Military Review English Edition March-April 2014 | Page 40
The Plattsburgh
Manual, a handbook
that described how
the U.S. Army created its mass-expansion officer corps for
service in the First
World War, summarized this point with
candid rationale: “A
good private makes
a good corporal, a
good corporal makes
a good sergeant, a
good sergeant makes
a good lieutenant—a
good colonel makes
a good brigadier general—all exactly as
in civil life.” 16 The
inference to be taken
from this statement
sergeant for the 557th
Company, 864th Engineer Battalion,
is that sufficient Sgt. 1staClass Shvoda Gregory, motor new sergeants during aEngineerjunior leadership development course
talks to small group of specialists and
five-day
time and exposure to his battalion administers quarterly to better prepare its new and future leaders, Joint Base Lewis-McChord,
develop skills at the Wash., 24 January 2012. (U.S. Army)
next lowest position
creates conditions for success as one progresses up forces believe leadership by example presents the
opportunity for greater reward, “both in mission
the ladder of rank and responsibility.
Skills. Third, junior officers with prior experience success and unit cohesion.” Good judgment, confihave enhanced skills in nontechnical areas only time dence, and adaptability are the IDF goals for junior
and performance of duties can develop, such as officers prior to their implementation as platoon
confidence, the ability to lead by example, adapt- leaders. The Israeli model of combat leadership,
ability, and judgment. According to FM 6-22, the according to an IDF psychologist, “requires an
ability to lead with confidence involves “having experienced leader to assess and mitigate risks and
prior opportunities to experience reactions to severe to make correct decisions.”19 It is interesting to note
situations.”17 Once leaders have collected experi- that the IDF selects its officers exclusively from the
ences gleaned from these “severe situations,” they ranks of its conscripted enlisted force. All future
become aware of what “right looks like,” and logi- officers serve for two years in the ranks prior to
cally, are better prepared to lead confidently and by attending a commissioning course to develop—and
example. Adaptability, according to our leadership to be screened for—the type of technical skills,
doctrine, is also a product of time and practice: “As confidence, and judgment required to become a
the breadth of experience accumulates, so does the by-example style of leader.20
Glancing at the negative, a lack of confidence and
capacity to adapt.”18
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), an organization judgment in a junior officer can inspire catastrophic
that has amassed military leadership experience results in a worst-case scenario. The leader of a
over the past several decades due to near-constant platoon controls mass destructive combat power
regional conflict, bases its leadership doctrine and must know when to apply this force, where to
around personal example. While accepting that apply it, and in what circumstances it is justified
this style of leadership creates greater risk, Israel’s and lawful. The official Army investigation into the
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March-April 2014
MILITARY REVIEW