Do you care about about Military history, do you need know about Military history in-order to be an effective Leader?

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:28:59 -0400

Growing up, many people probably didn't pay too much attention during history class, but as a Military Leader, should you engage yourself in Military history to enhance your skills as a Leader?

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Jul 18 at 2015 9:33 PM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:33:21 -0400

Yes to both!

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 18 at 2015 9:38 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:38:07 -0400

History shows us whatever's and what doesn't.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jul 18 at 2015 9:43 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:43:05 -0400

History is Context. Context is essential for Critical thought and Decision Making, which are Leadership skills. Military History is just a tailored version, providing specialized context, which in turn grants better insight when applied to leadership skills.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Jul 18 at 2015 9:44 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:44:37 -0400

Well said and elequently conveyed.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Jul 18 at 2015 9:52 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:52:23 -0400

Sweet

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2015 9:55 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:55:36 -0400

I think knowing our military history is very important to be an effective leader. History is where we learn what mistakes were made. Modern day history, if you will, can be viewed on the Army CALL (Center for Army Lessons Learned) site. Knowing what happened in the past could potentially save a significant number of lives in the future.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2015 9:57 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:57:19 -0400

I would say yes; you do need to know history in order to be a better leader. It helps you know exactly why certain things are done the way they are. We as military professionals stand on the shoulders of giants. In the promotion board, both NCO history and Army history was hit on pretty hard as it I think it should be at all boards. When a few of my soldiers went to a board specifically for intelligence specialists, they were focused a lot on actual intelligence doctrine and publications but once they got there they were blindsided by a lot of questions about famous past intelligence professionals both in the military and out. (If you're doing it right, you talk to more than just other Army intel guys- you talk to people throughout the Intelligence Community such as the CIA, DIA, NGA, NGIC as well as the other military services.)
I'm not saying you need to have a degree in American or world history or that knowledge by itself makes you a better leader than someone else who may be more technically proficient, but it goes a long way.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2015 9:58 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:58:30 -0400

Response by SN Victoria Glover made Jul 18 at 2015 10:06 PM

SN Victoria Glover — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 22:06:07 -0400

Yes, I would think so. How else can you learn from it? Whether it be military or other. Military leaders should know the history because the decisions are based on if the idea, plan, etc. could work or not. I loved history but Ihad a wonderful instructor. He re-itterated that constantly.

Response by Capt Michael Halpin made Jul 18 at 2015 11:00 PM

Capt Michael Halpin — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 23:00:03 -0400

No matter what career field you go into you need to know history; the history of that career field, of history, of management and anything else that impacts you. Otherwise you will be relearning the mistakes of the past.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jul 18 at 2015 11:42 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 23:42:14 -0400

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jul 18 at 2015 11:48 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 23:48:29 -0400

History and the study of it is important. First and foremost, so mistakes aren't repeated and that development of new concepts and developments can be accomplished. History is context.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jul 18 at 2015 11:48 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 23:48:50 -0400

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jul 18 at 2015 11:55 PM

COL Charles Williams — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 23:55:29 -0400

I don't think you need to know history to be an effective leader. I believe knowing, and studying history makes you a better leader.

Response by 1LT Otis R. made Jul 19 at 2015 12:39 AM

1LT Otis R. — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 00:39:41 -0400

“Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” There are few events that have not already happened in human history. Being able to draw lessons and conclusions from past events is crucial for modern military leadership. “We were soldiers once and young” is a good example of a leader learning from history in preparing to lead his troopers in,what was for them at that moment, a new conflict and tactics (air mobile/ air assault).

Response by SFC Trevor Wilkinson made Jul 19 at 2015 1:05 AM

SFC Trevor Wilkinson — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 01:05:31 -0400

Chief, I agree!

Response by COL Ted Mc made Jul 19 at 2015 2:36 AM

COL Ted Mc — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 02:36:23 -0400

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member - Chief Warrant; Yes - in part.

Yes, you should "engage" yourself in Military History. [The problem is that a lot of it is wrong or no longer applicable in the form that the history books provide it.

Does knowing Military History "enhance your skills as a Leader"? Yes - in part.

Someone who has zero "leadership skills" isn't going to be turned into a "Great Leader" simply because they know a lot of "Military History" and someone who is a "Great Leader" is going to be an abysmal failure if they don't know any.

One thing that you have to watch out for is the fact that "Military History" (probably more so than any other branch of history) over emphasizes the strength of the opposition and provides a REALLY LARGE amount of "ego stroking" for the victors.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jul 19 at 2015 5:11 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 05:11:23 -0400

I don't know near enough to suit me but I was blessed to have lived for Several Months with Washington's Old Guard where I learned quite a bit and as a Navy CT I was fortunate enough to be Trained by Survivors of USS Liberty and some of the Buildings that I worked in were named for the Dead of USS Liberty.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 19 at 2015 7:26 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 07:26:23 -0400

Yes I do. I am a huge fan of unit story. I wrote this command post a while back I am trying to establish a way to teach history in my unit. I was able to do this by making a battalion ruck march with posters along the way they could read with unit history on it. It seems to have went over very well.

Bringing History and Heritage Back to Units | RallyPoint

While driving on post the other day, I was met by a soldier manning a checkpoint. There was a CAC card reader near the soldier’s position. As I have done countless times before I swiped my card and the soldier was notified, via his terminal, that I am an officer. As I drove by the soldier was sitting on his stool and halfheartedly saluted. This left a bad impression on me. Why would a soldier conduct themselves in such a way? I am sure he was...

Response by Sgt Ken Prescott made Jul 19 at 2015 3:53 PM

Sgt Ken Prescott — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 15:53:57 -0400

One of the great lines in cinema that gets overlooked is from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Kirk tells Saavik, "You need to learn WHY things work on a starship."

When I saw it was a 16-year-old, I thought the line had been misspoken--that it was supposed to say that Saavik needed to learn how things worked.

As I grew older, and gained a bit of wisdom, and took on greater responsibilities--as an NCO, as a husband and father, and in my civilian career--I realized the genius bound into that one line. There are reasons for doing certain things in certain ways. Sometimes, these reasons are very old. To understand them--or to even know them--you need some historical knowledge.

You may learn that there's good reason for doing things that way. Then again, you might see that things have changed. But without that study, you're groping in the dark.

There's a story from the early days of NATO. A British light artillery gun crew was giving a firing demonstration for a group of senior officers from other nation's services. The junior man of the crew stood at attention for the entire evolution, from loading to firing to ensuring the bore was clear for reloading.

One general asked, "What's that man there doing?"

"Sir, he's number six."

"Yes, I can count as well. But what, exactly, is he DOING?"

Nobody knew the answer...until they went through old artillery field manuals.

Number six's job was to hold the reins of the horses...which had been removed from the unit TO&E more than two decades earlier.

Response by Sgt Ken Prescott made Jul 19 at 2015 9:04 PM

Sgt Ken Prescott — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 21:04:26 -0400

Those who cannot remember history are condemned to repeat it.

Those who can remember history are condemned to shout "BOHICA!"

Response by SFC(P) Aaron Fore made Jul 20 at 2015 8:25 AM

SFC(P) Aaron Fore — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 08:25:29 -0400

YES! Knowing the past provides for the future.

Response by CSM William Payne made Jul 20 at 2015 11:47 AM

CSM William Payne — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 11:47:26 -0400

"Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana

While we should and do study history, especially from a military context, sometimes we are just doomed to repeat it. Operation Desert Storm was fought as the antithesis of the Vietnam War. This was because many of our senior commanders of the time, most notably Generals Powell and Schwarzkopf had directly experienced the problems of fighting the Vietnam War. In fact, this led to Powell developing "the Powell Doctrine" which was supposed to provide the guidance to keep us from every fighting that kind of war again. Yet just 20 years later we found ourselves in not one but two similar quagmires simultaneously in Afghanistan and Iraq.

But also from a military point of view, knowing the history your unit can help provide for morale, pride, camaraderie and esprit de corps. It is important that a Soldier knows how his unit came about, what campaigns or other important contributions that it made, how it evolved into its current reincarnation or if it was deactivated, what forces led to that decision. The Marines are the masters of inculcating their history into their new Marines.

My last unit before retirement was the 81st Regional Support Command, the legacy unit of the 81st Infantry Division, formed to fight in World War I. It again fought with distinction in the Pacific in World War II and has made numerous other contributions through today.

It also has the honor of being the first United States unit in our relatively modern history to have the now common unit shoulder patch. Shortly before deployment MG Charles Bailey, the division commander, had a patch designed for the unit based on our European allies. Upon arrival in France, Bailey was called in front of General John "Blackjack" Pershing to explain why his Soldiers were wearing the unauthorized patch. After much debate Pershing told Bailey, the 81st could keep their damn patch, the now famous Black Cat, but they better damn well earn it. When other units complained about the 81st having a patch Pershing told them to go make their own. And the rest as they say is "history".

"Wildcats never quit".