Military Police contains information about military police functions in maneuver and mobility support, area security, law and order, internment/resettlement, and police intelligence operations.
Issue link: https://militarypolice.epubxp.com/i/567773
A bout 3 months ago, General David G. Perkins, commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, spoke to an audience at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, about leadership and leader development. General Perkins said that, as we develop young leaders, we need to make them understand that good leaders learn to maintain balance in their lives. He referenced an Indian proverb about a house with four rooms. According to the proverb, ". . . everyone is a house with four rooms—a physi- cal, a mental, an emotional, and a spiritual. Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time; but unless we go into every room every day, even if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person." 1 As General Perkins was describing the proverb, I realized that the concept could also be applied to the leadership attributes of character, pres- ence, and intellect as outlined in Army Doctrine Reference Publication (ADRP) 6-22, . If we were to spend time engaging in the activities that occurred in each of these "rooms," we could achieve balance and resiliency in our lives while set- ting the conditions for becoming better leaders and developing better leaders. Military leadership, which differs from other types of leadership, requires constant connectivity to character while performing as a leader of presence and intellect. Soldiers make as- sumptions about a leader's knowledge, skill, and ability based upon his or her standing in the organization and application of these attributes in everyday life. Next, General Perkins referenced a study in which Soldiers were asked about the attributes of a good leader. A large per- centage of the responses from junior Soldiers was related to the leadership attribute of presence. Soldiers were motivated more by what a leader did rather than what a leader knew. Conversely, I believe that senior leaders are more aware of what junior leaders know rather than what they do. In both cases, assumptions have been made based on the attributes to which individuals are most exposed. Junior Soldiers are primarily exposed to the attributes of character and presence while senior leaders are primarily exposed to the attributes of character and intellect. Therefore, if leaders are to inspire subordinates and gain the confdence of senior leaders, they must strike a balance between these two perspectives throughout their ca- reers. Leaders must constantly strive to ensure that character is involved in every action in which they engage and that presence doesn't overshadow intellect—or vice versa. Good leaders are not concerned with their own evaluations, awards, or recognition. They are focused on bringing rec- ognition to the Soldiers who are under their charge. They understand that they must sometimes put themselves at risk to ensure the well-being of their Soldiers. Building a reputation as a good leader is not easy. And that hard-won reputation should be guarded jealously, as it is easily lost. The Army demands that its leaders practice good leadership because its Soldiers deserve it. This takes a lot of hard work, experience, and dedication throughout a military career, but the result is motivated and resilient Soldiers. Endnote: 1 Rumer Godden, , William Morrow and Company, October 1989. ADRP 6-22, , 1 August 2012. MILITARY POLICE 4 Chief Warrant Offcer Five Leroy Shamburger Regimental Chief Warrant Officer