Military Bearing: Why We Need to Talk About It

“No one is more professional than I,” often uttered by many non-commissioned officers and countless soldiers in basic leaders’ course alike. That phrase sets the tone of your future leadership style to come. When said appropriately, it injects confidence, purpose and engraves an impression into everything you do. Military Bearing is deep-rooted in one’s self to carry out good discipline and ethics throughout the entirety of the military career. This is military bearing essay in which this issue is analysed. 

As leaders, we measure against and upheld ourselves to the highest standards of the non-commissioned officer creed (NCO Creed). The NCO Creed is something I aspire to live up to every day. Living, implementing and teaching the NCO creed in your duties will further instill those critical leadership skills. Our Army and Nation require and desire these skills as we train Soldiers and grow leaders.

AR 600-20 Chapter 4 outlines Military discipline as - founded upon self-discipline, respect for properly constituted authority, and the embracing of the professional Army ethic. What does this definition mean to me? It means always conducting oneself to bring credit upon yourself and the Army. It is the ability to extend a presence and confidence, maintain norms, and to make the best choice with nearness. Soldiers and leaders who conduct themselves as experts and make the right decision paying little heed to the circumstance in which they get themselves, go the additional mile. The best leaders are not the most popular ones. They put their personal feelings aside and do the right thing even when it would be simpler to do what is wrong. Only through strength does perseverance start to show.

You can project a positive military bearing by merely acting the way Soldiers and leaders are expected to perform. Presenting a professional persona will bring credit upon the Army. Military bearing comes from pride in oneself, the satisfaction of being a Soldier, a leader and in service to the nation. Military bearing is a continuous process that you demonstrate in and out of uniform. Simple details that are often over-looked can make an impactful impression. The way a leader carries them self will lead to criticism of others, both positive and negative. Un-comfortability is the fertilizer for growth.

Induvial and unit’s manifest military bearing by demonstrating cohesion, bonding, and a spirit of teamwork. Soldiers with leaders that had a strong military bearing on impersonating transitioned into the very same leaders they aspired to be. If an army possesses a robust military bearing at heart, you will find a strong military bearing. My military bearing comes from within myself. I was scared; I was afraid of everybody that came before me saying I did not carry what they gave me.

I believe Military bearing is a learned trait, as well as, the result of successful training. Over time, by accepting and living the Army values and observing what you believe to be the ideal leader, you will come into your way of conducting yourself. A leader should sacrifice who they are to become who they want to be. We should set the model now, beginning with leaders. These qualities will at that point move into the basics of a good Army, its capacity to prepare, battle and win for ages to come. Michael Jordan once said, “If you set high expectations for yourself the expectations of others will not matter.”