t nobody make you be here.” If you want to serve, put the nation ahead of yourself. Conform to the army culture and embrace selfless service.
Love this article? Great! Let me know and I’ll produce more. Hate this article? Well, it’s probably ‘cause you’re selfish. Why don’t you go ahead, respond, and let me know why I am wrong.
*This article was written by FUBAR 6. All opinions expressed in this article are that of the author. This article is not endorsed by the Department of Defense, the United States Army, or any other state or government agency. Comments to the author can be submitted below.