Posted on May 15, 2017
Why Our Military Should Consider a Don’t Care, Don’t Trust Policy
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In 1994, the military implemented a policy called Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) that prohibited discrimination and harassment against LGBTQ personnel in the military. DADT was reversed in 2011. With LGBTQ personnel now fully integrated into the military, today we face a different challenge from an erosion of caring. Perhaps today, we should consider a Don’t Care, Don’t Trust (DCDT) policy that addresses the central issue of trust among Soldiers, trust in leaders, and trust in the Army as an institution. A DCDT policy might directly address leaders who don’t genuinely care for or about the soldiers, civilians, and families under their watch.
Have you ever trusted someone or something you didn’t care about? Of course not. Caring is the progenitor of trust. We care about our family and friends and we trust them; well, most of them anyway. We trust our doctors, but do we care about them? You probably should care about them if you want the best care and treatment from them. Although they took a Hippocratic Oath, the human side of them may spend more time with someone they have an emotional connection with. So what does caring have to do with Soldiers, leaders, and the Army as an institution?
Each year, the Army requires all units to take a command climate survey that measures the level of trust amongst Soldiers, trust in leaders and trust in the Army in general. Having completed this survey numerous times and viewed results over the last three decades, I have a few anecdotal observations.
First, trust among Soldiers is built on the “Band of Brothers” concept. If Soldiers don’t care about one another and they act as individuals who are out for themselves, then trust is low. If they build unit cohesion and start to really care about one another, then they look to their left and right and trust that those people will have their backs when the going gets tough. Second, trust in leaders is built on the foundation of leaders caring for and about their soldiers, civilians, and families in their units. If leaders are self-serving and place themselves ahead of those they lead, they are seen as uncaring and untrustworthy. On the other hand, if leaders truly care about their soldiers and look after their soldiers’ interests ahead of their own, they appear to be more genuine, caring, and trustworthy. Finally, for Soldiers to trust the Army as an institution, they must believe that they are being treated fairly and being cared for. When the institution fails, it is because Army leaders fail in caring for others and in applying Army rules, policies, and guidelines fairly and equitably across the ranks. The Army foundation of trust is built with bricks and mortar (caring) and it is only as strong as the degree to which a philosophy of caring permeates the institution.
So, why not consider a Don’t Care, Don’t Trust (DCDT) policy. If you don’t care, why should I trust you?
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This editorial represents my opinion and does not reflect the views or policies of the United States Army Reserve, the US Army or the Department of Defense.
Have you ever trusted someone or something you didn’t care about? Of course not. Caring is the progenitor of trust. We care about our family and friends and we trust them; well, most of them anyway. We trust our doctors, but do we care about them? You probably should care about them if you want the best care and treatment from them. Although they took a Hippocratic Oath, the human side of them may spend more time with someone they have an emotional connection with. So what does caring have to do with Soldiers, leaders, and the Army as an institution?
Each year, the Army requires all units to take a command climate survey that measures the level of trust amongst Soldiers, trust in leaders and trust in the Army in general. Having completed this survey numerous times and viewed results over the last three decades, I have a few anecdotal observations.
First, trust among Soldiers is built on the “Band of Brothers” concept. If Soldiers don’t care about one another and they act as individuals who are out for themselves, then trust is low. If they build unit cohesion and start to really care about one another, then they look to their left and right and trust that those people will have their backs when the going gets tough. Second, trust in leaders is built on the foundation of leaders caring for and about their soldiers, civilians, and families in their units. If leaders are self-serving and place themselves ahead of those they lead, they are seen as uncaring and untrustworthy. On the other hand, if leaders truly care about their soldiers and look after their soldiers’ interests ahead of their own, they appear to be more genuine, caring, and trustworthy. Finally, for Soldiers to trust the Army as an institution, they must believe that they are being treated fairly and being cared for. When the institution fails, it is because Army leaders fail in caring for others and in applying Army rules, policies, and guidelines fairly and equitably across the ranks. The Army foundation of trust is built with bricks and mortar (caring) and it is only as strong as the degree to which a philosophy of caring permeates the institution.
So, why not consider a Don’t Care, Don’t Trust (DCDT) policy. If you don’t care, why should I trust you?
**
This editorial represents my opinion and does not reflect the views or policies of the United States Army Reserve, the US Army or the Department of Defense.
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Posted 7 y ago
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Damn right. The only reason I got involved in veterans organizations (VFW and AL) is because I care and you can trust that all I do is for my brothers and sisters who serve/served this nation I love. It took me a while when I was on active duty to learn what I believe are the basic rules of leadership: (1) A good leader is a good teacher. You want things done your way, teach your people how to do them your way (and make sure it's the best way). (2) Your job is to make sure that your subordinates have all they need (training, equipment, supplies, knowledge, etc) to accomplish the mission. (3) Your people will work for you only as hard as you work for them. To be honest, I didn't fully understand this until I was a captain. In other words, I cared, but it took me a while to learn how to care.
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MG Peter Bosse Holy Cats, sir! This should be military gospel! ESPECIALLY in areas where all leadership seems to do is just make sure the business stays afloat.
I think the AF (I'm sure in other branches, as well, but that's just the one I'm most familiar with) is suffering such staggering retention issues because a vast majority of leadership see themselves as some level of CEO, instead of a military leader. Pilots are leaving by the bushel because they are being sent on administrative TDYs, instead of flying birds. They are being shown that the leadership doesn't care about the mission, or their talent, in this manner.
The most trusted leaders are the ones that show, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their soldiers/sailors/airmen/marines are their top priority!
I think the AF (I'm sure in other branches, as well, but that's just the one I'm most familiar with) is suffering such staggering retention issues because a vast majority of leadership see themselves as some level of CEO, instead of a military leader. Pilots are leaving by the bushel because they are being sent on administrative TDYs, instead of flying birds. They are being shown that the leadership doesn't care about the mission, or their talent, in this manner.
The most trusted leaders are the ones that show, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their soldiers/sailors/airmen/marines are their top priority!
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Trust and respect is earned, it flows both directions.
If the leader does not trust and respect the subordinate, they will care less or not at all for them.
The same is true for the led to the leader.
When subordinates do conduct them selfs in a manner that fosters "earns" trust and respect, they should take personal responsibility for that lack of "care" from their leadership.
But I was not hurting anyone else, ya I got drunk and arrested for disorderly conduct, but it did not hurt the unit, why does my Coc "hate me and not care about me?"
Lack of self respect and discipline.
Lack of respect from the SM to fellow SM's and the unit that must now cover down on a missing SM who is at legal appointments, court dates, jail time. = less respect and care from the unit to the SM.
Lack of respect for the unit by sitting in the officer dry and warm, sipping coffee and surfing porn while the platoon is in the MP breaking track, in the freezing office without heat and and valid work orders to get it fixed, going down town to eat, taking the TMP van, leaving the company to eat nasty, cold, sandy T Rats the night before moving to the box at NTC..all foster a lack of respect from SM to leadership and yup, they don't care about supporting, helping those unit leaders now.
If the leader does not trust and respect the subordinate, they will care less or not at all for them.
The same is true for the led to the leader.
When subordinates do conduct them selfs in a manner that fosters "earns" trust and respect, they should take personal responsibility for that lack of "care" from their leadership.
But I was not hurting anyone else, ya I got drunk and arrested for disorderly conduct, but it did not hurt the unit, why does my Coc "hate me and not care about me?"
Lack of self respect and discipline.
Lack of respect from the SM to fellow SM's and the unit that must now cover down on a missing SM who is at legal appointments, court dates, jail time. = less respect and care from the unit to the SM.
Lack of respect for the unit by sitting in the officer dry and warm, sipping coffee and surfing porn while the platoon is in the MP breaking track, in the freezing office without heat and and valid work orders to get it fixed, going down town to eat, taking the TMP van, leaving the company to eat nasty, cold, sandy T Rats the night before moving to the box at NTC..all foster a lack of respect from SM to leadership and yup, they don't care about supporting, helping those unit leaders now.
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