Maintaining correct protocol and military bearing both when one is on duty and when one is off duty is important because failure to do so could cause civilians to disrespect the military at all times. Disrespect shown to anyone up the chain of command, from platoon leaders on all the way up to the President, negatively affects the morale and welfare of everyone in the military. A junior soldier who sees me disrespect someone further up the chain of command may follow my lead in the future because my superior rank gives him the impression that such behavior is acceptable. Such behavior will create a more difficult job for his superiors, who will now have to work to keep him in line. His leaders will face greater stress because of this.
To maintain correct protocol and military bearing at all times, I need to concentrate on leaving issues that I have outside of work at home because they can impair my abilities to perform my duties as a soldier. This is especially a problem if my outside problems involve someone else from work, such as another soldier or an NCO. Nothing outside of work should ever affect my performance at work.
Part of avoiding the deleterious effects of outside problems on my performance is embracing the role the Army plays in my life. The other members of the Army are a sort of family for me, no matter the disputes we may have individually. If I need help with something outside of the Army, I should speak with my leaders and try to get their advice on the situation. My leaders’ jobs are to make sure the soldiers they command can work as efficiently as possible; helping the soldiers with personal issues is part of that job. My leaders also care about me as a person and want to ensure that I am happy with my life.
I must work within the Army and maintain protocol when solving any conflicts I have with my fellow soldiers. The best way to solve a problem with another soldier is for us to speak abou...