What kind of an example are you?

At Boulle-Norman, when Cadets go before a board for Cadet A1C, they are confronted with a reality: Everyone is an example. More so, the "just slightly superior" Cadets can have even more of an impact than the older Seniors. Every Cadet can seem themselves advancing a rung or two up the ladder, and may want to be like their superiors. Very few Cadets have a desire to be, say, the Senior Member Finance Officer. That job is so removed from where they are now that they just don't see it happening.

So, the Phase II or Three Cadet who is reading this is probably thinking "Okay, I get all that stuff in the leadership book about being a good example. I want to be a good one. How can I measure myself, and where can I improve?"

It starts with this: Everything you do sends a message.

Uniforms and Regulations

Do you keep your promises? Think about it. Do you make commitments you can't keep, like "I'll run XX Activity .. oh, sorry, I have to go on family vacation that week ..." If things like that happened before, stop and take a hard think about why and how to make sure it never happens again. Keeping promises is a big deal.

Do people think you have a perfect uniform, perfect bearing, good customs and courtesies? Do they actually come to you and ask for help with uniforms? Do you help them? Think about it for a minute. Then read on.

Do people regularly ask you questions about the regs, and expect you to have the right answer? Do they assume that, since it came from you, it's "right?"

If you usually answer "I'm not sure; let's look that up", that's still a good example. It shows subordinates that it's okay to be human, but it's better to find solutions on your own than to continue to "pass the buck"1 with the question up the chain-of-command.

If you answer "I'm not sure, let's ask ", you could be creating dependence on command, and passing the buck. If you answer is something like "The prepatory command left, of column left march, is called on the left foot. That's because ... you'll find it in your AFR 36-2203; I think it's in chapter 3." You might just be sending the right message: Competance and Knowledge is it's own reward.

Is there another possible response here? Yes, believe it or not, there is. One other response is "Yes, according to CAPR 52-16, we're supposed to do it like such-and-such, but our Cadet Commander doesn't feel like doing it that because he's a " The message here is more subtle:

1. I know what I'm doing, but


2. My Boss does not;


3. The Boss is a fool


4. It's okay to break the rules if you are a boss

I could go on and on and on. This answer is bad for too many reasons to mention. Perhaps most important, it shows that it's better to grumble than to fix a problem, and breaks down Military Discipline.

Military Discipline

"Military Discipline is that mental attitude and training which renders instinctive, reasoned obedience and proper conduct in all situations. It is founded upon respect for, and loyalty to, properly constituted authority, sir!" -

It has been my experience that every action we take is either good for military discipline, or bad for it. When subordinates see you dis-respect, ignore, or try to "get around" a superior, you are sending the not-so subtle message that it's okay to make your own judgements about which orders to follow. Want to be a good example? Start by examining yourself.

1. Yes, issue 6 of Leading the Way covered this problem in great detail. In a nutshell: Pass the Buck abuses the staff concept, because instead of relieving superiors of routine details, the staff simply says "I need help" and ends passing problems up to command, which command has to solve. Command ends up resenting the staff for not getting the job done, and the staff ends up learning to rely on command instead of thinking for themselves.