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All of these are important, and the oft repeated basic 3 "shoot, move, communicate" are elemental. I would argue "plan" is pretty important too. They build on each-other and complement, but I would argue they layer, and one is the base. If you had to pick only one as the most important for you or a fellow Service Member to be capable of, which would it be?
The images are intended to represent each to some degree.
The images are intended to represent each to some degree.
Shooting (Sport)
Professionalism
Fitness
Communications
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 154
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Obviously, all of the skill sets you mention are important and rely on each other to enhance complete performance of our military. As a former combat Marine, I would lean more toward one's inherent ability to instantaneously assess a situation and develop immediate solutions to the challenges presented by the given situation. Quite often military personnel and civilians lose track of the big picture and find themselves locked into tunnel vision when confronted with a situation. We must be, first and foremost, problem solvers to the degree that we are able to assess the big picture before making an action decision. Next, we must be able to communicate that decision to our leaders or personnel as the case may be in a manner that will encourage action from those leaders or personnel. Before you shoot/fight, move, communicate, or plan you must be able to assess the situation and develop problem solving solutions that will best activate the aforementioned actions.
Thanks for the opportunity to share my thoughts.
Kindest Regards,
Professor Barry Goodson
Former Marine, CAP124, Vietnam 1968-1969
Thanks for the opportunity to share my thoughts.
Kindest Regards,
Professor Barry Goodson
Former Marine, CAP124, Vietnam 1968-1969
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Capt Richard I P.
Cpl Barry Goodson A lot of folk have argued for assessment/orientation/decision/acting (given that all are necessary before any of the skills I mentioned I kind of assumed them-kind of like learning, thinking and breathing) Given that they are all necessary for any of the 4 I mentioned....which of the 4 do you prefer?
But it begs another question I asked here:
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-ooda-the-best-description-of-decision-cycling
But it begs another question I asked here:
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-ooda-the-best-description-of-decision-cycling
Is OODA the best description of decision cycling? | RallyPoint
The phrase OODA loop refers to the decision cycle of observe, orient, decide, and act, developed by military strategist and USAF Colonel John Boyd. Many argued in another thread (below) that "think" or "decide" trumped another set of individual skills, I would argue think and decide is necessary in all skills, and that OODA does a great job of summing up the necessary steps. Related...
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Service Differences are interesting on this. Communication is the winner overall across all services. I see Marines care about shooting the most, followed by the Army. Interesting that the Air Force and Navy, arguably the most strategic enablers of "move" didn't vote for it. Lastly, the number of people picking "other" goes up from Marines to Army to Navy to Air Force, they probably think picking from a list doesn't live up to their reputation as the thinkers.
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Capt Richard I P.
1SG Cameron M. Wesson "Gear is good, training trumps gear, teams trump training" Teams area great way to leverage other people's skills. But of those skills you're looking to leverage from your team which one is the most critical?
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1SG Cameron M. Wesson
Capt Richard I P. Richard... Not sure I follow your position as gear is not a skill... using the gear maybe a skill; however, as the specific gear may not be "common to all" it would have to be integrated into the larger mission plan... teamwork.
IMO... teamwork is the most critical military skilll a soldier can have.... let me explain.
Webster defines Teamwork as : the work done by people who work together as a team to do something... this is all we do in the Military. There are several subordinate skills that you could argue make up teamwork... communication, sacrifice, sharing, listening, hard work, and others. While a few may be subsets of another... they still support the definition above. By themselves, these skills are good; however, its kind of like being able to shoot a 50m target well.... great... how about the 100m, 150m, 200m, 250m, and even that 300m.
As most military elements function as teams and not as individuals... that would support a position that working as a member of a team, or teamwork, would be required... and highly desired. Thus my desired skill of choice.
Also I would submit for consideration that ADP 6-0 Mission Command provides that the three commanders tasks are, "Build Teams (Teamwork), Drive the Operations Process (Teamwork), and Inform and Influence audiences internal and external to the formation (to build teamwork... or keep the audience off the other persons team).
I am not discounting any other mission essential skill as they are all important... well most of them anyways... however, the question was "What is the most important military skill"... my answer of Teamwork is my attempt to answer a closed ended question.
After 32 years kicking around it has been my experience that if a person cannot function as a member of a team in the military... this failure can result in outcomes that are worse than a person not as proficient in anyone of several other military skills.... fire/shooting, maneuver/IMT, problem solving, land nav, first aid, etc...
This even ran true last month while I was at MIT participating in their Executive Education Program. We had a few members that did not function on our teams very well... and the professors and staff had to address those issues with the students... it was even a specific subject when talking about building High Performance Teams. The point of the discussion was that no matter how good a person is as an individual... with their KSAs... unless they can function on a team... they are of limited value... and can actually hurt the team.
Sorry for being long winded... and sorry if I didn't answer the question that you were trying to get resolution.
Regards
Cam
IMO... teamwork is the most critical military skilll a soldier can have.... let me explain.
Webster defines Teamwork as : the work done by people who work together as a team to do something... this is all we do in the Military. There are several subordinate skills that you could argue make up teamwork... communication, sacrifice, sharing, listening, hard work, and others. While a few may be subsets of another... they still support the definition above. By themselves, these skills are good; however, its kind of like being able to shoot a 50m target well.... great... how about the 100m, 150m, 200m, 250m, and even that 300m.
As most military elements function as teams and not as individuals... that would support a position that working as a member of a team, or teamwork, would be required... and highly desired. Thus my desired skill of choice.
Also I would submit for consideration that ADP 6-0 Mission Command provides that the three commanders tasks are, "Build Teams (Teamwork), Drive the Operations Process (Teamwork), and Inform and Influence audiences internal and external to the formation (to build teamwork... or keep the audience off the other persons team).
I am not discounting any other mission essential skill as they are all important... well most of them anyways... however, the question was "What is the most important military skill"... my answer of Teamwork is my attempt to answer a closed ended question.
After 32 years kicking around it has been my experience that if a person cannot function as a member of a team in the military... this failure can result in outcomes that are worse than a person not as proficient in anyone of several other military skills.... fire/shooting, maneuver/IMT, problem solving, land nav, first aid, etc...
This even ran true last month while I was at MIT participating in their Executive Education Program. We had a few members that did not function on our teams very well... and the professors and staff had to address those issues with the students... it was even a specific subject when talking about building High Performance Teams. The point of the discussion was that no matter how good a person is as an individual... with their KSAs... unless they can function on a team... they are of limited value... and can actually hurt the team.
Sorry for being long winded... and sorry if I didn't answer the question that you were trying to get resolution.
Regards
Cam
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Capt Richard I P.
1SG Cameron M. Wesson Thanks for the detail in your response. My quote was intended to point out that many soldiers, outdoorsmen, practitioners of any skill set often initially recognize gear (technology) can make them more effective. As they become more professional and practiced they recognize good training trumps gear because it teaches you to improvise around constraints, make new gear, find tools to achieve the same result. Teamwork is an even higher achievement, it allows you to use the training of others, because no man can learn everything.
I think you've made a great argument for teamwork, and a fully justifiable vote for "other" in the multiple choice options in the poll. You might find some of my counter arguments for my pet answer "shoot" on other answer threads, in that I distill the essence of military skill down to its lethal end. Main Effort vs Support Effort argument.
I'd really like to get your thoughts on teamwork re-posted under this other thread to be captured for young officers, would you oblige me?
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-is-the-one-thing-every-young-officer-must-know
I think you've made a great argument for teamwork, and a fully justifiable vote for "other" in the multiple choice options in the poll. You might find some of my counter arguments for my pet answer "shoot" on other answer threads, in that I distill the essence of military skill down to its lethal end. Main Effort vs Support Effort argument.
I'd really like to get your thoughts on teamwork re-posted under this other thread to be captured for young officers, would you oblige me?
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-is-the-one-thing-every-young-officer-must-know
What is the ONE thing EVERY young Officer must know? | RallyPoint
There's been quite a few discussions about how clueless young Lieutenants (and Ensigns) are when they hit the Operating Forces (and we often are). Here it is: your chance to publicly and permanently record the one topic you think is the most critical for us to know when we step in at your unit. With some luck, maybe those young officers will read it here and have the epiphany they need privately and everyone will be better off for it. So hit...
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1SG Cameron M. Wesson
Capt Richard I P. Richard... you make great points and as an 11B... I'd wholeheartedly agree that "shoot"... is critical. That was until I became a PSG and had to get 4 squads that seemed to think they were independent to work together... that is when "focus" shifted. It was confirmed after I got hurt and became a loggie... and while I never forgot "shoot"... and had some of the best "shooters" in my organizations... I realized that logistic folks, believe it or not, do not work well together. It was the weirdest thing I'd ever saw... even in the 101st that I'd been a 11B in... they were in mass... almost dysfunctional. My informal hypothesis was that they each thought they were the most important.
I would gladly repost this position on your other post... however, I did post on that on also... saying that a young LT should not complain... to anyone but is SNCO.
Thank you and I really appreciate the two-way commo!
Cam
I would gladly repost this position on your other post... however, I did post on that on also... saying that a young LT should not complain... to anyone but is SNCO.
Thank you and I really appreciate the two-way commo!
Cam
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While all are very important... I say Shoot/fight. Any well trained unit can operate on implicit communication. Any half decent leader or fighting man can move to a better position. These two are pointless if there is no fire. The ability to act during a fight is what wins. The fighter leader shows what he wants without saying a word. He pushes the fight by actions. You can move and communicate all day long but if you aren't putting rounds into the bad guys you can't win. Planning... Well the best plan goes to shit 1 minute after being on the ground so a frag-o can get the job done. A critical part of the over all scheme but not the most important. *see also SAM-K and the mission of the Marine Corps Rifle Squad*
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I think the one thing that brings all these together in unison is leadership. Good leadership is the difference between chaos and winning wars. Thoughts?
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Capt Richard I P.
Capt (Join to see) I agree it is the role of the leader to manage all of these individual skills and more. Any advice for young officers learning to do so? https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-is-the-one-thing-every-young-officer-must-know
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MSgt Steve Miller
Advise for a young officer? Do a lot listening to your troops, it will help you gage their motivation level. Old Marine Corp saying....a bitching Marine is a happy Marine! Let them vent "respectfully" if and when time allows. Above all....keep your SNCO's in your back pocket and seek their thoughts often. They have been around for years and are loaded with experience.
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SPC Walt Mandeville
Yes, I have always believed in making every shot count. Shooting skill and calm under pressure.
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First know how to follow; second, know how to lead. Following and leading is older than the Greek phalanx. Maybe its not a skill but knowing how to be an effective follower and leader but number 1 -4 are useless without knowing how to follow and lead.
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Capt Richard I P.
SSG (ret) William Martin But what is the purpose of all that following and leading?
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SSG (ret) William Martin
Sir, the answer you seek can be found in ancient Chinese scrolls once possessed by Sun Tzu.
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Capt Richard I P.
SSG (ret) William Martin Rather than a reference without an explanation, would you like to specify what you view as the ultimate purpose? Citations are great, but only when used to clarify a point rather than providing a non-answer. Not everyone who reads this thread will have read what you have and you're more likely to convince them to if you illustrate how that writing supports your point, than by being mysterious about it. (For the record, I've read what you're describing a few times in varying translations).
Others have cited the writings attributed to Sun Tzu (suspected by most historians to be a family rather than an individual-possibly even a legend) with respect to the idea of defeating an enemy without combat, I pointed out that requires the lethal capability to exist first. The debate is above, you may enjoy it.
Others have cited the writings attributed to Sun Tzu (suspected by most historians to be a family rather than an individual-possibly even a legend) with respect to the idea of defeating an enemy without combat, I pointed out that requires the lethal capability to exist first. The debate is above, you may enjoy it.
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The most important Military skill is:
The ability to survive and learn from your own mistakes.
The ability to survive and learn from your own mistakes.
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TSgt (Join to see)
Capt Richard I P. I am not referring to only surviving in the physical sense, I'm referring to it also in terms of "your career surviving" and of keeping your willingness to put yourself forward and risk failure surviving after having tasted failure.
I consider the ability to fail and get back up again and try once more to be the most indespensible quality in life and the military.
I consider the ability to fail and get back up again and try once more to be the most indespensible quality in life and the military.
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To be honest, they are all important... HOWEVER, that being said, when your plan goes to hell, you're running low on bullets, your radio doesn't work, and you're pinned down, the BEST and most IMPORTANT skill anyone can have, is the ability to adapt and innovate! America is not great because we can shoot better, move faster, communicate more clearly, or plan better than others - we are great because we can adapt and innovate even when others can't - even when it looks like all is lost - we still manage to come up with a way to win in almost every situation, no matter how dire!
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Capt Richard I P.
SFC (Join to see) I love this pro innovation and adaptability argument! Of course in the situation you describe, the goal is about innovating how to get out of the bad situation and get more bullets to shoot more guys.
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SFC (Join to see)
Capt Richard I P.: Absolutely! Of course, we are great at innovating even when all the chips aren't on the line - but I still maintain that we do our best when we absolutely have our backs against the wall. I strongly believe that no other country has proven to be as innovative as the United States in the long run, in any area or arena.
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