“I am an expert and I am a professional”. “No one is more professional than I”. Learning, knowing, and understanding these two sentences enhance soldiers to see the Army as a profession of arms and motivate them to be and stay professional. The uniqueness of the Army derives from its ability to create professionals identified through characteristics such as trust, expertise, stewardship, honorable service, and esprit de corps. Army leaders must perform their duties to the standards, keeping in mind the values, doctrines, regulations, and the Army’s culture. An effective leader successfully accomplishes missions while conducting daily operations such as training and mentoring. Army leaders must also ensure the well-being and safety of soldiers and their families. Thus, how does the significance of the HR sergeants’ role impact the profession of arms?
What makes the Army a profession of arms? The Army includes a wide range of military occupational specialties (MOS) that follow similar standards across the organization. A profession constitutes ethical attributes that display the importance of its existence. Within the following paragraphs, this paper will provide the meaning of being a professional and identify the balancing role of the profession’s leaders. The below lines will also discuss the Army’s culture as well as the HR sergeant’s role in the Army profession of arms.
First, a profession is a paid job or occupation that often involves training, skills, and special knowledge. For instance, as stated in ‘The Profession of Arms’, the Army is an American profession of arms. It incorporates experts and professionals who serve under civilian authority and defend the Constitution, as well as the rights and interests of the American population. The Army’s professionalization started with the implementation of professional military education within the Army officer corps in the nineteenth century. It later expanded to warrant officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and Army civilians through professional development (The Profession of Arms, 2010). These changes increased the bonds of trust between the American people and the Army, leading to a balanced organization.
Leaders encounter several difficulties, including keeping the organization balanced. Army leaders embrace these challenges using key attributes such as values, trust, expertise, and standards. Strategic leaders, junior leaders, soldiers, and DOD civilians must all collaborate to establish a balanced institution and accomplish tremendous effective results. For example, institutional organizations’ leaders provide essential infrastructure to operational organizations’ personnel who oversee full spectrum operations around the world. Both institutional and operational organizations need each other in order to accomplish successful missions.
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Meanwhile, Army leaders below the strategic level have major daily responsibilities toward soldiers. They provide necessary conditions and build trust to keep the balance within the ranks. For instance, they must ensure the security and the physical, mental, and psychological well-being of all soldiers, as well as their families. The Army’s culture promotes cohesive teams, bonded through values, ethics, and standards.
All soldiers come from different backgrounds to be part of a bigger organization. From day zero of being in the Army, they are willing to be part of a family and share the sole purpose of defending the American people and protecting the nation and its Constitution against all threats. Numerous elements including shared attitudes, goals, practices, and standards characterize the Army’s professional culture (The Profession of Arms, 2010). For example, the seven Army values constitute a baseline of the profession’s culture. They enable soldiers to have the courage to always do the right things, despite the consequences or the circumstances.
Moreover, soldiers of all MOSs contribute to the application of the Army’s culture. For instance, the HR sergeant has the key function of sustaining and supporting the Army’s profession. HR support consists of two core competencies, which are to man the force and provide HR services (FM 1-0, 2021). Effective HR support, to both commanders and soldiers, leads to successful operational readiness and achievements. The role of HR sergeants allows units to stay ready for deployment. For example, accountability is a critical component of unit readiness. Reporting the strength of the combat power of a unit and monitoring deployable and non-deployable personnel allow commanders to make informed decisions regarding the status of their units.
Further, HR sergeants have the responsibility to assist HR officers with the planning and execution of HR support for the unit, supervise the S-1 personnel, and manage the training and execution of HR core competencies (ATP 1-0.1, 2015). HR sergeants must ensure that soldiers receive all personnel services needed regarding their pay, personnel actions, awards, promotions, and leave. The role of HR sergeants is extremely essential because they ensure accountability, and provide critical information that directly impacts the decision-making in the unit. They offer personnel services that promote the morale, welfare, and well-being of soldiers, which results in a balanced unit with cohesive teams that will then focus on warfighting missions.
Finally, a profession requires years of training and practice. Society particularly depends on professionals to maintain their health, security, finances, and justice. However, the Army stands out as a profession of arms because of the willingness of Soldiers to ensure the security and well-being of the American people, including other professionals, as well as defend the nation and its Constitution. Regardless of their backgrounds, soldiers live to the standards, values, rules, and regulations that make up the Army’s culture. In addition, Army leaders hold the responsibility to ensure a balanced organization through stewardship, expertise, and overall being servant leaders. Leaders such as HR sergeants have a significant role in the profession of arms. They directly influence the organization through expertise, professionalism, leadership, character, and other attributes like selfless service.
References
- An Army White Paper. (2010). The Profession of Arms.
- Department of the Army. (2021). Human Resources Support. (FM 1-0).
- Department of the Army. (2015). G-1AG and S-1 Operations. (ATP 1-0.1).
- U.S. Army. (N.D.). The U.S. Army’s Command Structure. Organization. Retrieved from https://www.army.milorganization
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