The Importance Of Military Bearing

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Military bearing is a trademark of the Army and is one of the fundamental reasons we are held in such high regard by the American population and much of the world. Does of the situation in which we find ourselves. Often it is used as a reliable indicator of a Soldier’s pride in their unit, branch of service, or the military in its entirety. The concept of bearing has some aspects that are unique, others that are more overarching and the same across the board. It is vital no matter what rank or position is held. It works generally the same across the branches of service with subtle distinctions. Bearing is not proprietary to the military, as it can be present in any civilian as well. Much of the Army’s bearing and standards can be seen in our …show more content…

The same idea of an unwavering hierarchy that extends beyond title and into the deep roots of merit are inherent in both concepts. Even dealing with other branches of service, there are certain expectations to be upheld when dealing with an officer, a senior enlisted, and even with your peers. Officers are saluted by enlisted members, just as junior enlisted members stand at parade rest when addressing Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO). This level of respect would continue on into a civilian environment, although no saluting would be present in civilian attire. For example, a lower enlisted member could be at a restaurant or a bar over the weekend and happen to see his Company Commander. Even out of the work environment and military setting, the should still subtly take each other’s rank into account with everything said, such as a “Sir” every now and then from the enlisted member as well as avoiding certain comments that could get a soldier in trouble when dealing with his Chain of Command. This same level of military bearing will also carry on into encounters with civilians as military members and prior service member can almost always be spotted in a crowd with relative ease. Bearing can be taught at a basic level, but one must have the initiative to follow the guidance set before them and behave a certain …show more content…

The majority of the civilian populace would equate bearing with manners, which has more to do with ethics than true military bearing. There are some conflicts that arise between the two interpretations. One of the most common is the custom of addressing officers as “Sir” or “Ma’am” and to never say the same to an NCO without getting sharply correct if not brutally reprimanded for your insolence. This comes as quite the culture shock to many new soldiers who come from the South or from other old-fashioned families where it is ingrained from birth to call everyone elder to you “Sir” or “Ma’am” regardless of position. But because we as an organization hold ourselves to such a high standard, we iron out these inconsistencies and deficiencies with haste. Due to this standard of perfection however, it is often appalling to civilians to see us make a mistake and have to realize that we are human. Soldiers are not seen as normal people, but cookie-cutter images of strength. This image has been fostered through the years by a strong sense of patriotism in the American people. While not achieving perfection, soldiers as a whole do uphold a higher standard of behavior than the rest of the populace. This is accomplished through implementation of the Army Values, regular ethical instruction, and a well-structured hierarchy with a strong sense of uniformity

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