The Importance of Meeting Deadlines The United States Army is described by Encyclopedia Britannica as the major branch charged with preserving peace, security and defense of the country. Furnishing majority of the entire U. S. military organization’s ground forces, it is also tasked with partly military or non-military functions or such as the administration of federal programs that protect and develop the environment; provision of military assistance to the federal, as well as state or local government agencies; assistance during onslaughts of natural disaster; and the giving of air transpiration for emergency medical use.
With its military personnel consisting of the Army proper on active duty, the National Guard and the Army Reserve, the U. S. Army supplies the American forces stationed at the permanent bases maintained around the globe and as well, is tasked with maintaining combat-ready troops for possible deployment in whatever part of the world the President orders (“United States army”). The U. S. Army is the world’s second largest, next only to its counterpart in the People’s Republic of China.
As of September 30, 2007, there are a total of nearly 540,000 enlisted men and officers in the Army, with over 352,000 National Guard and 205,000 Reserve members (Military Personnel). Despite such big encompassing responsibilities, and a large number of personnel, the U. S. Army is probably one of history’s most efficient military organizations in the world. It has been one of the most successful national armies, partly explaining the success of U. S. A. as a superpower for over a century since the turn of the 19th century. An underlying factor behind this success is the admirable level of military discipline found in the U.
S. Army. Section 654 of Chapter 37 of the U. S. Code, high standards of discipline, along with morale and good order, comprise the essence of U. S. military capability. Part of this important military discipline is the ability of every Army unit and the entire organization itself to meet deadlines. The importance of meeting deadlines for any specific task is perhaps best articulated by the quote: Proffer No Excuse. Never volunteer excuses or explain a shortcoming unless an explanation is required. The Army demands results. More damage than good is done by proffering unsought excuses.
Meeting deadlines is indispensable if the U. S. Army is to continue being an efficient military organization in terms of defending the interests of the nation on foreign grounds, protecting the country’s internal security, carrying out non-military civic, environmental and other responsibilities. The Army is not the only entity demanding results from its units–the entire military organization, the President and the entire government and country demands results. These results may be victory in battles or other successful operations, but it is important that these be accomplished successfully within the targeted deadlines.
When successful results are not presented by an Army unit on time, the entire Army suffers through a sort of domino principle effect: the timetable of the company or battalion or the unit is reset in at least one area, and for important missions, perhaps for the entire Army as well. Meeting deadlines in the U. S. Army has countless forms or tasks. From surveillance operations, pre-combat operations to actual combat, to non-military phases of operations, to clean-up operations, all unit tasks are important for a huge organization tasked with the defense and peace preservation of America. Crucial are the results–done within the deadlines set.
There is practically no acceptable reason for being late in the Army, which operations are done with clockwork precisions in general. When deadlines for missions or other tasks are not met, the timetables of the entire unit, the larger unit encompassing it, and the whole Army are affected. The Army unit becomes inefficient, and to an extent, the entire organization suffers. When a unit is unable to perform any of its missions or tasks on time, the other units depending on the results of the particular task of the procrastinating or delaying unit will be forced to reset its timetable as well.
When the particular task has broad importance, the entire Army will be forced to adjust its schedules as well, resulting to inefficient and costlier operations. For particularly critical missions, the peace or security, or interests of the entire nation becomes compromised. When not meeting deadlines occurs more than once, and worse, becomes a habit, damage to the unit and the Army becomes dangerous. Just one Army unit becoming habitually inefficient becomes a liability. The operations of the other units and the whole U.
S. Army become adversely affected. When the Army of the greatest military force in the world fails to perform its tasks and responsibilities successfully or inefficiently, the superpower status of the USA would be imperiled, and subsequently, the security of the country would be placed in terrible danger. Strictly meeting deadlines may not be crucial to certain organizations as their functions may present a certain window of flexibility wherein time adjustments or rescheduling may be possible.
Other entities such as news organizations may depend on strictly meeting deadlines for write-up submissions, but the lives of people are not necessarily endangered by late articles or results. In military organizations such as the Army, time discipline in unit missions is often critical in terms of saving friendly lives or the lives of the U. S. military personnel themselves. Particularly when a military task is part of a coordinated effort among several Army units, delayed implementation or results can mean lives are put in danger because a component failed to deliver on time, and thus compromised the entire mission.
Meeting deadlines is an important, crucial aspect of military discipline, which in turn orders the relations as well as behavior of servicemen within the context of internal order in units and detachments. Military discipline, after all, is defined by the Disciplinary Regulations of the RF Armed Forces as the “strict and scrupulous compliance by all servicemen with the order and rules prescribed by laws, military regulations and orders of commanders” (Volkov). Meeting deadlines, or time discipline, is therefore an important component of what makes the military capable and efficient.
Substantial damage is done to the entire Army even if only one unit more than occasionally fails to meet deadlines. To ensure that a unit meets deadlines, the individual members of that unit should not fail to meet deadlines. Every one of them. This ensures cohesion within the group, and as well, the efficient working of that unit in order that their group responsibilities, duties and particular tasks are efficiently carried out. When the individual thinks of the group, he or she acts as a team player, such that when the group decides to produce good results for the Army, it does so with timeliness.
Meeting Deadlines and the LDRSHIP VALUES The United States Army is guided by the “Seven Army Values” or core values of LDRSHIP. The ability or constant practice of meeting deadlines reinforces or supports these seven values. On the other, failure to meet deadlines adversely affects Army ethics which rests on the bedrock of these seven LDRSHIP values. These values are Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. Loyalty means bearing true faith and allegiance to the constitution of the United States, the Army, and fellow soldiers. This value entail being loyal to the USA and the nation’s heritage.
Duty entails fulfilling obligations as Army personnel. This means the acceptance of responsibilities for one’s own actions and also those that have been entrusted to one’s care. As well, this means finding the opportunities needed for the improvement of oneself for the good of one’s group. Respect means relying upon the golden rule in one’s actions. This entails considering that how one regards others also reflects upon every one of the Army personnel, both personally and with regards the Army as a professional organization. Selfless Service is a value that places the welfare of the nation, the US Army and one’s subordinates before one’s own.
Selfless services results to organizational teamwork, and covers discipline, faith in the system, and self-control. Integrity means doing what is right, both legally and morally. This means that even no one is looking, one is willing, and actually does what is right. Integrity serves as the moral compass or the inner voice of every Army personnel. Honor is one broad value of the Army. Compliance to, or the upholding of, this value means living up to all the values of the Army. Personal Courage means the ability to face danger, one’s fear, adversity, and both moral and physical courage (The Seven).
The Army organization of the U. S. military began the campaign to reemphasize how important these seven values are throughout the force. The LDRSHIP values constitute the baseline of the Army. It forms the foundation or core, and also defines who the Army members are, what they do and what they stand for (Army Values). What is the effect of not meeting deadlines on an individual personnel or an Army unit’s collective observance of the seven LDRSHIP values? When a unit fails to meet deadlines, said Army unit breaks some of these core Army values. Loyalty
When an individual Army unit member, or a unit itself, fails to meet a deadline for a mission or any particular Army activity, loyalty to the Constitution and the organization and other soldiers may not necessarily be broken. When a task is not carried out on time, an individual or unit may still be loyal. However, one’s loyalty should be enough impetus to exert all efforts towards meeting deadlines on sheer awareness that failure to do so can potentially present damaging consequences to the organization or even the nation. Duty Not meeting deadlines is clearly a breach of the value of Army duty.
Fulfilling one’s obligations involves carrying out tasks and responsibilities in a timely manner, or on schedule. Implementation of any mission late is half as good as implementing it on time, even if the results are positive. It is the duty of the Army to be coordinated as an organization, given its importance on security, defense, and peace preservation functions. Respect Respect entails treating people as they ought to be treated. Not meeting deadlines may not be disrespectful, strictly speaking, but an individual Army entity gets to exhibit greater respect by carrying out duties within the set deadlines.
Selfless Service Placing the welfare of the United States of America, the Army and one’s subordinates before an individual’s own welfare is a laudable value upheld by the organization. When one does not meet deadlines, one is going against this particular core value because that would be tantamount to placing one’s own interest before that of the country and the Army and its soldiers. Prioritizing the carrying out of Army tasks entails placing one’s own interest and personal needs second to the Army’s needs or responsibilities to the nation.
If every individual unit member puts his or her welfare second only to the higher goals of the Army, meeting deadlines would be ensured. Honor Since observing the value of honor requires living up to each and every Army value, failure to meet deadlines equates to breaking the value of honor. An honorable Army member fulfills all duties and organizations and performs selfless service. Not accomplishing missions and tasks on time breaks some of the LDRSHIP values and thus breaks the particular core value of honor. Integrity In the Army and elsewhere, integrity simply requires doing the right thing.
Meeting deadlines in performing one’s duties and responsibilities is but doing what is right. To meet deadlines makes an Army unit more efficient and more in a state of performing what is right. Individual unit members who are unable to meet deadlines exhibit lack of integrity. Personal Courage Personal courage is perhaps the most striking identification of a military person. Not meeting deadlines may not be counter to the value of personal courage but personal courage also involves meeting all adversities, moral or otherwise.
Failure to meet deadlines, therefore, can be construed as a form of breaking the value of personal courage. To faithfully uphold this value, one should face all fear, danger, or obstacles to accomplishing one’s mission or responsibilities on time. As the Army itself explains, actions that run counter to the Army values serve to weaken the morale, readiness and the Army team in general. Such actions discredit the Army’s service to the Nation, and can therefore lead the public to questioning the values of the Army. The Army thus extols its members to never accept any action that is not consistent with the LDRSHIP Army values.
When every individual Army member observes the meeting of deadlines, he or she upholds the seven core values that form the foundation of the United States Army. Snider and Watkins refer to professional ethic as the foundation of the trust given by the American people to the military, the Army included (cited in Army Values). The LDRSHIP values are claimed by the Army organization as a unique collection that is unlike what other organizations in the world have to offer. Regardless of the area of mission involved, the seven core values form a reflection of the high standards of the Army.
Meeting deadlines is an important aspect of how to observe and uphold these core values. If every Army unit, through the cooperation of its every member, is able to meet deadlines for its every mission and tasks, the unit is able to collectively uphold the core values of the Army, as the Army itself upholds the same on the organizational level. Beyond upholding the important LDRSHIP core values that identifies the Army, meeting deadlines makes the Army unit more efficient, and the entire Army organization more capable and more effective in dispensing its security, defense and peace preservation duties to America and the world even.
