The Army as a Profession of Arms Essay examples

The Army White Paper, The Profession of Arms, provides an insight into what it means for the Army to be a Profession of Arms, what it means to be a professional Soldier, and how Soldiers individually and as a profession meet these aspirations after a decade of war. The Army is made up of numerous jobs that have multiple roles. One in particular is the Human Resource Sergeant. HR Sergeants are a profession of its own; they provide a broader framework for the Profession of Arms, balance the role of the Profession’s leaders, and are greatly influenced by the Army’s professional culture.

Having to cope with transition in Iraq or Afganistan is a test of combat skills, knowledge to execute, and a reinforcement of maintaining the true profession of the seven Army Values. It is my belief, that the core of the Army Profession of Arms is comprised of all seven beginning with Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.

In conclusion, the direction of the Army will advance forward in a professional manner that reflects a Profession in Arms and a Professional Soldier. I believe that understanding the importance of what it means for the Army to be a Profession of Arms and what it means to be a professional Soldier displays respect and pride in the eyes of the American People. This respect and pride re-enforces trust and continues to build hope for the

The purpose and intent of the Army Profession of Arms is to continually strive to

“We are the American Army, we are American Soldiers, and the uniqueness shapes our soul, both institutionally and individually!” (p. 06). A Profession is having effectiveness outweigh efficiency in the work that you do. To be an American Profession of Arms you must first be comprised of professionals, professionals who are both ethical as well as leaders. With these professionals, we create a profession based on expertise and skill. Our profession as Soldiers, relies on upholding the army values and the culture we create to guide and enforce the right things to do.

To be a Profession of Arms is a subject that hits close to home and not a subject I take lightly. Serving close to ten years in the Army, it is something I could not be taught but was something I had to live and experience. I’m always asked by close friends and relatives why do I do what I do? What is so appealing about the Military that makes me want to keep reenlisting? I try to explain to them the best I can but I have grown to realize that nothing I say to them is going to make them understand why I love the Army. It’s a life style. Something that has to be lived in order to completely grasp what is so appealing. I embrace the suck and when it’s over I smile and laugh because those are memories I will always keep with me. In this paper I will touch base on what it means to be a Profession, the Balancing Role of the Professions Leaders, The Army Professional Culture, and the HR Sergeants Role in the Army Profession.

The ability to lead while still progressing and acquiring more knowledge is one of the greatest privileges of the United States’ Army. Professionalism in the army is sponsored by the learning and development that enables those within to be adaptive while mastering the profession. In this particular field, becoming proficient in a Human Resources Sergeant’s role requires the professional to master every skill needed throughout his or her career. “The Profession of Arms” article outlines these skills in detail as key attributes to becoming successful in a career as

Ongoing efforts to continue developing the skills needed to promote efficiency and effectiveness continues. The Army White Paper: The Profession of Arms (2010) notes that “as the Army reflects now on what it means to be a profession in the midst of persistent conflict, a central questions frames major challenges now facing the Army’s strategic leaders: the sergeant

An Army White Paper: The Profession of Arms details an in-depth analysis into what it means for the Army to be a ‘Profession of Arms’ and what it means to be a ‘Professional Soldier’. It is not an authorative article nor is it directive, but more of an actual point of discussion. It all allows the reader to apply some critical thinking to the subject matter and to form their own assessment, as well as applying the role of a Human Resources Sergeant to the subject matter.

In order to be recognized as a profession, a group or individual should learn and obtain the special training in a particular skill or job. The group or individual personnel must possess leadership attributes and standards. We as HR personnel need to understand that we should examine ourselves as a profession (the Profession of Arms) and ensure that we understand and are living up to the principles that define us as a profession. Also, between the lines of the Soldier’s creed and the Army values lies the definition of what it means to be an Army profession. As an Army Human Resource profession we need to review, reemphasize, and recommit back to our profession.

Serving in the military has been the choice of many Americans long before having a professional career was even coveted by society. “The Army is an American Profession of Arms, a vocation comprised of experts certified in the ethical application of land combat power, serving under civilian authority, entrusted to defend the Constitution and the rights and interests of the American people.” (The Profession of Arms. 2010) This profession is a profession that can never truly be mastered because the Army is always changing. People are always joining and leaving. Rules are always changing. Soldiers are always learning from each other. America’s Army is continually growing, learning and evolving.

The Profession at Arms address what it means to be a true professional leader in today’s Army. When thinking about a professional, we tend to consider someone who has multiple degrees. Professionals are experts at their job skill and have worked hard to set themselves apart from others. Their mannerism is that of a person who is trustworthy, competent, and respectful. We’re confidence that professionals are ethically and morally responsible. As soldiers, we are representing our profession and our organization. Our clients, the American people, are depending on us as professionals to be competent, dependent and committed to our duty. Therefore, we have to train and become experts in our field to ensure that we are always the professional

A TRADOC approved white paper present the Army as a profession, referring to it as the Profession of Arms and comparing it to the medical, theological and legal professions. Moral responsibility towards society bestows professionals with ample discretions for their social service, and expects that all professionals will acts as custodians of the public trust. The continued engagement of the Armed Forces in recent years has enabled the Army to develop a proficiency that makes it unique, using operational guidance to pursue an outcome that is not guaranteed, much like medical and legal practices. Society has a vested interest in the ability of the Army to be proactive and successful, to stand between the American people and the enemies of

The Army is a profession because it requires a collaboration of highly training Soldiers who possess specialized skills that combine to operate in complex situations in more complex environments. General Martin Dempsey stated that “The Profession of Arms requires expert knowledge, and that expertise is manifested as unique skills in the individual professional and by Army units.” For the purpose of this paper the operational definition of the term profession is: a type of job that requires special education training, or skill. In order to meet and maintain the demands of this definition, The Army has established the Army Development Model which consists of institutions, operational training, and self-development to create highly skilled service members.

Professional soldiers differ from the ordinary citizen particularly in psychological and personal characteristics and qualities. A soldier professional does not want a war, but he wants to be prepared for the worst possible variant of development. We can say that working in the armed forces is characterized by several attributes. I think the expert work, self-improvement, ethics, fulltime commitment and discipline are the most important ones. The expert work comes out from the requirements for controlling highly specialized equipment and procedures that occur only under the conditions of the armed forces. For example, an engineer knows the procedures for mine-clearing, building floating bridges, command and controlling submarines, fire control of air defense systems, logistic equipment transfers and many others. All of these activities call for a maximal professional approach and adherence to precisely specified procedures, which can be achieved only by professionals with many years of experience. So, to move forward and improve our professionalism it is very important to consider self-improvement. In my opinion, learning from experienced master soldiers, be active in self learning and have good motivation are the right ways to succeed. A profession of arms can be, and it certainly is, a dangerous way to meet our life necessities. It would be quite ridiculous if somebody stated he worked for armed forces only for loyalty to the