How many individual service members have come up with great ideas and your leadership has taken credit for it?

It's very sad that this happens way too much in the military. I tend to implement my own ideas without permission which has gotten me praise and in trouble but I would rather ask for forgiveness than permission. This is a part of leading, setting the example and initiative.

This has happened to me over and over again.
But I choose to see the glass as half-full; my ideas were good enough to implement. I am glad to contribute, and don't need accolades to do what needs to be done.

I was just talking to one of my soldiers about this this morning! As I picked him up from his house at 0535 for 0630 pt, he was sharing with me one of the ideas that he shared with his squad leader. His squad leader told him not to worry about it, then was using the idea a few days later. Do I think it's right? No. Will I address the squad leaders in the form of an NCOPD? Yes. I believe that the more NCOs that become aware that this is toxic, the better. As our army evolves, we need smarter, better leaders for tomorrow's future that let their soldiers evolve into leaders that have those critical thinking abilities, not leaders that put that wall in front of them.