Reflection On The Army Profession

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After four years passed at the Royal Military Academy, the so expected day came. Finally, I received the letter for my first assignment; it was the 4th Transportation Group in Dakhla, a city in the extreme South of Morocco. I still remember the feeling of disappointment that has invaded me at that moment. I was 23 years old, and I do not want to waste my youth in a desert city, far from home by more than 2400 km. However, after twelve years spent in, I realize that that was the premise for a rich experience. This assignment allowed me to build my leadership on very solid bases. At 4th Transportation Group, I learned that the mission is a collective task, that trust is at the heart of the Army Profession, and the ability to take …show more content…

In this regard, the key word is the esprit de corps. My first function of that unit was a platoon commander who has the main mission to conduct supply convoys of twenty trucks to support units on the line of defense. The distance was sometimes more than 700 km in the open desert. I do not hide the difficulties that I was encountering me during the first missions. Nevertheless, with time, I started to correct problems that occurred during the missions. I start from the simple principle "one for all and all for one." I scheduled stops to allow all elements taking meals together. The mechanical malfunctions and trucks bogged down in the sand were never an individual problem. The humorous spirit was the breaks’ pastime around the glasses of Moroccan tea. This experience allowed me to detach myself, for the first time, of theoretical definitions of "Esprit de Corps”, I realized that solidarity and common experience are at the heart of cohesion generating brotherhood and weld concentric circles in the members of the same unit. The alternation between extreme rigor moments and relaxation moments during missions helped me to understand how to promote esprit de corps. Cohesion is gotten through the rigorous professionalism and sincere emotional ties nurtured by a strong collective identity, camaraderie, care of others, and good humor. It doubles by the relationship that ties soldiers to their seniors through unit traditions and respect for

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