“Duty. Honor. Country.”, a striking expression of West Point’s time honored ideals, is the motto of the US Military Academy and is imbedded in its coat of arms.” Considered the second Father of the Military Academy after Sylvanus Thayer, General Douglass MacArthur accepted the Sylvanus Thayer Award on May 12th, 1962 at West Point. The Sylvanus Thayer Award is granted to an “…outstanding citizen of the United States whose service and accomplishments in the national interest exemplify personal devotion to the ideals expressed in the West Point motto, Duty, Honor, Country.” In this final address he spoke the words every officer in the military knows by heart. “Duty. Honor. Country. –Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying points; to build courage when courage seems to fail; to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith; to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.” MacArthur was known for his bravery in war and as a man that followed the code of conduct and chivalry. No one questioned his patriotism. No one questioned his courage. There was nothing bland or boring about him. He lived his life in the United States Military and is considered one of our country’s greatest military leaders. He fought in World War I, commanded Southwest Pacific Theatre in World War II, led offensive operations against Japan, and led UN forces during the Korean War. MacArthur was promoted to General and Army Chief of Staff in 1930. He has received the Medal of Honor, Purple Heart and Silver Star among many other awards and honors. General MacArthur spoke for 34 minutes in front of over 2,100 cadets without notes. The repetition, vivid language and images st... ... middle of paper ... ...peech first hand were speechless and many have said that you could hear a pin drop at any given moment. The Corps’ silence continued through the speech and lasted 15-20 seconds after MacArthur was done. It wasn’t until then that the audience erupted into applause. Numerous cadets have recalled how there wasn’t a dry eye in the room and MacArthur’s speech brought them to tears. Ethos is the appeal to experience which is a major aspect of his speech. MacArthur wanted to pass down the values he has maintained and followed over his many years of success. Using his experiences he tells the cadets that he once was sitting where they were and by keeping with West Point’s morals they too can become the man he is. MacArthur gives the cadets advice on how to achieve success themselves and without his relation to the audience his speech would not have had as much of an impact.
Hogan, D. (2004). Centuries of Service. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from the Center of Military History website
General Patton as born in Virginia in the late 1860s and was raised by both his parents with his sister. He had a good relationship with his family, not many fights or arguments. He was brought up in the South and was taught to be a real gentlemen. This is why he is considered not only one of the United States greatest generals, but also a great person himself. He was in the Olympic games in Stockholm and served in West Point military school. During the first World War he served in the 304th tank brigade and lead his platoon to many quality wins in Europe. In World War II, he was leader of the 504th platoon in Morocco and then moved over to the European front and lead his troops to victory and one of the biggest battles at the Battle of the Bulge.
Throughout MacArthur’s service to the United States, he went through various situations which tested him as a man, but because he had formed such a strong opinion of duty, honor, and country, he was able to overcome the troubling situations which led to his receiving of the Thayer Award. MacArthur’s ability to overcome dilemmas is one of the reasons he was the powerful leader he was, and to fully grasp the importance of his speech that shaped the future, one must know his past. At the age of twenty-three, MacArthur graduated from West Point with the highest grades the academy had seen in twenty-five years showing his determination to succeed. After moving
First, I conducted research and found some interesting things about MacArthur that I did not know. MacArthur was the commander of Allied Forces in the Pacific during World War 2. His family had a firm military background. His father had been awarded for his service in the Union Army during the Civil War. MacArthur attended West Texas Military Academy and played several sports. After high school he enrolled in the Military Academy at West Point and graduated with honors. Following graduation he was hired as a junior office in the Army Corps of Engineers and spent a long time accomplishing diverse duties (Douglas MacArthur Biography). To many people MacArthur was considered skilled, straightforward, and self-centered. His
Reflections as a Combatant Commander in a Turbulent World. Performed by General (Retired) James Mattis. 2013.
Wars have many battles. However, battles do not always lead to war. Marines courageously serve in our nations wars. Their ability to win battles allows our nations to deal with threats quickly without making the situation more dangerous than it already is. Since the year of 1775 the Marines have been the number one branch of the military called upon first. Their ability to execute the most rapid, effective, and efficient military response to disputes anywhere in the world, makes them one of the most respected branches of the military. The Marines Corps are deployed to respond swiftly and aggressively to threats around the world. What distinguishes the Marines Corps from any other branch is the bond formed by their motto “Semper Fidelis.” It was a motto adopted in 1883. “Semper Fidelis” in Latin means “always faithful.” It reminds marines to always be faithful to their mission, to one another, and to the Corps and our beloved nation, no matter the cost. However, we will discuss the history and background of the career, the requirements to obtain the career, the job position and description, and the job reflection and outlook.
accomplished a difficult task that was given to them immediately. “Duty, honor, and country” is the motto
Davis, William. "General Douglas MacArthur "Duty, Honor, Country"." American Rhetoric. American Rhetoric, 2011. Web. 2 Jan 2012. .
Standing in a crowd of hundreds, anxious about what is to come—combat; waiting for a man whose reputation greatly precedes him…the man who will lead you into battle—into a nightmare. As he took the microphone and declared, “you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight.” These words are those of General George Patton…and he has your attention. Inspirational and blunt are just a couple of the many terms used to describe General Patton. General Patton was also a visionary in employment of combat forces; in fact, he was an expert on the subject. The manner in which he led his troops was in itself visionary. Despite his military prowess and formidable leadership, General Patton was humble in leadership and intellect. These three attributes will demonstrate that he was above all, a visionary and ethical leader.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the attributes and competencies of my leader of influence, MSG Anthony Good, and what type of leader legacy I would like to leave behind. I define an Army leader as someone who inspires and influences others to accomplish goals. MSG Good has played a pivotal role in the development of other Soldiers and my own leadership philosophy. He has demonstrated, through actions and words, his values and wisdom. I want to emulate those values and attain that wisdom in my military career. He exemplifies the leader attributes and competencies: character, presence, intellect, leads, develops, and achieves (Headquarters, Department of the Army, 2012). As a Soldier and leader, the attributes and competencies in MSG Good that inspire me the most are his character and
As our forefathers before us stated, ‘‘No one is more professional than I. I am a Noncommissioned Officer, a leader of soldiers. As a Noncommissioned Officer, I realize that I am a member of a time honored corps, which is known as “The Backbone of the Army (“The NCO Creed writing by SFC Earle Brigham and Jimmie Jakes Sr”). These words to Noncommissioned Officer should inspire us to the fullest with pride, honor, and integrity. The NCO creed should mean much more than just words whenever we attend a NCO’s school. For most of us this is what our creed has become because we learn to narrate or recite. The military from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard has an overabundance of NCOs who fall under their pay grade of E-5, E-6 and etc. Yet somehow there still not enough leaders. I believe that the largest problem afflicting the military today is our lack of competent leaders, ineffective leader development, and how we influence our subordinates under us who are becoming leaders.
As part of US navy honor code, commissioned officers and enlisted swear an oath to abide themselves to: Honor, Courage, and Commitment. In situations of high risk and stress towards a decision, certain poor leaders will fade away their core values and rely on one’s own conscience. These types of actions/decisions can lead to avoidable instances and end lives. A great leader should be able to maintain confident courage during extreme adversity, and commit to being an upstander; will uphold fact, transparency, and truth in all his actions.
The YouTube video “U.S. Armed Forces – We Must Fight – President Reagan” by Matthew Worth was made with the intention to motivate the viewers to support the U.S. Armed Forces. The purpose of this Rhetorical Analysis is to determine whether or not the video has been successful in doing just that, motivating and drawing support for the United States Armed Forces. The video was uploaded to YouTube on February 19, 2012 and has nearly 4 million views. Matthew uses the famous speech “A Time for Choosing” by the United States former President, Ronald Wilson Reagan, who has a reputation for his patriotism, to complement the video. This video has been effective in motivating the viewers because of its strong use of the rhetorical concepts logos, ethos, and pathos.
Lieutenant General Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, through dedication to his mission and the welfare of his marines, was a visionary leader even by today’s standards. In his youth, Chesty attempted to join World War I before he had reached the required age. He attended Virginia Military Institute, but dropped out after one year to satisfy his urge to experience combat. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as a private and remained enlisted for only a year before his commissioning as a lieutenant. Unfortunately, the war ended before he was able to experience combat. When a force reduction ensued after the end of the war, Lt Puller was sent to the reserves and given the ...
One of the main benefits of being an officer in the US Army is the ability to overcome challenging problems. upon graduating from West Point, I will be better equipped with well honed analytical and leadership skills that will enable me to produce high quality results and exceed expectations even in the face of adversity.