Section I: Letter From the NCC

In order to define military leadership, the definition of command is needed: command is the authority a person in the military service lawfully exercises over subordinates by virtue of his rank and assignment or position. When military leadership is mentioned, the impression may be made that this term can only be defined by a commanding officer over his subordinates in issuing orders but leadership in any form can be possessed by anyone in almost any situation.

Similar in respects to general leadership, military leadership requires of an officer to maintain a level of decorum with their command to prevent confusion and chaos when the situation requires it. Simply stated, military leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish the mission by providing purpose, direction, and motivation. Although some officers may never see the front lines of combat and experience the adrenaline rush of making a decision that could ultimately lead their command to victory or defeat, those that perform command level responsibilities should possess these same skills.

As a leader, following through with orders and completing a mission/ project are the key basics when discussing performance, but in order to gain the respect of ones command, considerations need to be made for troops; asking a troop to die for against insurmountable odds my be attempting to complete the mission, but it in no way takes into account the welfare of those who risk their lives.

When considering applications for a command position, superior officers will more than likely try to identify the type of person a candidate is and how well they handle themselves. Along with considering how selfless an officer is (basically putting the needs and goals of their alignment and unit ahead of personal needs and interests), but also if they possess several necessary values:

• Courage: overcoming fears of bodily harm (physical) and mental anguish (moral) while doing what a situation requires.
• Candor: being frank, open, honest, and sincere with your command, seniors, and peers
• Competence: proficiency in required professional knowledge, judgment, and skills
• Commitment: dedication to carry out all unit missions and to serve the values of the unit and alignment.
• Honor: is commitment, courage, respect, and infallible duty.

• Know yourself and seek self-improvement.
• Be technically and tactically proficient.
• Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates.
• Make sound and timely decisions.
• Set the example.
• Know your Pilots and look out for their welfare.
• Keep your Pilots informed.
• Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.
• Ensure assigned tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished.
• Train your Pilots as a team.
• Employ your command in accordance with its capabilities.

Chain of Command

Before any officer can successfully command a large group, the most fundamental and important organizational technique that must be realized is the chain of command. Organization is key to any operation, not only to keep events from spinning out of control, but ensuring that superiors maintain a close eye on your actions to make the appropriate decisions and compensate for all needs when a situation dictates it. The chain of command may be a senior officer over a junior officer, or a more experienced officer over a novice - whatever the situation, the chain of command is the sequence of commanders in an organization who have direct authority and primary responsibility for accomplishing the assigned unit mission while caring for personnel and property in their charge.

In cases of uncertainty where procedures are not answered by the rules and regulations established, it is important for any officer to rely on their superiors to give them correct guidance. Occasionally, however, certain situations may exist where it is impossible to receive the proper course of action from a superior. An officer must therefore take the initiative of responsibility that comes with rank and make the best choice that will have the least amount of negative effects. In these cases, a "gut decision" is never advised; instead, a clearly informed and logically chosen course of action is always stressed. Whether or not a decision is correct or incorrect, responsibility is also accepting the consequences that may come as a result of an officer's actions.

When first taking over as a commanding officer, several things must be established about the positions: determining what is expected of your unit from superiors, determining what is expected of you, determining the strengths and weaknesses of your subordinates, and determining the skills of other key people whose willing support is necessary to accomplish your job. This, in turn, leads to creating unit effectiveness and awareness; by knowing key details about a your command and subordinates, your can effectively harness the highest potential that can be achieved; remember that an informed officer is an efficient officer; an efficient officer is a capable leader; a capable leader is always an asset.

In some cases it is necessary for a leader to identify the effectiveness of their command as well as maintain a close watch over one's leadership style and tactics. The following list explains effective criteria for identifying unit effectiveness:

• Morale: A person's state of mind. High morale strengthens courage, energy and the will to fight.
• Espirt De Corps: Pride in unit, enthusiasm for unit, and loyalty to unit.
• Discipline: Prompt obedience to orders and initiation of action in the absence of orders.
• Proficiency: The technical, tactical, and physical ability of the individual and the unit.

[NOTE: Each criteria can positively or negatively affect another; a unit with low morale will usually be lacking in pride, which in turn hurts proficiency.]

Unfortunately, in some cases an officer's effective command may be interfered by problems in unit compatibility, decision making, or outside forces. It is not the point of this dossier to help identify every possible scenario, but by following the basic steps to the decision-making process, a solution can be found faster:

• Identify the problem: Try to find what the source of problem is.
• Gather information: outside research or questioning another may be necessary.
• List courses of action: consider all possible solutions.
• Analyze and compare courses of action: Find what each decision affects who or what.
• Make a decision; Select a course of action
• Make a plan: Find the best way to implement a course of action.
• Implement the plan: Follow through.

Whether or not a problem is created from an individual, remember to always handle the situation with a sense of justice (fair treatment of all people regardless of outside influences).

In order to be informed of a situation, it is imperative to keep close supervision of ones post. By keeping a grasp on the situation and ensuring that plans and policies are implemented properly (i.e. giving instructions, accomplishment of a task), the chance for a potentially harmful situation to develop are significantly reduced. Take, for example, a situation involving the spread of a rumor - one of the most detrimental things that can happen to a unit's moral. Without properly supervising a command and maintaining close contacts, a simple rumor may eventually build into a powerful deterrent that has a negative effect on command effectiveness and output. By simply giving as many facts as possible (with security requirements) and attempting to eliminate conditions creating uncertainty before they accumulate, an officer demonstrates their supervision by keeping a tight grasp on a situation.

To conclude this section, always remember that, as a leader, you are defending your integrity with your command. By showing traits of sincerity, honesty, and candor while avoiding any kind of deceptive, shallow, or expedient behavior, an officer will gain the respect of his superiors, but more importantly, his subordinates.