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Dictionary.com defines ambition as, "An earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment."
Army.mil defines selfless service as, "Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally WITHOUT THOUGHT OF RECOGNITION OR GAIN.” (Emphasis added)
The military recognizes that ambition can be a positive attribute in Soldiers, but at what point does personal ambition conflict with selfless service. I have yet to meet a senior leader that didn't have personal ambition, yet we preach to our soldiers that they should serve without even THINKING about recognition.
Where do you draw the line between a reasonable amount of personal ambition and a lack of selfless service?
Army.mil defines selfless service as, "Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally WITHOUT THOUGHT OF RECOGNITION OR GAIN.” (Emphasis added)
The military recognizes that ambition can be a positive attribute in Soldiers, but at what point does personal ambition conflict with selfless service. I have yet to meet a senior leader that didn't have personal ambition, yet we preach to our soldiers that they should serve without even THINKING about recognition.
Where do you draw the line between a reasonable amount of personal ambition and a lack of selfless service?
Posted in these groups: 
Values
Values
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 4
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SSG (Join to see), I agree with your response. I think that selfless service can contribute to personal ambition. When we serve in a selfless manner, the accolades will come (and that's where personal ambition comes into play).
When we serve in a selfless manner, thinking about others more than ourselves, we contribute to mission accomplishment and the unit's (/Army's) success. All that will come back around and result in individual recognition. And if it's delayed, no worries. Eventually, it will come back around, guaranteed. A dear aunt of mine always used to remind me that "it will all pay off in the end." That's what I'm talking about.
When we serve in a selfless manner, thinking about others more than ourselves, we contribute to mission accomplishment and the unit's (/Army's) success. All that will come back around and result in individual recognition. And if it's delayed, no worries. Eventually, it will come back around, guaranteed. A dear aunt of mine always used to remind me that "it will all pay off in the end." That's what I'm talking about.
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CW3 (Join to see)
Scott, you hit the nail on the head. You will (generally) be recognized for the selfless service you give to the nation. SSG DAY, the Army is not telling you to suppress your personal ambition - what they are saying is that your Service trumps your ambition. I had personal ambitions to get "cool" duty assignments - the Army decided my paratrooper self would do just fine on Fort Bragg for a while. Selfless service is doing what was asked/told of me. Personal ambition over Selfless Service would be cronyism to get the assignment. Unfortunately there are some out there (E/WO/O/GO) who forgot that paradigm.... We are not exempt from personal influences/ambitions trumping the needs of the organization/nation - we are, however, better at preventing that from becoming the rule rather than the exception.
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I believe that actions taken are more important than the motives behind them. If an NCO trains, leads, and motivates his soldiers to accomplish the mission I don’t think it really matters if he is doing so because of loyalty to country or because he wants to be picked up for promotion on his first look.
That being said, an NCO has to actually care about his Soldiers. You may be able to pull the wool over your superiors eyes, but the Soldiers with you every day know whether you actually care about them or not. Personal ambition is great, but I have a problem with NCOs who take every available school slot rather than send their Soldiers to school or take credit for everything their Soldiers do.
I think the key to balancing ambition and selfless service is ensuring NCOs understand that they are only as good as the Soldiers they lead. A truly ambitions NCO will motive those around him to excel knowing that is the only way their own career can succeed.
That being said, an NCO has to actually care about his Soldiers. You may be able to pull the wool over your superiors eyes, but the Soldiers with you every day know whether you actually care about them or not. Personal ambition is great, but I have a problem with NCOs who take every available school slot rather than send their Soldiers to school or take credit for everything their Soldiers do.
I think the key to balancing ambition and selfless service is ensuring NCOs understand that they are only as good as the Soldiers they lead. A truly ambitions NCO will motive those around him to excel knowing that is the only way their own career can succeed.
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I think that this is a great question SSG (Join to see). We should all strive to serve selflessly. We should be placing the mission, the Soldiers, the unit, above ourselves. There is a place for ambition because all of at one point or another want that next promotion, want that leadership position, want that next assignment, etc. I think that it is important to remember that the mission and the Soldiers come first. I was raised that way in the Army and I still believe that to this day.
I had a CSM tell me something a long time ago and I will never forget it. He said when in charge be in charge. That is not just a slogan either. When in charge and the mission was a tremendous success, or the CDRs intent was surpassed, or a superior rating was achieved on an inspection, you say that THEY (your Soldiers) did it. If something was jacked up, a suspense not met, or a mission failed, you say that YOU did it. You are in charge, be in charge. I believe that is ambition, the desire to be in charge and lead, and selfless service, giving credit to your Soldiers when all goes well or falling on the saber when it does not.
I had a CSM tell me something a long time ago and I will never forget it. He said when in charge be in charge. That is not just a slogan either. When in charge and the mission was a tremendous success, or the CDRs intent was surpassed, or a superior rating was achieved on an inspection, you say that THEY (your Soldiers) did it. If something was jacked up, a suspense not met, or a mission failed, you say that YOU did it. You are in charge, be in charge. I believe that is ambition, the desire to be in charge and lead, and selfless service, giving credit to your Soldiers when all goes well or falling on the saber when it does not.
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