LTC West- the situation

I've been trolling through some papers to try and find stuff to share with everyone, and came across a very interesting piece I wrote last year. We had LTC (ret.) Allen West come and speak to us at some point in the fall of 2008 and there is a bit of controversy (in my mind) about inviting a war criminal (again in my mind) to speak to West Point cadets about leadership. Click on the picture below to get a larger view of the article and think about what you think of the situation. Tomorrow I'll share my thoughts!

last supper...er, lunch

So today is a shout-out to my boys Tom and CJ (pictured above, left to right). We've sat at the same table for lunch for the entire year, and today was our last mandatory lunch together. I'm not sure what else to say, other than it's been great fun and I'm gonna miss you guys!

I have finals tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday, then I'm officially done with college. I'm planning on packing most of my stuff and moving it home after that last test, then hopefully driving to Fort Lee (where I'll be living/training until next March) to check it out for a day or two.

14 days!!

authenticity reflection

I'm struggling for things to write, so I'm defaulting to things that I have already written. As a junior, we take a class called Military Leadership and the first section of the course (if I remember correctly) is all about how being an effective leader, or person in general, starts with knowing yourself and living in-line with that self-identity. I had just returned from my service year about a month prior to this, so I was pretty motivated about school and not sick of assignments, so I actually wrote this reflection without any prompt or reason other than because i wanted to.

----

So we are about to wrap up the section of PL300 regarding leadership of self. Today’s discussion was of authentic leadership, an idea that encompasses many of the other smaller (but not less important) concepts already covered- learning from your life story, practicing your values, building a support team, staying grounded. At the center of authentic leadership is the idea of knowing yourself, which may sound simple but I can assure anyone from my own personal experiences- it’s not. Anyone who gives half a damn about their own personal development is going to experience difficult periods in life and they will wrestle with their identity, morals, beliefs, and principle motivations in life. You can say that I give half a damn and that I wrestle with these things.

So what got me going on this whole thing in the first place happened in class today. The question was posed: what if your authentic self is in contrast to the core values of an organization? The answer given by a classmate of mine was that there were two (and only two) options: change the organization to fit your authentic self or leave. First of all, who is to say that your authentic self is better than the core values of the organization? Second of all, I don’t like being constrained to two options. So I began to think of a third- is it possible for someone to exist harmoniously in an organization that does not share or reflect their own personal core values, that isn’t in line with their authentic self? Hmm, interesting…

One thing that I wrestle with the most is my identity as a member of the Army (well, sort of a member). Almost from the moment I started my cadet career at West Point, I have questioned whether or not the Army was a place that shared my core values and if I my identity (which is grounded in my core values) would survive the minimum amount of years I signed on for. COL (ret) Patty Dooley, a former teacher of mine and someone whom I think of as a mentor, told me that I was on a different and higher level than many of my cadet peers and that I was needed here and in the Army to balance their immaturity. I always have trouble accepting praise and I especially did in this case. I truly do not believe that I am, generally speaking, better or more firmly grounded than the average cadet (because I am an average cadet). I am also reluctant to accept COL Dooley’s praise because if I do then I will be passing judgment on my brothers and sisters which is also something I do want to and will not do. What I am willing to acknowledge is that many of my views, whether they be moral, spiritual, or on leadership, are different. Not better, not on higher ground, but different.

So as I was saying, I was concerned for my sense of identity and what West Point and the Army would do to it. I especially had trouble living in an environment where many people, in my opinion, conducted themselves unprofessionally and did not display the maturity that I assumed cadets and future officers would. I thought, “if these are the people that I will be working for and with when I get out there, there’s no way I’ll do it.” While I did not think in such a way at the time, the question that was posed to me today in PL300 accurately reflects my sentiment: what if your authentic self is in contrast to the core values of an organization? I saw irresponsible alcohol usage, improper behavior, etc. and said, “I don’t want to be a part of this. This is not going to be the population that I work with. My values are too different.” So it seemed that I had written off the values of the Army and decided to take the easier of those ‘only’ two choices- get out.

I was doing my hardest in class today to think of an instance in which someone was able to successfully work in an organization that shared different and conflicting core values. A possible example I thought of was my second semester plebe chemistry teacher. I remember that one day MAJ Radicic was talking about his time as a signal company commander in Korea and a party he sponsored for his company. Major Radicic is Mormon and does not condone the use of alcohol whereas the Army encourages responsibility when using alcohol (a similar line of thought is practicing abstinence versus contraception). He didn’t have alcohol at this function and told us how his soldiers spoke of this with understanding and even respect. As I thought about this case more, I realized it didn’t exactly answer the original question but rather another: what if your authentic self is in contrast to the common practices of an organization? Major Radicic is a great example of not only personal courage and standing up for what he believes is right, but also not letting the common practices of his organization redefine his authentic self. So I was still without an answer to my question- can I be in the Army and keep my authentic identity even though I view them as conflicting goals?

As I departed from Thayer Hall and headed back for lunch formation this morning, I had a Eureka moment. The problem I was having was in defining the core values of my organization, the Army. My original train of thought was that the actions of officers, cadets, and soldiers were the definition of the Army and its core values. In fact, the core values of the Army are contained in an acronym (surprised?)- LDRSHIP: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. It may sound corny, especially to those who live under the identity of these values, but it really is what the organization that is the Army is shooting for. With that definition of the Army’s core values, I do not hesitate to say that they do not contrast with my authentic self. The problem I had and still do have to some extent is in the conduct of people in the Army but it is not with the organization of the Army. With that realization and with examples like Major Radicic to look up to, I now feel more at ease about being part of this organization. I also think that I have the opportunity be an effective witness to my values in word and deed throughout my time as a cadet and later as an officer. If I am ever in a position to influence the common and erred practices that sometimes occur, I will, God willing, have the personal courage to stand up and make a difference for the better.

Now there is another example and perhaps issue that my PL300 teacher brought to my attention. He recounted his experiences with a physically abusive commander. This brings up the same issue but in a different context. In this case, CPT Toole didn’t have conflict between his authentic self and the organization of the Army, but rather with the organization of his battalion. Given the situation, there wasn’t much of a chance to change things or just pack up and leave, so CPT Toole executed the third answer to the original question- ride it out, suck it up, zip up the man suit and drive on, all the while continuing to let his authentic self shine through whenever possible. When asked if presented with the same situation outside of the military, CPT Toole said he probably would have left for greener pastures. Should this case cause me worry? Not in the context of the original question because this again seems to be an issue with the conduct of people within the organization, not the organization itself. Now if every officer in that battalion went around assaulting their subordinates, I would reconsider. And there is always hope that someday that person will get relieved for their conduct, which did happen.

to do list (updated)

So here's the "countdown to graduation to-do list" again, this time with some updates. I had two briefings last week and the last one this morning, so it's down to just three finals! Also on the immediate horizon for me to take care of is beginning my outprocessing paperwork. Basically I have to go to every place at West Point where I might possibly owe money, then they sign my paper that says I owe no money. I'm also working on planning the graduation day bar-pinning ceremony and the after "party" which is graciously being hosted by my unofficial sponsor family in Washingtonville.

MG421- Strategic Management
strategic recommendation paper for General Dynamics
strategic briefing for General Dynamics

LW403- Constitutional/Military Law
final exam

HI302- History of the Military Art
final exam

PL479- Leading Orgs. Through Change
term paper on the Cadet Honor Code
presentation on the Cadet Honor Code

MG382- Human Resource Management
term paper on Yuengling
presentation on Yuengling
final exam

MX400- Officership
term paper

17 days!!! (not that I'm counting or anything)

PS- I know my posts have been kinda lame lately, I'll work on drumming up something more interesting for you!

1LT Salvatore S. Corma

The Department of Defense released this on Saturday, so I am delinquent in saying anything. LT Corma was a member of the Class of 2008, making him the second KIA for that class in April of this year. I did not know LT Corma, but his death hits home because 1) he is a graduate and 2) he was serving in the same brigade that I will be assigned to in the 82nd Airborne. Please pray for his friends and family.

"Well done, be thou at peace."

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

No. 352-10 May 01, 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

1^st Lt. Salvatore S. Corma, 24, of Wenonah, N.J., died April 29 at Forward Operating Base Bullard, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using improvised explosive devices. He was assigned to the 2^nd Battalion, 508^th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4^th Brigade Combat Team, 82^nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at 910-432-0662.

sage wisdom from a friend

One of my best friends graduated from West Point last year and we keep in loose contact. He is a platoon leader in 1-73 Cav in the 82nd Airborne. Every now and then he'll send me a text or email with something funny/interesting/cool. I kind of wish he would more often, but here's what we got so far...

-your first year as an LT will fly by, yet it will feel like forever since you were back at WP. Interesting.

-"Words mean stuff" -SFC Kirkeby, out at CP37 Fort Knox KY

-Quote of the day from one of my soldiers: "Sir, are pants optional for this mission tomorrow?".... I kinda want to say sure... only because I don't want to have to wear pants either

and the first class is so short...

Every now and again during a meal, the adjutant (the guy who publishes/reads orders and announcements) will say "and the first class is so short..." At this point, a thunderous reply comes back from the Firsties (seniors) "how short are they?!" The adjutant then takes the opportunity to rip on another one of the classes and point out how much less time the Firsties have left at West Point. Here are some recent examples...

-the first class is so short, they have fewer days of class until graduation then the plebes have semesters at the academy.
-the first class is so short, they have fewer months until graduation then the cows have years at the academy.
-the first class is so short, they have fewer weeks until graduation then the yuks have years at the academy.
-the first class is so short, they have fewer days until graduation then the plebes have months at the academy.

And gradually these will become more jubilant for the Firsties and more demoralizing for the others, such as on graduation day:

-the first class is so short, they have fewer days until graduation than the cows have years at the academy.

And the best one...

-the first class is so short, they have fewer HOURS until graduation than the plebes have YEARS at the academy.

Oh, the first class is so short...20 days!!