How do you feel about Soldiers asking "why?"

2014-04-07T21:14:29-04:00

In today's Army, how do you feel and think about the word "why" in the Army vocabulary texts?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2014 9:17 PM

2014-04-07T21:17:24-04:00

I hate it! I don't ask my superiors that question it’s
either yes/no/I don’t know but I will find out/I do not understand. The younger guys/gals always want to know “WHY”. Sometimes in mission briefs totally legit
question. However when you tell them
that they need to perform a simple task and they ask why really ticks me
off. The old days it was just hooah,
roger, moving etc. I think a lot of this
all starts with Basic and AIT it has been coddling these Soldiers.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2014 10:52 PM

2014-04-07T22:52:39-04:00

BLUF: WHY is generally something that a superior should be asking a subordinate, not the other way around. I think the use of WHY has a varying level of appropriateness depending on the audience and the operation.

For instance, I'm with LT Hoyt when he says Soldiers don't need to ask WHY to the simplest of tasks. However, I think it's a great opportunity for those senior SPCs (soon to be NCOs) to take these young enlisted members and begin to mentor and educate them. For a private to directly question the directive or order of his PL/PSG/SL, that's likely out of line (again, depending on the circumstance) in the general day-to-day operations of the Army.

On the other hand, I loved when my PSGs would ask me WHY when it was just us or the PLT leadership (SLs, PSG, etc) because it gave me an opportunity to clarify my vision and intent for whatever was going on. As we were all leaders, I didn't take it as disrespectful. That kind of atmosphere isn't always possible, but it's worked out in both of my PLTs so far.

It really comes down to the situation, but I stand by my BLUF.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2014 11:08 PM

2014-04-07T23:08:36-04:00

<span style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);">Soldiers have a right to know why most of the time. Task and purpose go hand in hand. Maybe painting a better picture of the overarching mission can help Soldiers better understand their purpose and figure out the why for themselves.</span><div><span style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);"><br></span></div><div><font color="#4d4d4d"><span style="font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);">Sometimes subordinates overuse the "why" challenge to minor tasks, but I believe that if your Soldiers consistently ask why they are told to do a thing then it points to a leadership failure.  Leaders create a vision and paint that vision to their subordinates.  Subordinates should interpret their duties in light of that vision.  If they do not understand the the vision then they may feel disenfranchised and be more likely to challenge you when you ask them to sweep the motor pool or whatever.  That vision may be as simple as having the best, cleanest, and most squared away company area - to the shame of all other companies.  You come up with the vision...</span></font></div><div><font color="#4d4d4d"><span style="font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);"><br></span></font></div><div><font color="#4d4d4d"><span style="font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);">Soldiers who trust their leaders and understand their vision seldom challenge their leaders.  Next time you get asked why, take a breath, answer the question, and figure out how you can prevent the next why by being a better leader and painting a better vision.</span></font></div>

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Apr 7 at 2014 11:10 PM

2014-04-07T23:10:54-04:00

Depends on the situation.

Soldiers are inherently curious, but if time is not of the essence, save your 'whys' until the mission is complete!

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Apr 7 at 2014 11:39 PM

2014-04-07T23:39:50-04:00

<p>If the mission is time sensitive, I expect you to move out and execute once the order is received.  The "why" is part of the orders process, if you do not issue clear orders you should be expected to answer why.  </p><p><br></p><p>Understanding the changing culture, the younger Soldiers want to know the why of the mission, and how their contribution supports the outcome.  It all goes back to issuing clear concise orders.</p>

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Apr 7 at 2014 11:43 PM

2014-04-07T23:43:41-04:00

A soldier asked me "why" today in fact.  We start flag detail tomorrow.  He have practiced at the company but not at the actual site.  We are meeting nearly an hour early in order to find out the fine details I found out it today and to practice at least once since this is new to all of us.  So we are meeting early and this soldier asked me why so I told him.  I just said we need to practice and learn what the old detail showed me.  His response was roger. 

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 7 at 2014 11:53 PM

2014-04-07T23:53:32-04:00

A good leader should always be able to answer Why! There are situations that arrise in an emergency or crisis that don't warant an answer at the moment. That was drilled into me in every leadership course I ever took. Of course there are always Smart Asses that abuse the word and as a Leader you should be able to figure out how to deal with them too. Also because of the Nature of what we do sometimes it is classified and we don't really have the need to know but if you can at all possible you put the why out there.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 8 at 2014 6:05 AM

2014-04-08T06:05:56-04:00

Read - A Message to Garcia

Response by MSG Martin C. made Apr 8 at 2014 12:09 PM

2014-04-08T12:09:52-04:00

It's a generational thing, this Soldiers have grown in a environment in where everything is questionable and researchable by google. As a Drill Sergeant Intructor I had to teach the DS candidates that this is not a cahllenge to their authority but in most cases a genuine interest to understand what are they doing. Clear orders must be given and the mission needs to be fully explain and understood before hand; if you fail to do so the why will arrive the moment you hit the ground and during training or real life you just don't have that luxury. I used to brief the PVTs and their student leadership a week out usually on Saturdays the week prior to training kind like a training meeting Barney style. Not only they where less whys? They understood the mission, training and made it feel as if they had input on the planing process that empower them to take charge of things within their lane and develop as leaders that ultimately that is what today's Army is all about.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Apr 8 at 2014 1:34 PM

2014-04-08T13:34:30-04:00

Unless its an emergency or I am in a hurry, I don't give my soldiers a chance to ask why and I don't say, "1SG said so". I will go ahead and tell them why most of the time. I remember when I had an emergency at home when I was on patrol. I called another superivisor and informed him he needs to take over because of my emergency . I simply did a net call on the radio and informed the suboardinate patrol to take all commands and send all information to SGT John Doe. The soldiers were wondering about me and some of them were actually worried. When they were told I had a non life threatening situation, they weren't worried anymore. I don't want my soldiers walking or driving around thinking about what happened to me so I allowed some basic information to be put out to them.

Response by SFC Douglas Eshenbaugh made Apr 8 at 2014 3:16 PM

2014-04-08T15:16:57-04:00

I always consider it part of my job to make sure those under me understood the why. I don't want robots I want thinking Soldiers that can adapt as the situation changes. If they don't understand why we're doing something, and I don't mean on the geopolitical or some abstract line of thinking, then I've failed them as a leader.

Response by CW2 Jonathan Kantor made Apr 8 at 2014 3:25 PM

2014-04-08T15:25:40-04:00

Soldiers need to do what they are told but it isn't wrong to ask why if they don't understand something. It helps to do your job effectively if you know what its for. If they are whining and asking Whyyyyyyuh? Then they aren't doing anyone and good. If they just want to know why it is important to finish the project by 1300, it doesn't hurt to explain it to them.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Apr 8 at 2014 4:19 PM

2014-04-08T16:19:03-04:00

If the mission is accomplished and done with and I am asked why we did it a certain way then I had no issues with it; if it was a time sensitive mission it irritated the hell out of me, and I would tell them to just do the deed and we'll discuss it later. I agree with CSM U, if the Soldier listen's/had listened more carefully, chances are good that the WHY was taken care of in the mission brief/OPORDER.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2014 6:20 AM

2014-04-09T06:20:25-04:00

To all that answered this question/discussion, thank you. I'm glad that I received as much insight on this topic from such a vass spectrum of knowledge of all levels in the rank structure from the lowest to the highest.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2014 9:45 AM

2014-04-09T09:45:13-04:00

Why should not be used unless there is a safety concern to you or someone around you.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 15 at 2014 7:48 PM

2014-04-15T19:48:47-04:00

SSG, I like to give the "why" within the mission.  I've seen that help competent Soldiers adjust to issues throughout the mission and gave the senior ranking a chance to make it happen.  I use it to help build Leadership traits.

Response by SPC Mikki Ekanger made Apr 30 at 2014 4:47 PM

2014-04-30T16:47:21-04:00

I'm not sure I understand the full context of the question but if I were to read it as it's written I'd presume that you're referring to when you tell a soldier to do something and they ask "why?"

Giving orders or tasks for the day isn't a "why?" situation. It's a "the job needs to get done" situation. A lot of new soldiers will ask "why?" because they've been groomed that way. I find it disrespectful and it certainly slows the forward movement.

Now for someone to ask "Why" in reference to why something gets done a certain way, I find that to be more of a teaching and training opportunity. For example new troops may learn how to do certain things at Basic Training but they may not understand why you can't do it a different way. In my career I had a lot of leaders that I had seemed to welcome alternative methods of completing the tasks. That whole "Work Smarter not Harder" thing comes to mind. In that case perhaps if the leader asks him/herself can this work? Why might be appropriate in that case. But asking why after being tasked to do something makes me think of a conversation.

EM: Why should I clean the latrine?
NCO: Why should I consider you for promotion or for Soldier of The Year?

Or

NCO: Why shouldn't I smoke the ever living crap out of you for not following orders?

Or

NCO: Why should I let you go on pass?

This why thing is destructive in accomplishing the mission and is more destructive to morale because troops that don't ask Why? want to get the job done. The ones that ask "Why?" are usually your lazy troops. In which case that's when NCOs need to be NCOs and show that soldier the loving attention that they so desperately need by way of remedial PT.

That's my thought.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Apr 30 at 2014 5:00 PM

2014-04-30T17:00:22-04:00

In combat, clearly that is not the best time for discussion. In garrison however, they shouldn't have to ask why, because you should already have told them. You have two options as an NCO you can either;

A) Train them to do a task, which will train them to do that and nothing more.

or

B) Teach them what, how and why they are doing an action, so that as they mature, they can later teach subordinates of their own.

As an NCO, I would hope you'd always go for option B. We are here to train future leaders, not brain dead automatons..

There's a time and place for everything, but in Garrison, nothing is so important you can't do your job, which is to properly train and mentor your people.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 5:05 PM

2014-04-30T17:05:04-04:00

I love being questioned by NCOs. There is a time and a place for rank - and that's when things have to move quickly. But with that said, you should always have a rational for your choices. I don't feel that "because I said so" is ever an appropriate response. Have logic behind your actions.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 7:10 PM

2014-04-30T19:10:42-04:00

PVT Schirach, 1996 Korea. I was in country about a week, fresh from AIT. I was part of a detail setting up for a change of command, I knew no one in the company outside of my roomate, my team leader and my squad leader.

Well this MSG who turned out to be the operations Sgt, told me to rush back to the company area and draw out my M9 to give it to him. (he needed it as part of the ceremony) Anyway, I didn't know who this guy was, I have never seen him before, as a brand new PVT, I think this was the 1st MSG I ever saw. Anyway this strange MSG wants me to draw my weapon and just give it to him? Hmm, my private brain did not trust him. So I asked "why?". Of course this being 1996, and not 2014 said MSG ran up one side of me and down the other, chewed me up and spit me out. In the end he got my M9 for the ceremony, and I got my backside got chewed out good.

Later my Team Leader was like WTF were you thinking? I told him what I said above, I guess he kind of agreed with me cause nothing more happened over it. After that time I learned not to ask "why".

I guess what I am trying to say is, its not just todays Soldier that asks "why".

If I have the time I ALWAYS answer a soldiers "why". Makes them feel like a part of the team, and not just "hired help". Lets them see the bigger picture and understand why they are doing what they are doing even if their little private brain doesn't understand.

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made Apr 30 at 2014 8:30 PM

2014-04-30T20:30:40-04:00

Outside of my kids when they were young, I have never had a high tolerance for that word.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 8:40 PM

2014-04-30T20:40:35-04:00

I think there is a time and place for why. In training and during teaching there is nothing wrong with questioning to gain a better understanding. As leaders we are suppose to train subordinates to take are job and if we don't take time out during appropriate times to explain why we do things they can't learn. That being said in real time there should be no whys just execution and subordinates must understand the difference.

Response by SGT Alfred Cox made May 28 at 2014 4:03 AM

2014-05-28T04:03:28-04:00

In my day there was no why.. just do it..and as a former NCO... I told my Soldiers... Those that ask why get killed by gun fire... If I say get down and you ask why then you're already dead.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2014 10:31 PM

2014-05-28T22:31:24-04:00

If they know the "Why", they will be able to figure out "How" in the absence of orders. The Army has made the development of adaptable Leaders and Soldiers a priority. We have to provide them with as much relative information as possible in order for THEM to make critical decisions on the battlefield, as well as in garrison. We can no longer hide behind "Because I said so". We have to know what were doing as well, and share our knowledge and experience. If we don't know, we find someone who does.

For some enjoyable "light" reading, take a look at the ALM 2015. It's loaded with good information.

Response by MAJ Jim Steven made Feb 15 at 2015 6:44 AM

2015-02-15T06:44:22-05:00

If you can't give a brief explanation as to why (it's not obvious), then you really don't have a reason, and I am not too committed to the task at hand.
Case in point...making a cosmetic change to a PowerPoint slide.

Response by Sheryl Verhulst made Feb 17 at 2015 3:20 PM

2015-02-17T15:20:52-05:00

Depends. If I believe my superiors are giving assassine and useless orders, then I ask why. Probably why I never re-enlisted. I have to fully understand everything.

Response by SFC Steven Steingiesser made Feb 17 at 2015 4:02 PM

2015-02-17T16:02:08-05:00

I think asking "why" is a good thing. It allows the Soldier to buy into the mission. It also ensures understanding of the mission and the final end state. In garrison, it can be both a blessing- the Soldiers want to know more of what is going on, and a curse as I didn't fully explain the situation as well as I had hoped.