How do you address any challenges with getting young soldiers involved and having pride in your unit?

The Marines do a great job instilling their common History. It's the common root of esprit de corps. Ever taken the entire company/ PLT or Det on a Staff ride? Assigning some tour SME duty to research etc could be a good thing. Ever try MOPP4 softball?? Not sure current requirements but back in my LT days when the Cold War hadn't ended yet. My Battery had 7 innings of MOPP4 softball. It sure was a trip trying to hit the ball or even catch it then run in the boots and charcoal pants. Be sure it's slow pitch!

I remember back in 1998 when my career initially started there was a lot of talk about history. Sadly that has gone to the wayside in favor of all of the "don't commit X crime that you've been taught was bad for your entire life" annual training requirements..

In my experience most morale issues are caused by middle to lower management putting unneeded stress on tasks that are "emergencies". These are the leaders that should enable the commander by accomplishing tasks that assist the commander's intent. When these leaders fail to plan or coordinate more than a few days ahead it's an "emergency". It's possible your unit is experiencing so many "emergencies," your soldiers have no desire to be around the unit more than they have to. Make your middle and lower management suck up extra work on their own until they can resource their soldiers' time so there are little or no last minute no fail missions.

It all starts with their leadership. If Soldiers see that we believe in the organization and have pride, then they will as well. Some Soldiers just don't care and will have no motivation though.

To develop unit pride you need strong esprit de corps, and that starts with leadership, corporal to general. Teach unit history as it pertains to American history and world history. Develop pride in your unit heritage and symbols. All units in the U.S. army are distinguished and all have their own unique histories.

Again I would emphasize the importance of leadership in demonstrating unit pride. I served in three Infantry Regiments, the 11th, the 19th, and the 87th. I was proud to have served in their storied histories and been a part of that lineage. Those are my family, brothers all.

We had field days and competitions to develop rivalries. I was in Bravo 2/87 when it was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division. I am still a part of that historic 10th Mountain Division because I kept that tradition alive personally and with those with whom I served. Soldiers need to know that they are a link in a long chain of tradition. When I read the book Outlaw Platoon, I felt a sense of pride in what those men accomplished because I was in the same platoon, company, and regiment as they were 25 years earlier. You can't buy that kind of pride and loyalty. You must feel it.

I would further add that each man/woman in a unit is directly responsible to keep that tradition alive and well preserved and improve upon its great reputation and never to tarnish it in any way.

Semper fidelis!
The Rock of Chickamauga!
Vires Montesque Vincimus!

While I was at fort Bragg my squad leaders held a BBQ every other month in order to integrate new members to the squad and to sustain team building... but I never see that type of interaction any more... I've been to three installations now

I think Group PT that is both athletically challenging and fun. We played Ultimate Frisbee and I found that to be a great event. Other ideas, like Staff Rides and Military History are outstanding ideas as well. When I was a Cadet, I had to do a report and presentation about the Guidon!

Mandatory fun is kind of like friendly fire: it isn't. As soon as the chain of command legislates what their people NEED to be doing on their own time, they've lost the game. We already bombard our people with enough "You can't do this, you can't do that, you can't go here, you can't go there", et al. Is it any wonder, then, that the things we say they HAVE to do on top of what they CAN'T do are found by more than a few to be more than a little stifling?

If you dictate something "fun" as an all hands event, nobody will show up. Yeah, they'll be there in person, because they have to be, but they won't WANT to be, which will make them less than enthusiastic participants, to say the least. Are those the kinds of people and are those the kinds of attitudes you want at your command picnic? I wouldn't.

That said, if your command wants to get behind a community project, like playground or park cleanup (I'm not talking about Mission Company), or adopting an elementary or junior high school, put it out for voluntary participation. That way, your chain of command can ACCURATELY gauge who really wants to be there by who shows up, and by implication those who don't by their absence. Not a strike against the non-upwardly mobile, just not a plus.

Lastly, as regards esprit de corps, make unit history part of a new arrival's indoctrination. Have that person's sponsor initiate a dialogue with the person inbound, assess what they know about the command and have them do some simple research on the receiving unit, the parent command of that unit and the higher echelons. That will put their membership in said unit in some sort of historical context. Kind of like an enligthening homework assignment!

So there is a strange trend I've been noticing in the last ten years which MAY have something to do with it. When I first came in, literally everyone I came in with was single, unmarried, with maybe a girl/boyfriend at most. The person joining with a spouse or family was few and far between, at least within my AFSC. It was very easy for us to get involved in unit activities, and, to be honest, was something we did happily, as we didn't have anything else to do and it made us feel good.
Now, however, most people I see coming in are married or have kids, or both. At my current duty station alone, I've met more Airmen that are married with kids or have a divorce and a couple kids under their belt than single Airmen. Now, I am married and have kids. But that didn't happen to me until I had been in for five and a half years. Before my wedding, I was at every unit BBQ, every volunteer activity, etc. After? Well, it's simple; I put more value in my family. I view any interference of my time with them as a hostile act. Now that I have kids my free time is extremely limited. If I'm not chasing my two year old around, I'm helping my pregnant wife do stuff. My only actual free time is after the kiddo goes to bed, and he falls asleep late. So my free time is like gold; try to take it from me, I got no problem cutting your hand off.
That's why in my position now that I have just a tiny smidge of leadership responsibility, I schedule things during duty hours. Because let's face it, there are times where people don't have a lot to do. So instead of busy work, I usually do something mid-day Friday or during the week some time when I know people won't be buried in work and can break away a bit. Our squadron supe visited a few weeks ago, and he was very surprised at how high morale was despite our mission set. I have legitimately been approached by members of my unit and straight up told that what I am doing is the best thing that can be done.
I am fully cognizant of the fact that this can't work for all units; I have been a member of units where this isn't possible.
But I understand where both sides are coming from. At the end of the day, my mind is shot; I have a job that requires a lot of brainpower, so when I punch out, I just want to be left alone. I do not want to deal with people. I remember one day it was so bad, when my wife asked me what I wanted for dinner, my mind just could not process the request. Last duty station, we had a guy whose entire job was to lug stuff to and from different places in the facility. At the end of the day, he was covered in sweat and grime and downright physically exhausted. And then they want him to play ultimate football after. It's not a popular statement in the military, but we're not all the same; on the other side of things, I knew a guy who would spend 12 hours at work, punch out, and no matter how tired he was, go 4-wheeling for six hours before going to sleep for maybe four hours and coming back in, an endless amount of energy.
We are currently a military that is short manned and over missioned. I think it's time for us to step back, look at what we do with members on the off time, and say, at least for now, "Back off."

Sir,
After serving in the Marine Corps (and having the Esprit de Corps drummed into you) and the 3d Armored Cavalry (once I switched branches obviously) I am thankful. However, I believe that it all starts with the individual Marine or Trooper.
I was raised that if you are a part of something bigger than yourself, then you should learn everything you could about that thing. Sports team, Boy Scouts, or some other club it didn't matter what it was. Something about that thing bigger than you attracted you. Be proud of whatever it is and continue the legacy. How else can you help ensure that the thing you liked enough to join will still be there so your kids kids can join?
Unfortunately, the majority of those younger than me today are more self centered. They feel they are the more important thing. Which scares me because this will eventually lead to a lack of knowledge of where we came from. As the old adage says, "Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it.".