Under Secretary of the Army Patrick Murphy here - What questions do you have for me?

Mr Secretary-with all due respect to the overwhelming social engineering happening in the Army-I respectfully ask you to address how the following new policies assist readiness,especially combat readiness,rather than detract from the same: integration of gays, integration and commander supported conversion of transgenders(10 have come forward already) and the integration of climate change factors in all mission planning.
Thank You James Lincoln Col USA REtired

Sir,

Thank you for this opportunity. My question is why do DA Civilians in the CENTCOM theater not receive a tax exclusion benefit? I am in Kuwait with a unit where DA Civilians are part of our books and play a large role in accomplishing our unit's mission. One of the challenges we face is in enticing DA Civilians to come to our unit when there are basically no benefits that they gain from being here besides extended work hours at time and a half pay, something they could get at CONUS. Military are eligible for Combat Zone Tax Exclusion. Contractors get Foreign Earned Income Exclusion while in country, allowing US taxpayers to exclude up to $101,300 of foreign earned income from their US expat taxes for the 2016 tax year. It just does not make sense that the contractors that my unit oversees and military personnel in the unit receive such a financial benefit from being here when the DA Civilians that oversee the same contractors as the military they work beside do not. They experience the same hardships--environment, danger, living conditions, time away from family, etc.--as us military, but get little to no compensation for doing so. We almost put them at a disadvantage for wanting to support the mission here. Extending at least the tax exclusion benefit or some other financial benefit to our DA Civilians will go a long way in getting much needed personnel to support the mission in country and show that we strive to take care of our own.

Jerry Bortner
CPT, LG
US Army

Sir welcome to Rallypoint and thank you for your service. This post is lengthy, so I hope you can continue to the end. One major issue I believe the Army wastes funding on is training a soldier in a specific MOS and then sending that soldier to a unit that doesn't provide the equipment for that soldier to perform his/her job. Before I re-classed to an All-Source Analyst (35F), I was a COM-SEC repairer (94E). Do you know how much money is spent/wasted on training each Soldier in an individual skill for six months, performing a SSBI and giving them a security clearance, and then have HRC assign them to a unit that cannot truly utilize him/her? Reasons being, the unit doesn't have the equipment for that COM-SEC repairer to do his job, two, assigns him to the GSE section to hang out with the generator mechanics for his three years at the unit. I constantly begged my leadership to drop a 4187 and transfer me to one of our sister BN's at HAAF, GA since they had all the equipment for me to diagnose and repair or replace the equipment I was trained on to maintain. They always made a hype about transferring me to that unit, but of course it never happened. I eventually re-classed as I stated, but the 3 years I spent as a 94E was a waste in my opinion since I basically forgot everything I was trained the six months I spent at Fort Gordon. I even graduated with honors because I found passion in electronic maintenance. There has to be some kind of system implemented that can better transition a soldier from A.I.T. to a unit that has the equipment and true need for that MOS instead of just filling a slot that is required for the unit to have filled. Or re-vamp how many soldiers should be trained for a specific MOS, so that we aren't overspending. This will truly be beneficial, especially after that soldier PCS's to their next assignment with true experience in their MOS. And perhaps save a nice chunk of funding.

We as Veterans who have departed the active force need to be more informative on what happens in our lives to the ones before they depart. A big disruption in lives takes place and while transferring to the civilian side we are unaware of how to act or how others will act towards us. This should be incorporated in the transitioning stage while still active. Teach how to translate military jargon, link them up with their local DVOPs for any employment needs, focus on benefits to provide spouses to sign up for before getting out, too late after being released, have to wait until a window opens, I have been waiting for 14 years for that window to open for new enrolls or have a way to register for these benefits at any time.

We Need Government Civilian and Industry Leaders
Under Secretary of the Army Patrick Murphy, sir do you Sign Up to this Philosophy of Leadership

Thanks.

(A Personal View)
Leadership is taking the point position when your flight or unit is expecting contact with the enemy. Leadership is flying a crippled bomber to the ground when one of your wounded crew members cannot bail out. Leadership is keeping your young soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, and coast guardsmen alive and never leaving your wounded behind. Leadership is duty, honor, and country. Leadership is writing a dead trooper’s family a personal letter immediately after the battle.

Leadership is not glorifying war. Leadership is not doing “anything” just to get promoted. Leadership is not winning the battle at all costs, nor is it losing a war to avoid causalities. Leadership is not found in the security of a well fortified command bunker, nor is it found in a plush officers’ field mess.

No compromise of the integrity of one’s word, deed, or signature is leadership. Setting high standards and seeing that they are met is leadership. Intelligence, dedication, creativity, and selflessness are leadership. Stamina, vigor, and commitment are leadership. Spontaneous, contagious enthusiasm is leadership. Initiative, self-improvement, and professionalism are leadership.

Leadership is rewarding a soldier, sailor, airman, marine, coast guardsman, or civilian with the appropriate recognition immediately after exceptional service. Leadership is commanding and managing. Leadership is establishing and meeting, by priority, specific objectives. Leadership is managing by exception, using job enlargement, and seeking job enrichment. Leadership knows that leading is more than just “follow me”, but also “follow my orders”.

Believing in God, family, and country, in that order is leadership. Being humanistic is leadership. Trusting well trained troops ideas and decisions is leadership. Knowing where the mission is at, when the troops and material are to be there, and how many troops and systems are needed to win is leadership. Blocking out periods of “private time” to accomplish creative work and recharge is leadership. Compromising for the good of the whole with sister services and partner leaders on budgeting, planning, and executing is leadership.

Leadership is treating men and women equally without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, or custom. Leadership is visiting your wounded and sick frequently. Leadership is knowing and living by the Constitution, the Code of Conduct, the Geneva Convention, and the basic human rights of all mankind.

A leader is assertive, but not aggressive. Leadership is neither ruthless nor mindless discipline, but it is the ability to do the right thing at the right time, by putting the whole before the parts. Leadership is not a good efficiency report, nor is it paper readiness. Leadership is not a court martial for every mistake nor is it leniency for serious violations. A leader is fair, predictable, and consistent.

Giving a superior sound professional advice, even when you know he or she does not want to hear it is leadership. After you have given your best advice, following all legal, moral, and ethical orders, even when you do not agree with them is leadership. Leading when you can; following when you should; and getting the hell out of the way when you have nothing to offer, is leadership. Learning the language, culture, and customs of a host country is leadership. Staying in top physical condition is leadership.

Leadership is a general who knows the friendly and enemy situation, knows the immediate action sequence for the M16 rifle, knows his driver’s first name and family, and can recite the Lord’s Prayer. Leadership is a private who knows that he or she is in the chain of command and may have to take over when senior in rank. Leadership knows that a water truck in the desert is worth more combat power that an extra armored cavalry regiment.

Not forgetting that the past is our heritage, the present is our challenge, and the future is our responsibility is leadership. Not being overweight, not smoking, saying no to drugs, and not drinking alcohol in excess is leadership. Delegating authority, commanding confidence and respect, and accepting full responsibility for your actions is leadership. Ingenuity, sociability, tact, and tenacity are leadership. Cross training is leadership.

Leadership is not being right all the time, and it is certainly not being wrong most of the time. Leadership fixes problems---not blame. Leadership is adaptability, appearance, cooperation, and decisiveness. Leadership displays knowledge, manages resources efficiently, and plans beyond the immediate requirements of assigned duties. Leadership creates an organization of mutual respect. Leadership is building an organization and environment where it is not necessary to tell troops what to do. Leadership knows that combat without conscience is evil.

A leader knows why there are air, land, and sea forces; why there are cavalry, infantry, armor, artillery, aviation, amphibious, special operations, propositioned, recon, and logistical forces; and why combined arms and concentration of combat power are important. A leader knows about air, land, sea, and cyberspace battle and defense in depth, civil affairs, urban operations, counter insurgency techniques, the advantages our forces have at night, and how to use them. A wise leader knows that young soldiers spend most of their time worrying about and planning tactics, while older more experienced soldiers spend the majority of their time worrying about and planning logistics.

Leadership can be good or bad, centralized or decentralized, warm or cold, offensive or defensive, macro or micro, or expensive or free. Leadership can be Catholic or Protestant, Jewish or Moslem, Hindu or Mormon, Atheist or Agnostic. Leadership prevents over mobility of junior leaders and troops, by keeping them in their jobs long enough to really learn their jobs and common and collective tasks and to work as team members. Establishing and promoting worker and troop certification and team certification programs are leadership. Leadership provides their troops with plenty of clean water.

Leadership keeps their troops as comfortable as possible, keeps them feed, keeps them clean, keeps them supplied, keeps them informed, and keeps them from becoming depressed and suicidal.
Leaders hope and pray for the best and plan for the worst. Leaders know about the need to wage “total war” to win and the special advantage the defender has in cities, mountains, and jungles. Leaders know how to “own the night” and take maximum advantage of all of the combat arms team, and is skilled in the use of snipers, attack helicopters, counter artillery, naval gun/missile fire, and close air support. Leaders know not to keep troops weapons locked up and away from them, but rather train troops to live with a clean and serviceable weapon that they are an expert in.

Leadership is embodied in Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Pope John Paul II, Robert E. Lee, Mohammed, Irwin Rommel, Jesus, Joan of Arc, John Paul Jones, Winston Churchill, Sister Teresa, Margaret Thatcher, Mohammad, and many other well known figures. Also leaders are Dick Orrell, Robert Lightle, J.C. Dandridge, Sam Deloach, Bubba Segrest, Luther Bergen, Gene Booth, Dan Hickman, Wes Komulainen, Brian King, Frank Gordon, and thousands of other unknowns.

Commitment to the team and a participatory form of leadership that draws on every troop’s knowledge and skills, at every level is leadership. Encouraging and rewarding suggestions and complaints is leadership. Having an “open door” and “open mind” policy is leadership. Empowering troops, civil service employees, and support contractors with the tools, responsibility, authority, and “accountability” to get the tough jobs done is leadership. Making troops multi-process, multi weapon, and multifunctional experts is good leadership. Good leaders practice servant leadership.

Leaders know that “the bitterness of low quality remains long after the sweetness of low price”. Leaders allow talented soldiers “long leashes” for experimenting. Leaders find ways to satisfy the essential need of troops and civil servants to be both part of a team and be recognized as individuals. Leaders know how to use “internal and external bench marking”, observations, and inspections to rate their organization’s readiness, products, services, and processes against those front runners in their specialty.

Leadership is guiding. Leadership is legendary. Leadership is foresight. Leadership is absorbent, abstinent, and, unfortunately, at times it is abominable. Leadership is baccalaureate, balance, basic, and too frequently backward and barbaric. Leadership has saved lives, killed, stopped wars, and started wars. Leadership has walked softly and carried a big stick, but it has also been loud and nonviolent.

Saying what you do (in clear concise SOPs, Plans, Processes, and Operations Orders) and doing what you say (following those processes) is leadership. Breaking down communication barriers between staffs, line units, support organizations, and sister units is leadership. Getting at least a green belt in Lean Six Sigma techniques is leadership. Asking deep probing questions (five why), finding root causes, and developing sound counter measures to mistake proof processes is leadership.

Changing problems into opportunities is leadership. Knowing that you can seldom wait until you have all of the answers is leadership. Repeatedly doing simple things that demonstrate sincerity is leadership.

Leadership is honesty, enthusiasm, loyalty, courage, and wisdom. Taking care of your soldiers’, civilians, sailors, airmen, coast guardsmen, and marines and their dependents is leadership. Leadership includes being a good boss, good comrade and friend, father or mother, son or daughter, sister or brother, and husband or wife. Knowing that the profession of arms is much more than just a job is leadership.

Being an unquestionable friend to the environment is leadership. Basing decisions on facts is leadership. Promoting and rewarding continuous improvement and value are leadership. Being a champion of safety and quality is leadership. Staying focused on internal customers, external customers, and the enemy is leadership. Finding and eliminating the eight types of waste (waiting, overproduction, rework, motion, transportation, processing, inventory, and intellect) is leadership.
Performing preventive maintenance, knowing what cellular techniques involve, being skilled in set up reduction, understanding mixed model methods, and understanding rocks-in-the river problem solving and inventory management is leadership. Knowing how to level and balance work load, understanding that distance (to supplies, replacements, ammunition, fuel, etc.) is usually evil, and ensuring things are at least “in-time”, if not “just in time” is leadership.

Leadership is enthusiasm, optimism, helping, training, encouraging, understanding, motivating, disciplining, crying, laughing, standing firm, giving way, counseling, correcting, giving a second chance, and trying again and again. Leaders are tall, short, thin, heavy, male, female, black, brown, white, yellow, old, young, and naturalized and un-naturalized. Leaders are from the city and from farm. Leadership works hard to close the gap between a soldier’s potential and their performance.
Knowing how to use teams, flow charts (value streams and process maps), simple --- yet powerful statistical methods, set up reduction, simplification, continuous improvement, complaint and suggestion programs, and standardization to get the tough jobs done is leadership. Leadership makes quality easy to see, feel, smell, taste, and hear, by finding root causes and permanently fixing the problem. Leadership is clarifying processes, flow charting complex processes, eliminating waste and all non-value added activities, and making every troop an expert at solider common tasks --- everyone should be an Infantryman first!

Leadership is caring, compassion, understanding, concentric, and leading by example. Leaders look you in the eye, kick you in the ass, cover your flank, and take your place on the most dangerous mission. Knowing there is “a place for everything and everything in its place” is leadership. Leadership admits mistakes and learns from them. Eating last is leadership. Going up the hill first and pulling your troops up behind you is leadership. Sharing the pains of heat, dirt, cold, wet, insects, and other harsh environmental conditions is leadership. “Packing your own roll and digging your own hole” is leadership.

Leadership comes from experience, but experience comes from making mistakes. A leader changes the odds and knows the risks. Leaders develop teamwork. The tides, the channels, the seasons, the winds, the hazards, the weather, the enemy, and the best forecast are all known by leaders. Leadership knows that the one most important word is “we” and the least most important word is “I”. Leadership knows there is no end to change, except failure. Leadership knows that if you treat every customer like your last or first, you would never have to worry about repeat business.

Leaders often make good grades in school and have numerous years of formal education and many important degrees. But they also have been known to fail Math, English, and other equally important subjects. Leaders make sure the enemy gives his life for his cause. Leadership ensures his troops always have the tactical advantage, best training, best equipment, and the highest morale, plenty of water, and hot food. Leaders work hard at ensuring the workload is distributed equally among all troops.

Leadership comes from family, friends, teachers, coaches, and pastors. Simple, easy-to-understand orders come from leaders. Complex tasks are changed into short and accurate plans through leadership. Leadership can be learned and taught, but it cannot be forgotten nor brought. Leadership can be seen, tasted, smelled, felt, and heard, and it can come from a blind person with no hands who cannot hear, speak, nor walk.

As Tomas Paine said, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way”. Finally, a leader is so in love with life that he or she is willing to die to ensure that others lives, and our great nation will go on!

Note: The above Leadership article is based on speech W. Larry Dandridge gave at the Armed Forces staff College in 1983 and earlier versions of the article has been published in over 20 magazines, professional journals, and news papers and two books in the US and Germany. In some cases it has been published twice in some US Army magazines. The article is copyrighted © 2013 to W. Larry Dandridge.

Thank you Under Secretary.

Author W. Larry Dandridge’s Biography

Larry Dandridge is a certified “Business Process Reengineering Specialist”, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and a past Region Manager, Program Manager, Proposals Manager, Senior Engineer, and Logistician with QinetiQ North America (QNA), Charleston, SC. He is also the Founder, past principal owner, and ex-Chief Operating Manager, and ex-Board Chairman of Community Loving Care Hospice, LLC in St. Louis, MO and a motivational speaker and writer.

LTC (Ret) Dandridge is an Army ex-enlisted infantryman; ex-aviation Warrant Officer; ex-combat Attack, Utility, and Scout Helicopter Pilot, Fixed Wing Pilot, Flight Examiner, Test Pilot, and Instructor Pilot; and a retired Army Master Aviator. He is a past Scientist and Program Manager with Battelle Pacific North West Labs and an honors graduate of three police academies. He served in Vietnam in 1968-1969 with the 121 Assault Helicopter Company and the 235 Armed Helicopter Company.

He is a graduate of Charleston, SC's Murray Vocational High School (electronics shop) and he has a BS degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a MS degree in Transportation Management from Florida Institute of Technology. He is a graduate of the Army Transportation Officer Advanced Course, Armed Forces Staff College, and over 20 other military specialty schools, including instructor pilot, academic instructor, contracting, special operations, command and staff, and others. He has a California Community College Teaching Credential in Aeronautics, Business, Industrial Operations, and Military Science. An FAA Certified Flight Instructor in Airplanes, Helicopters, Instruments, and Basic Ground, he has worked as a Multi and Single Engine Commercial Pilot. He served in the US Army for 24 years as an Army Flight Instructor/Examiner, Safety Officer, Aviation Company Commander, an Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Company Commander, a Battalion Operations/Intelligence Officer, a Battalion Executive Officer, a US-German Negotiator, Middle East Advisor (Iran), the Army Aviation Center’s Chief of Aircraft Maintenance, COBRA Attack Helicopter Assistant Fielding Team Chief, Aviation POMCUS Science Project Officer, Airport Manager/Commander, Depot Transportation Officer, and Locomotive Operator.

He also has worked as a Police Officer, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Reengineering Consultant, and College Instructor for the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Maryland, Chapman University, and Lassen Community College. As the Past President (won best chapter 2009) and current VP for Veteran Affairs of the Charleston, SC Chapter of the Association of the US Army (AUSA), Mr. Dandridge has had professional articles published in over a 23 US, German, Canadian, and British professional journals, magazines, and news papers and a book. He is currently writing a book on Army Helicopter Pilots in Vietnam.

A member of the “West Point Logistics Hall of Fame (inducted in 2002)”, his awards include the 2006, 2007, 2008 AUSA Exceptional Service Awards”, “2009 AUSA 3 Region Brenda M. Dougherty Award”, “2009 Ralph H. Johnson VA Med Center Volunteer and Sponsor of the Year Award”, “2010 MOAA Robert J. Lahm Award”, 2011 AUSA 3 Region Significant Achievement Award”, the “VA Special 2012 Volunteer Award”, and the Runner Up for the “2012 VA Spirit Award”. His military decorations include the Purple Heart, German Silver Cross, two Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry, the Legion of Merit, 5 Meritorious Services Medals, the Defense Joint Meritorious Service Medal, 15 Combat Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, and others.

He is a long time member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA), a 40 plus year member of the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA), a 30 year plus member of the Association of the US Army (AUSA), 20 plus year member of the Military Officers Association (MOAA), past member of the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW), a member of the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members Association (VHCMA), a 6 year past member of the Charleston SC Exchange Club, past member of Women in Defense (WID), and past member of Rotary. He is married to Judith Ann (Siegel) Dandridge and the father of five children (two Nurse Practitioners, one dietician, one lawyer, and one computer programmer). He is the proud owner of two Italian Greyhounds (miniature grey hounds). He likes to play tennis and basketball, fish, swim, read, an

Honorable Patrick Murphy,
Sir, no pund intended but I hope you do know about Murphy's Law? For the past 15 years are Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen have suffered many disabilities during this conflict, but most of all their families have suffered the worst. How can you in your position make sure that every Soldier and their immediate family be supported by the same individuals that asked them to serve and fight for our Nation and it's National Security? We are all prepared to take the battle to our enemies, but will our politicians who have sent us into Harms's Way do the same for us and fight for what is fair and just to protect our Soldiers and our families the benefits that they are entitled to after what we have asked them to do so much with so little support from our politicians.

Semper Fidelis,
Gunner Kaupe

For the Honorable Mr. Patrick Murphy,
Sir, thank you for sharing your time with all of us on RallyPoint. Though I am a retired Marine Corps Officer I still have a few questions for you. Considering my father who retired from the Army after serving in two wars in 1972 and is 86 years old and served in the Army from 1949-1972. My questions is this:
1) How prepared is our Soldiers of today and the future who might be on two different continents fighting our enemies and will they be prepared to take on additional combat roles if required by the President of the United States?
2) The new retirement system that is slated for the fiscal year 2018, how will it impact our Army's Soldiers with their combat readiness in consideration of an all volunteer force strategy?
3) The new DOD policy of have gender base personnel in combat Arms military occupational specialties, how will that affect our Soldiers morale, confidence, and abilities to fight our enemies without loosing people. From someone who had served our Nation for over 21 years and had been in major conflicts and close quarters fighting, how do you expect our Soldiers to work together and not work against each other.
Sir, again it is an honor and pleasure to have had a chance to say what's been on my mind since I retired in 1994 from the Marine Corps.

Semper Fidelis,

CWO3 James K. Kaupe, Jr., USMC, (Ret), Disabled Combat Veteran
1972-1994

Sir, with the cuts in budget, downsizing of personnel and increase in OPTEMPO, what are some innitiatives for A) better schooling/education initiatives for both enlisted and commissioned personnel e.g. STEP and fellowship programs. B) soldier readiness and the elimination of Airborne units or e.g significant removal of paid parachutist positions within Airborne units and yet they remain "Airborne" and C) what is your truthful, honest and NON political assessment of were we are heading has an institution in the next 10 years. Thanks.

Thabnk you for coming to RP Sir,

BLUF: I'm not a Marine, I am a Soldier first, last, and always. I want my identity to be that of a Soldier, not a Marine.

By now you've heard all about the LGBT. I'm going a different way. The Navy just threw away a time honored tradition with using their rates and rank together. I'm no fan of that, But I see the services finally moving to no Branch individuality. My example would be Ft. Myer. I was station there, and now it's JOINT base Myer-Henderson Hall. There are loads of other posts that have followed this trend. If it's to maximize current troop manning, that's fine. There are other ways to do this without stripping any Branch of what makes them unique. Stop sequestration, and put those troops on their own bases, forts, and Camps. Give them back their individuality. The US Military IS one team, with one mission. We are stellar performers, that should be afforded the ability to be joint but separate.

R
Warren Swan

Could you tell us what you are doing to help those California National Guard members that went to war based on bonuses they were offered, only to find out they were improper and are now being required to pay it back even though they have served their part of the deal?