Posted on Feb 16, 2015
Lifers versus Targets: How to properly train your soldiers
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Respect doesn't come from treating your soldiers kindly. It comes from your ability to lead by example. It comes from your competency at your job. It comes from getting your hands dirty because no matter what rank you are, participative leadership is your primary leadership style. It comes from placing the needs of your soldiers above your own. Being kind and not enforcing standards is selfish. Often, the need to be liked or to be the cool NCO/officer, is put before their soldier's need to survive. I would rather my soldiers respect me than like me. I want mine to say what a soldier said to CSM (Ret) Purdy when he left 1st Ranger BN, which was, "Sergeant Purdy, I hated to hear you come in in the morning, and sometimes I just flat hated you, but I would follow you to hell with gasoline drawers on.” Iron discipline and realistic training is what makes a soldier. Enforcers of iron discipline are what true soldiers want their leaders to be.
A true leader understands the ways of warfare. He understands the fact that there are always going to be people in uniform - officers, NCOs, and privates alike - who are going to be lazy. They are going to blow off training and they will cut corners. The true leader knows these are the people that will facilitate his ability to win the battle and bring his people home. A Greek philosopher named Heraclitus illustrates this point best. He said, “Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” There is also a great example of this ideology on warfare in the Bible. It is the story of Gideon's Army of 300. If you don't know this story and you are a combat leader, then you I suggest you read it. It can be found in the Old Testament Book of Judges, chapter 7:1 - 8:21.
A professional leader in the military understands that our job is the profession of death. It is either the enemies' death or ours, but the job is death. Everything we do, no matter what job we hold, is ultimately to destroy the enemies of our country. With stakes that high, I truly do not understand why any leader would want to do anything other then train; and not only train, but live it, totally immerse yourself into it. Some people call these soldiers "lifers" and they mean for this to be a derogatory term. The irony is that, if not being competent at your job means your death, then I am very proud to be called a LIFE-r. Survival on the battlefield takes dedication and hard work.
So now I must ask you, are you a “lifer” or are you a “target”?
A true leader understands the ways of warfare. He understands the fact that there are always going to be people in uniform - officers, NCOs, and privates alike - who are going to be lazy. They are going to blow off training and they will cut corners. The true leader knows these are the people that will facilitate his ability to win the battle and bring his people home. A Greek philosopher named Heraclitus illustrates this point best. He said, “Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” There is also a great example of this ideology on warfare in the Bible. It is the story of Gideon's Army of 300. If you don't know this story and you are a combat leader, then you I suggest you read it. It can be found in the Old Testament Book of Judges, chapter 7:1 - 8:21.
A professional leader in the military understands that our job is the profession of death. It is either the enemies' death or ours, but the job is death. Everything we do, no matter what job we hold, is ultimately to destroy the enemies of our country. With stakes that high, I truly do not understand why any leader would want to do anything other then train; and not only train, but live it, totally immerse yourself into it. Some people call these soldiers "lifers" and they mean for this to be a derogatory term. The irony is that, if not being competent at your job means your death, then I am very proud to be called a LIFE-r. Survival on the battlefield takes dedication and hard work.
So now I must ask you, are you a “lifer” or are you a “target”?
Training
Professionalism
Respect
Command Post
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 17
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Ultimately, my Soldiers are my "kids". I treat them the same way as I treat my own child. I love them all, but there are times that you must do things that may make you uncomfortable for their benefit.
Train them to fill your boots. If you are combat-bound, prepare them so that if you are separated, incapacitated, or killed then they are able to carry on in your absence until someone can arrive or fills your role. If you are non-combat, then prepare them so that they are not left in the lurch when you eventually leave the Army or are promoted out of the position then they know how to fill your shoes and your Soldiers are capable of carrying the mission until the incoming personnel know their jobs well enough to implant themselves into the situation.
Fight like hell to protect them. Like I said, they're my kids. They need to know that you care, and if they are fighting for you by ensuring that your mission succeeds, then you have the obligation to fight for them to ensure that they have everything needed to complete their own mission. Protect them from the politics, the WARNOs and FRAGOs that go back and forth, "Yes we have funding...wai....no....yes we....nope.....ok no fund...just kidding, we DO have funding." Save them from the distractions that will pull them from completion of the mission. Let them focus on the execution, and you focus on pulling them through the suck to get on target.
Break the box. We all have supply issues, funding issues, etc. Too often, I see Soldiers say, "There's no way to do it." In the Army, there are very few absolutes......and nearly everything can be accomplished with the dedication, intestinal fortitude, and the creative outside the box thinking. Coming from someone who was "Special Board Promoted" to CPT after 2 time nonselect...having spent my entire career taking care of my Soldiers careers instead of my own, a CPT, 2 MAJ, and a LTC all engaged to help me get to where I am....and from there, I survived and began advancing my own career with a newfound understanding of another piece of the puzzle.
There are so many more things...but I disagree that most are targets. Sometimes, it's just finding the right methods to motivate the troops. Finding that motivation can enhance the numbers of productive members of a company/platoon/squad....any level of leadership.
v/r,
CPT Butler
Train them to fill your boots. If you are combat-bound, prepare them so that if you are separated, incapacitated, or killed then they are able to carry on in your absence until someone can arrive or fills your role. If you are non-combat, then prepare them so that they are not left in the lurch when you eventually leave the Army or are promoted out of the position then they know how to fill your shoes and your Soldiers are capable of carrying the mission until the incoming personnel know their jobs well enough to implant themselves into the situation.
Fight like hell to protect them. Like I said, they're my kids. They need to know that you care, and if they are fighting for you by ensuring that your mission succeeds, then you have the obligation to fight for them to ensure that they have everything needed to complete their own mission. Protect them from the politics, the WARNOs and FRAGOs that go back and forth, "Yes we have funding...wai....no....yes we....nope.....ok no fund...just kidding, we DO have funding." Save them from the distractions that will pull them from completion of the mission. Let them focus on the execution, and you focus on pulling them through the suck to get on target.
Break the box. We all have supply issues, funding issues, etc. Too often, I see Soldiers say, "There's no way to do it." In the Army, there are very few absolutes......and nearly everything can be accomplished with the dedication, intestinal fortitude, and the creative outside the box thinking. Coming from someone who was "Special Board Promoted" to CPT after 2 time nonselect...having spent my entire career taking care of my Soldiers careers instead of my own, a CPT, 2 MAJ, and a LTC all engaged to help me get to where I am....and from there, I survived and began advancing my own career with a newfound understanding of another piece of the puzzle.
There are so many more things...but I disagree that most are targets. Sometimes, it's just finding the right methods to motivate the troops. Finding that motivation can enhance the numbers of productive members of a company/platoon/squad....any level of leadership.
v/r,
CPT Butler
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While I agree with the concept telling your soldiers they are like your kids goes the wrong way.
I had a battalion commander tell us we were like his kids and then scolded the entire battalion.
He lost an entire battalion in that formation.
We all worked as companies but did not support him.
I had a battalion commander tell us we were like his kids and then scolded the entire battalion.
He lost an entire battalion in that formation.
We all worked as companies but did not support him.
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From the front.
You need to push them till you get one to drop out.
Then have them help him.
Creates teamwork. No man left behind and it ensures some of them get pushed farther then they think they could have gone.
Following a leader out of a flying aircraft is an unnatural act but they will follow.
You need to push them till you get one to drop out.
Then have them help him.
Creates teamwork. No man left behind and it ensures some of them get pushed farther then they think they could have gone.
Following a leader out of a flying aircraft is an unnatural act but they will follow.
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By teaching and develop their skills, will, and teamwork. Once they are confident in their skills and mastered their crafts, and they build that trust to a fellow soldiers, working toguether as a team, eventually they will developed the will to fight. The will not to let down his peers and leaders. It takes time and a committed leader to take his team to this level.
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This is one of the reasons I left the Army, poor training and leadership. I did everything I could on my own but there is only so much book-smarts and manuals can do without the practical application in the field. After 2 deployments and still training to fight the Russians I did what I could to impart survival skills and toughness on my soldiers and when the time came I left because I felt I was a Lifer as you described but I was being led by too many targets.
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As the picture depicted, the knife edge hand is the tool to use and they should give them out in RFI.
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