Army Chemical Review

SUMMER 2015

Army Chemical Review presents professional information about Chemical Corps functions related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, smoke, flame, and civil support operations.

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Army Chemical Review Regimental Command Sergeant Major Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) warriors: It has been an amazing frst few months since I assumed the position of Regimental Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. During that time, I've met with CBRN units, company and battalion CBRN NCOs, and great leaders and Soldiers from the special- operations community. Our discussions have been extremely valuable; we've shared ideas across the full spectrum of the CBRN enterprise and clarifed our mission, vision, and core competencies. In the course of professional development, we must continue to strive for excellent individual performances that directly correlate to organizational success. While measurements of excellence may be complex, the attributes that the Army demands of its leaders must be codifed in our everyday efforts. These attributes—character, presence, and intellect—will soon be accompanied by a direct unit of measure on a new version of Department of the Army (DA) Form 2166-8, NCO Evaluation Report. Therefore, it is imperative that we know how these attributes are defned and, more importantly, how they are identifed and measured with regard to ourselves and our rated NCOs. The fundamentals of these attributes must be studied, understood, and shared with our Soldiers at every level. Character Character refers to the moral and ethical qualities of an individual. It is important to remember that leaders are constantly being observed by their leaders, peers, and subordinates everywhere they go—on and off duty. It's like living in a fsh bowl and being viewed from every angle. Most Soldiers do the right things and serve as great stewards of our profession. However, even negative perceptions of conduct can ruin reputations. As Thomas Paine once noted, "Character is much easier kept than recovered." 1 Presence Presence involves more than just being visible at formations or in places of duty. It involves the ability to inspire Soldiers to do their best. Our craft demands exposure to hostile conditions, which could include an armed enemy or a contaminated environment. Soldiers will follow our lead and will respond to our motivational efforts. Intellect Intellect is fairly easy to defne, but diffcult to measure. According to Army Doctrine Reference Publication (ADRP) 6-22, p, intelligence draws from conceptual abilities, which ". . . enable effective problem solving and sound judgment." 2 In an address to Congress on the posture of the Army, the Honorable John M. McHugh, Secretary of the Army, and General Raymond T. Odierno, Chief of Staff of the Army, indicated that "Army leaders must be innovative; possess a willingness to accept prudent risk in unfamiliar, highly complex, and dangerous environments; and display an ability to adjust based on continuous assessment." 3 General David G. Perkins, commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), recently visited Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he presented a professional development seminar. He discussed our profession and the implementation of TRADOC Pamphlet (Pam) 525-3-1, The U.S. Operating Concept: Win in a 2020– 2040, which describes how the Army will prevent shape the environment; and win wars with joint, multinational, and multiagency partners. We cannot predict when or where we will be deployed to respond to the Nation's call, but the principles contained in TRADOC Pam 525-3-1 will guide us to best prepare for the unknown future. I highly recommend that all regimental leaders take time to read the publication. During the professional development seminar, General Perkins also shared a comment from a foreign military leader, who described our Profession of Arms as the Army's "special sauce." We make up the best army in the world! Call to Action The nature of the CBRN business is complex and complicated; but with the proper inculcation of the Profession of Arms, Command Sergeant Major Kenneth J. Kraus Jr. 4 (Continued on page 6)

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