Military Discipline is a state of order and obedience within a command. Self discipline in the military is when soldiers perform the 4 rights without being instructed, even without the presence of the commander. Discipline is established within a unit by fostering confidence and responsibility in each individual. To enhance discipline, senior leaders must commend their subordinates, either individually or as a whole, for accomplishing tasks successfully. By doing so, commanders can achieve the goal of having a well-functioning unit and creating a strong bond within the team. Discipline is required in all aspects of life, whether it is in sports like baseball, learning practical skills such as sewing, playing a musical instrument, or making good decisions.
An example is when a soldier is speaking negatively about an NCO and another soldier defends the NCO. They do this not only because it can lead to trouble for speaking that way, but also because it is the morally correct thing to do. This action helps to strengthen the unit, create unity, and build trust. Skipping PT on Wednesday exemplified disloyalty. If I had been punctual and ensured that the alarm was set the night before, I wouldn’t have let the team down. Missing PT demonstrated to the unit that they couldn’t trust me even with simple tasks like being on time. If I had been more disciplined, I would have been more aware of the fact that the alarm had not been set. Duty is easily defined as doing what you are supposed to do at the designated time. Essentially, it is fulfilling your responsibilities. As air traffic controllers, our top duty priority is to separate aircraft and issue safety alerts when necessary. Neglecting this priority could result in numerous lives being lost. It was my duty to arrive at PT on time. However, by neglecting this duty, I disappointed my unit. Self-discipline is crucial in fulfilling our duties. Without self-discipline, we won’t know what is right or even if we do, we lack the discipline to follow through with it. Adhering to the 4 rights requires significant discipline. It is our duty to achieve the 4 rights: right time, right place, right uniform/equipment, and right attitude. By skipping PT, I failed to accomplish all 4 of these rights.
