Email   Print   Share By Lt. Gen. Don Campbell Jr., III Corps and Fort Hood Commanding General

Facebook Digg Delicious July 12, 2012 | Editorial

A recent article in Inc. magazine highlighted that the most productive people take breaks, are great collaborators and have lives outside of work. Don’t get me wrong: I also feel that good training and leadership helps build the bonds at home-station that make us a better war-fighting unit and cohesive team. But that article and my resulting thoughts also make me wonder how we, as leaders, can promote community involvement at the individual level.

Much has been made of “telling the Army story” recently. As the number of military members decreases, it should come as no surprise that fewer civilians personally know someone in the military. That is why it is important to tell the Army story. We need to show that we are proud and Army Strong, that we demonstrate the depth and breadth of what the Army does for America and our allies, and we need to sustain our connection to the American public.

As former Missouri representative Ike Skelton once wrote, “Service members should respect the civilians they volunteer to serve.”

That carries with it a tremendous responsibility and a respect for civilians that are doing their best to show support and respect to those in uniform. Most people support Soldiers, but do not understand the scope of our work. Explain how your job fits into the overall Army mission and speak from experience and with conviction.

Additionally, it’s important, with a lack of exposure to anyone in the military, it’s easy to understand why there is often a lack of understanding. We need to strengthen the channels of community involvement for troops. We, as Soldiers and military members, should feel a responsibility to demonstrate the Army’s core values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. We need to communicate that we are meeting the needs of the nation and share in the sacrifices of the American public; that we are thankful for our nation’s continued support; and that the Army profession is the nation’s preeminent leadership experience ensuring that we are prepared for the future.

We are America’s sons and daughters, bonded together by trust, honor and duty. We represent the best of America, and we get our strength from our Families and our nation. We are the Army of the people for the people. For centuries we have safeguarded our nation from threats of all kinds, and today we are – and must remain – an all-volunteer force.

At the individual level, we can each be a good role model to not only our civilian friends and acquaintances, but perhaps more importantly, to their children. Also, share your experiences with people from your hometown, and tell them that you volunteered to make a difference and you represent America to the world.

No matter the task, no matter the environment, no matter the difficulty, America’s Army will always accomplish the mission. So I ask you to tell the Army story. As an Army messenger, you have an important role to play. Whether you are talking to your friends or Family, children or adults, by wearing the uniform, you are representing the Army and the positive impact the Soldiers of Fort Hood have on our community.

The strength of our nation is our Army, the strength of our Army is our Soldiers, the strength of our Soldiers is our Families, and this is what makes us Phantom Warriors, Army Strong!