What is military culture?

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:23:47 -0500

I'm currently taking a class in a doctoral program titled, "Introduction to Military Culture" which is designed as an entry-level course for my school's Military and Veteran Psychology concentration.
I want to provide some insight to those without military affiliation so what would you say is "military culture"? What about a military individual differentiates them from a civilian?

Response by Lt Col John Eliopolo Cpc, Eli Mp made Feb 28 at 2017 12:26 PM

Lt Col John Eliopolo Cpc, Eli Mp — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:26:45 -0500

The best short answer I've ever heard to this, is that it is the shared beliefs, values and assumptions of how we behave and do things, e.g. get work done.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Feb 28 at 2017 12:27 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:27:01 -0500

One word for your 2LT Private RallyPoint Member....BROTHERHOOD.

That is what military culture means to me. It's the deep feeling of brotherhood that is forged in the heat of battle. It's our drive to never accept "OK" as good enough. It's the understanding that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. That's what separates us from our civilian counterparts.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2017 12:27 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:27:54 -0500

Rigid Structure

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2017 12:29 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:29:32 -0500

I think, basically, that military culture is simply Duty, Honor, Country. Everyone that is in the military serves because they want to and they uphold certain values and beliefs. Each branch has its own culture, based on language, uniforms, traditions, etc., but the military, i.e. all branches, emphasizes discipline and professionalism, and everyone who is in the military is held to an exacting set of standards.

Response by SN Keagan Miller made Feb 28 at 2017 12:36 PM

SN Keagan Miller — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:36:19 -0500

It's definitely a special kind of camaraderie that you can't really find in the civilian world. A shared experience across all branches, especially as a veteran that you can tangibly feel.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2017 12:37 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:37:40 -0500

It's a bond formed by comradery enduring hardships and challenges for duty and honor. A bond of trust is forged knowing former and present military members will always help each other to the end.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2017 12:46 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:46:40 -0500

2LT Private RallyPoint Member Some of the key Military values or culture can be listed as: Teamwork, Honor, Discipline, Courage, Determination, and a Never Quit Attitude. These values/culture are instilled in each member, so that these values stays with us for life, as in "Once a Marine, Always a Marine."

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2017 3:03 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 15:03:31 -0500

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Feb 28 at 2017 4:31 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 16:31:05 -0500

Military is largely a meritocracy- the best survive and advance. Focus is on duty and country with a willingness to give up oneself for your teammates and nation.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2017 4:36 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 16:36:04 -0500

Sir,
Consider that military culture incorporates unity, a sense of purpose and direction, and values that you cannot find in most civilian career fields. Military culture is a dysfunctional family at times, but one that drives service members to complete tasks for a common mission. To defend our nation, and to close with and destroy our nations enemies, both foreign and domestic. This is a concept that most civilians cannot wrap their noodle around because they don't have to concern themselves with the threats of the world unless it is in their backyard.
In the military we have our own language that isn't understood by most civilians. Terminology, acronyms, processes for waging war...these all seem to be alien if not translated into civilian English. We have a dress code that serves to make service members feel part of a team, and strip the peacocking that occurs at many civilian organizations. We have traditions and methods of toughening each other up to prepare for the mental and physical rigors of war. Most civilians only have to combat traffic and the lack of coffee in the office.
We try to teach our service members to be intelligent professionals who can think outside the box in order to tackle any problem. Each service teaches it's service members values designed to guide the individual to do the right things at all times, especially in the absence of experienced leadership and supervision. Most service members exercise a level of discipline and skill in their profession that cannot be found in the civilian world.
The military works hard to turn the dysfunctional family (which is still a family that you can't find elsewhere), and turn it into an effective team. Civilian organizations may preach about being part of a team, following policies, and respecting the laws, but they're not always effective in providing the training, purpose and direction to the employee to motivate them to achieve the company's visions. I'm not saying the military is perfect on that last statement, but most employees at a civilian business are looking to punch a stamp on their time card so they can collect a paycheck and handle issues that only affect them. Service members go in and put in hours, but they are always on call.
Businesses want to make money and have the tendency limit the level of creativity to do so to one a select group with specific levels of education. In the military, we take good ideas from the lowest ranks on up, and from service members of different education levels and experiences and put them to good use to accomplish our objectives.
The level of camaraderie in the military is not easily replicated in civilian careers. Even when we dislike each other, we are here for each other...most of the time. I could keep going but I'm sure I've blathered on long enough and have hopefully provided a different view point for you.

*For anyone who comes across this post in the future and wishes to quote part of it for a paper, or integrate some of it into a training product, you have my permission to do so.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2017 5:00 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 17:00:35 -0500

Military culture is the set of lived values that perpetuates success in the profession of arms. Military subcultures are Departmental and Service customs and behaviors that perpetuate success in their respective domains.

Response by COL John McClellan made Feb 28 at 2017 5:10 PM

COL John McClellan — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 17:10:52 -0500

Great topic, LT! I'd start with the Warrior Ethos!!

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Feb 28 at 2017 5:18 PM

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 17:18:58 -0500

"Fifteen minutes prior to fifteen minutes prior."
"Hurry up and wait."
"It's perfectly acceptable to call your subordinates the vilest names you can contrive, as part of a casual correction."
"Having frank, casual, and relevant conversations about which body part you would least mind losing, and generally agreeing that losing the leg below the knee wouldn't be a big deal at all."
"Even though we've all heard the number '22 suicides per day' you hear at least that many jokes about suicide in any given day."
"Most Infantryman readily admit that they joined primarily for the opportunity to legally kill people."
"Casual talk (among heterosexual males) about homosexual rape and fellatio, several times each day."

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2017 6:04 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 18:04:16 -0500

we are warriors, nation builders, and the protectors of our country, we have great bonds with our fellow warriors that last forever, we do the unthinkable that the normal civilian would run and hide, we do this without question, without hesitation and continue to do it time and a again no matter the cost, we have each others backs no matter what race, creed, color, religion or sexual preference, we all bleed red

Response by CPL Anthony Slaughter made Feb 28 at 2017 7:11 PM

CPL Anthony Slaughter — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 19:11:27 -0500

Cool topic, LT. Firstly, its about learning how to survive purely on caffeine and hatred. Hatred for what, you might ask? Well, the answer is simply... yes.
Second, its about a kind of brotherhood that simply doesn't exist in the civilian world. The kind where you can be throwing punches at a man during weapon cleaning, and then having drinks with him later that same night and laughing about it.
Third, its about volunteering for things that would make most civilians faint. Fun things like Jump School, or transferring to another Company who is about to deploy and trying to build up their numbers.
Fourth, its about finding odd ways to have fun. Like when your company commander dresses up like the easter bunny (with makeup) for the unit easter party, and you take a closeup photo... before printing it off and putting it in place of his photo on the chains of command wall. And then laughing as you pay dearly for it.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Feb 28 at 2017 7:39 PM

COL Charles Williams — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 19:39:09 -0500

2LT Private RallyPoint Member Military Culture is what makes us different from everyone else. Creeds, Ethos, and Brotherhood. You will find no other place (Police, Fire and EMS are similar) where everyone knows there job could result in death or serious injury. But, we do it willingly and enthusiastically, and for mostly for each other. It means, under the worse possible circumstances we stay strong, stick together, and would die to save someone we may not even know. It is a world you can't understand, unless you live it, breath it, touch is, and smell it. If you have never walked in those shoes, you will never get it. It is why we all seem to get each other. The .45% that is... All organizations, if they are worth their salt, have a culture. But, the military is a rare place when it comes to culture.

To understand organizational culture, military or otherwise, you must understand Edgar Schein...
http://www.managementstudyguide.com/edgar-schein-model.htm

I would highly recommend his book:
https://www.amazon.com/Organizational-Culture-Leadership-Edgar-Schein/dp/ [login to see]

Edgar Schein Model of Organization Culture

According to Edgar Schein - Organizations do not adopt a culture in a single day, instead it is formed in due course of time. According to him there are 3 levels in an organization culture.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Feb 28 at 2017 9:59 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 21:59:22 -0500

Military culture to me can be summed up simply as a time in one's life ,whether its a single enlistment or thirty years in uniform where you go places and do things most civilians simply would not do for any price and you do it because of an Oath you swore ,that they will never understand,and you have the honor to do it with some of the finest people on this planet,this I know I've done it!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2017 10:29 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 22:29:46 -0500

Sir,

I would say among good Soldiers... Unity, brotherhood, understanding, moral code and values. I say good because well Sir, there are bad Soldiers that don't embody the general values of a Solider.

Creating drama, adding to problems, etc.

Then of course crazy amounts of paperwork, that's our culture too. If we're not killing enemies we're killing trees Sir!

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Feb 28 at 2017 10:54 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 22:54:34 -0500

2LT Private RallyPoint Member the answer to your question is in Chapter 2 of the book The Armed Forces Officer, which I thought was a pre-commissioning requirement. This whole book reads in an afternoon. Military culture is really the adherence to the profession of arms. It is the willingness to protect the whole at the expense of yourself. If you need mor on this, you need to read, I say again read, Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein (peace be upon him). If you watch the jackass movie instead we will have words. The link is to the Armed Forces Officer. As with most DoD sites the link doesn't cohabitate with RP. You will need to copy and paste this link to a free DTIC holding.

http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/education/armedforcesofficer.pdf

armedforcesofficer.pdf

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Sep 21 at 2017 10:01 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 10:01:36 -0400

KISS. First define "culture". The rest is simple.

Response by SSgt Ryan Sylvester made Sep 21 at 2017 10:16 AM

SSgt Ryan Sylvester — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 10:16:32 -0400

I'll relay to you a story from my time in service. Might help a little.

So I was at the Pentagon one day in the later double-aught years. In uniform, of course, because it was a formal appointment. I had an hour to kill, so I headed out to the courtyard for a smoke. While I'm having my smoke, up walks a government civilian, probably GS-14 or higher. Lights up her cigarette, and we start chatting. Shortly thereafter, an Army LTC wanders over to us, lights up, and chimes into the now-growing conversation. He was followed shortly thereafter by a civilian contractor, who likewise joined our merry little band.

So there, in the middle of the Pentagon, you had a Government civilian, a military officer, a military enlisted troop, and a contractor, all standing around, having a smoke, and chewing the fat. I'd never met any of these people in my life, and given the size of the Pentagon, it was possible they all barely knew each other, if they'd ever met at all. Yet we just carried on like we'd known each other for years.

And that, to me, is the epitome of military culture. You are never the "odd man out". No matter where you go, or how many times you go and find yourself among new faces, you are amongst friends. Even if it's a brief trip. Even if it's just part of a day. Another uniform walks up (or anyone affiliated with the DoD, really), you have an instant bond. That's what truly sets military culture apart from the civilian world.

Response by PO1 Dave Parks made Sep 12 at 2018 12:13 AM

PO1 Dave Parks — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 00:13:43 -0400

The military has its own language, as part of any culture. The sense of humor is different. Their paradigm of life is slightly slewed. They are 'mission' oriented, and the mission is everything. They've been taught about 'systems', and more adept than civilians. Their schools, for the military member, are better, and breeds success. Schools, for members, are more responsive, and allow/demand feedback on training. They are regulated/organized, and its okay.

Response by SGT Justin Anderson made Aug 21 at 2020 9:01 PM

SGT Justin Anderson — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 21:01:56 -0400

I guess it depends on what your train of thought it. Personally, I believe that military culture walks a line with pop culture. Whether it be from internal or from the outside like movies, especially the world war time era.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 21 at 2020 11:11 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 23:11:04 -0400