Much is required of a leader; ranging from the types of personal attributes he has, to preparation and ultimately the type of leader he is in combat. Although no leader is the same, every leader needs to have certain core proficiencies.
In the reading there were short dialogues referring to the qualities and character traits of several officers. Each officer manifested leadership differently, but all of them had courage, intelligence, and competence, and versatility. Other less vital qualities included being calm, stead, and hard to fluster; having a “can do” attitude; and even having a sense of humor. I found it interesting that many of them were volunteers to this unit, practically begging to get in.
Preparation is also a key aspect to effective leadership. An effective plan includes everything from the best scenario to the worst scenario; and it has everything in between as well. One leader mentioned was revered for his attention to detail and ability to turn concepts into plans. The author stated that he “ran an endless string of ‘what if’s’ through [his] mind,” and that he was always worried about planning for vulnerabilities.
Another aspect of preparation is practice. It is important to drill and maneuver as a group. The author worried that his battalion would suffer due to the fact that they had never practiced as an entire battalion, and because most of his soldiers had never seen the enemy, whether dead or alive. It is also important for each member within the unit to be a leader because one bullet can change everything. Everyone must be trained and know what to do. The leader, then, has the obligation to know the strengths and weaknesses of his men, so that he can plan for and utilize them most appropriately.
In the heat of battle a leader has to make life threatening and life saving decisions. In order to be aware of the risks and dangers, the author suggested that a real leader spends as little time as possible on his ‘mount.’ Leaders should be on the ground, among the men, to see what is really happening.
A leader should always be trying to figure out the enemy; how they move, act, think, eat, sleep, everything. No enemy is the same. The more a leader knows, the better he will help his unit avoid otherwise unknown dangers and take advantage of the weaknesses of the enemy. The author spends a lot of time discussing how the primary goal of the North Vietnamese army was to incite attacks by the Americans, so they could learn how they fight. Nothing is simple, never underestimate anything about your enemy.
Although this is by no means a complete set of leadership requirements, these are the things that it appears the author has chosen to emphasize. Leadership must permeate your thoughts and actions. It will affect your decisions both on and off the battlefield.
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