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Leadership development for the military
Leadership in armed forces
Development of military leadership
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Military officer training has always placed tremendous value in leadership development. The goal is to build transformation leaders. “Transformational leadership promotes positive and meaningful changes in people, teams, organizations, nations, and societies.” These leaders articulate a vision, company values, challenge the old way of doing things, and encourage continuous improvement.
The discussions of transformational leadership in the Air Force often leads to Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell, United States Army. General Mitchell was one of the most controversial and outspoken proponents of aviation during post war period of the 1920s-1930s. He was an Army soldier/airman and an inspiring leader. He experienced an awakening as he led Army Air Forces in Europe in World War I (WWI). “He saw beyond the limitations of the crude aircraft of the day and recognized the airplane's potential to transform warfare completely. In addition, he was determined to awaken his nation to its need for air power.” However, he had a rebellious personality that clashed with Army and national leadership. Between the end of WWI and his death in 1936, General Mitchell persisted in the attempt to convince military and civilian leaders about the importance of aviation and potential dominant role in future wars.
Mitchell was a tactical soldier and airman who desired all military aviation under one separate and equal service, reporting to a cabinet department of aeronautics responsible for civil and military air forces. At the same time, he worked within the Air Corps to develop its doctrine, training, and operational competence for present and future conflicts. General Mitchel influenced a generation of leaders in airpower with technical expert...
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...sacrifice career for the greater development of the Air Corps, demonstrates the reason today’s airmen, military officers, and government leaders owe him a debt of gratitude.
Works Cited
John J. Sosik and Don I. Jung, Full Range Leadership Development: Pathways for People, Profit, and Plant (New York: Psychology Press, 2010), 14.
William D. O’Neil, “Transformation” (Annapolis: US Naval Institute, 2002), 1.
Ibid., 2.
Giulio Douhet, The Command of the Air (Washington: Air Force History and Museums Program, 1998), 30.
Alfred F. Hurley, Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1975), 61.
Edgar H. Schein, Organizational Culture and Leadership 4th Edition (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010), 291.
Alfred F. Hurley, Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power, 69.
Edgar H. Schein, Organizational Culture and Leadership, 293.
Hogan, D. (2004). Centuries of Service. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from the Center of Military History website
Stewart R. W. (2005). American Military History (Vol. 1). The United States Army and the
Ignorance and Air Power: The Failure of U. S. Leadership to Properly Utilize Air Power in Vietnam
“Military leadership qualities are formed in a progressive and sequential series of carefully planned training, educational, and experiential events—far more time-consuming and expensive than similar training in industry or government. Secondly, military leaders tend to hold high levels of responsibility and authority at low levels of our organizations. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, military leadership is based on a concept of duty, service, and self-sacrifice; we take an oath to that effect.”
The airmobility concept is one of Army Aviation’s most prominent battlefield innovations, almost single handedly shaping the Vietnam War and in many ways, helping to influence how we fight wars today. In its essence, airmobility is a concept that utilizes Army aircraft in order to enhance the ground forces’ ability to perform the five fundamentals of combat: command and control, firepower, intelligence, mobility, and communications (Rottman, 2007). At the zenith of the airmobility concept is the airmobile assault or commonly known today as, the air assault. The airmobile assault was more than just moving troops from point A to point B; it involved intense planning and preparation. When implemented correctly, the airmobile assault provided light infantry greater mobility on the battlefield, along with the ability to seize the initiative and to synchronize attacks.
" Thesis. Thesis. Thesis. Air Force Historical Research Agency, 2008. Print.
Transformational leaders exhibit personal and professional qualities that other want to emulate and follow. These leaders advance the mission in combative environments. Transformational leaders propel the growth of the team through communication. Finally, transformational leaders leave a legacy that instills pride, moral, and determination for future success.
Lawson, Robert L., and Barrett Tillman. U.S. Navy Air Combat: 1939-1946. Osceola, WI: MBI Pub., 2000. Print.
Transformational leadership describes a leader moving followers beyond immediate self-interests through idealized influence (charisma), inspiration motivation, intellectual stimulation, or individualized consideration. Transformational leaders are change agents. They influence the mission and objectives to make way for a brighter future for the organization. Followers are motivated to do more than is originally expected because of their feelings of trust and respect for the leader.
Many have heard of the Tuskegee Airmen and their accomplishments. They were a group of African American fighter pilots. They proved to be quite vital to the success of World War II. What many people may not know is the Tuskegee Airmen had several squadrons which fought throughout Europe during the war. The most famous squadron was the 332nd fighter squadron, they were commonly known as the Red Tails. Charles McGee was among those men apart of the Red Tail squadron. Charles McGee is one of most notable men in the Red Tails due to his accomplishments throughout the war. I will be explaining his life and all of his accomplishments throughout this paper on famous individuals in aviation.
The United States Army has been through many changes since its start in 1775, yet it remains the greatest, most disciplined all volunteer fighting force in the world. Like the service members of the past and present, many Army units have contributed to the success of our military, and like those service members many have been lost. Even though these units are not as well known as the divisions they have belonged to, they have enriched the history of our Army just the same. The achievements of the 123rd Aviation Battalion have contributed to the history and success of our nations battles.
According to Yoder-Wise (2015), a leader can be defined as, “an individual who works with others to develop a clear vision of the preferred future and to make that vision happen” (p 35). As employees, we often have our own ideal of a good leader, which may be influenced by experiences and perception of workplace norms. While one’s opinion of an effective leader may vary, there are several recognized leadership theories. The following will focus on the transformational leadership approach.
Certainly, an army would not be able to battle in the war without a commander who in charges of the whole strategy. Correspondingly, any organisations cannot function without leaders. Leader is the most substantial element of successful organizations. Becoming outstanding leaders, leadership skill is vital in order to drive the organizations forward. Several leadership principles are extensively used these days. Burns (1978) identified two types of leadership comprise of transactional and transformational leadership. Hence, leaders should be capable to indicate which theory should be applied in accordance with organization’s culture and objectives. This essay aims to evaluate the resemblances and the differences between transactional and transformational leadership as well as the feasibility to utilize a mixture of them by giving the definitions and examples followed by the supporting researches and studies.