Importance of Keeping Accountability and the Protocol Duties in Army - Research Paper Example

Importance of Keeping Accountability on Gear and Informing a Team Leader of Your Previous Heat Causality Accountability by definition refers to the obligation imposed by law or regulation or lawful order on an individual or office for keeping an accurate record of documents, property or funds. The individual charged with this responsibility may or may not have definite custody of the documents, property or funds. This follows that accountability is majorly concerned with records, while responsibility concerns custody, safekeeping and care. Accountability is very critical since it aids a chain of command allowing an organization or military for that matter to establish where a person is at a given time. Accountability is also important in the military since it enables the unit commanders to know the exact number of personnel to perform a given task. In case a commander or leader fails to know the number of troops available, then he or she may not also be able to know those who are available perform a given task and at what time and place. Gears and other military equipments must also be accounted for to have the ‘readiness’ numbers and top ensure that an adversary does not get hold of a soldiers gear. It is imperative to know what is available at all times within the military to be able to strategize well for any combat (Levin 143). The entrusted soldier is responsible for everything issued to him be it night vision google, weapons, socks, shirts, army combat uniforms, army physical fitness uniforms among others. The obligation of the Non-Commissioned Officer is to ensure that the enlisted soldier is accountable for all the items and keeps vigil on these items as and when needed. Keeping a military commander abreast of a previous experience is also crucial in any military operation. This is because it is necessary for strategizing and deployment purposes. For instance, a soldier who had previously fallen heat causality should abreast his commander of this in advance so that proper planning and redeployment can be made effectively. The objective of this paper is to explore reasons as to why it is important to keep accountability on military gears such as IOTV, M4, grenades, 7 magazines, medical pouch and MITR and informing a team leader of your previous heat causality. Importance of keeping tract of Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) The Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) is an enhanced version of the Outer Tactical Vest. The vest is used by the US ground army combats as a standard body armor. This is due to its quality and camouflage features and the protective devices in it (Anatomy of an IOTV 1). These vests are very useful for US army combats and must be accounted for at all times by the enlisted soldier. This gear is important for an army soldier due to a number of reasons. First, the vest is said to provide protection from fragments and 9mm rounds. This shows the degree to which a soldier is protected from any ambush by an enemy. This shows how valuable an army soldier should ensure that the vest is won at all times irrespective of the prevailing weather condition. The vest also has an Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert (ESAPI) plates, usually won inside that is won on the rear and front thereby protecting the soldiers from vital organ injuries in case of ambush (U.S Army 1). This implies that failure to wear this important gear may lead to serious organ injuries in case of ambush. For this reason, every soldier should keep track of the vest and wear it all the time when on combat. The vest is also said to be fitted with Enhanced Side Ballistic Insert (ESBI) plates that provide the military army with additional coverage as it protects the wearer’s sides between the rear and front ballistic plates (Anatomy of an IOTV 1). The gear is also able to protect the wearer from handguns because it is fitted with deltoid protectors. All this reveals how important the gear is to soldiers and should be accounted for and won all the time during military combat. The soldier entrusted with the gear should not let it be possessed by the US army adversaries as the enemies may use it to protect themselves during war. This, in turn, may jeopardize the success of the war. For instance, IOTV has some enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert (ESAPI) plates, which is usually won by US army soldiers in front and on the rear to provide protection to vital organs (U.S Army 1). This means that when the gear falls into the hands of the opponent, then winning the war can be very difficult, as the opponents will use the vests to protect themselves. Therefore, the enlisted soldier must ensure that the vest is accounted for at all time. Similarly, the vest is also used for identification purposes. It is one way by which the US army identifies themselves during a military combat, as has been the case in Iraq and Afghanistan. This means that in case the vests may fall into the wrong hands of US enemies, this may be so disastrous as they may wear the vests thereby causing a lot of confusion. The enemies may take advantage of this and find their way into the combat team and killing the US soldiers. This shows how important keeping track of this gear is important. This means that every US army soldier, should, at all time account for the IOTV given to him or her in the morning following the day of combat (U.S Army 1). This vest also serves other important functions such as camouflage. It helps the US army soldiers move with ease towards their enemies without recognition. The same may apply to US soldiers incase a soldier happens to lose one in the cause of combat. This implies that all army soldiers must ensure that their IOTV remain accounted for all the time. M4 Riffle According to Baglole (para.1), the U.S. army adopted the M4 assault riffle in the mid 1990s. It is said t be the modern version of the M16. M4 riffle has been used in the military battles such as in the Vietnam War. The riffle has been in use by many infantry soldiers because of its small size. This characteristic feature of M4 makes it so helpful in the close-quarter firefighting. It also allows for easy movement especially in combat zones. M4 is a very strong machine that the military is currently using. Being a very light weapon to use and carry around, the M4 rifle becomes best suited for the infantry military troops. The riffle uses 5.56-millimeter caliber bullets the latest changes made to the riffle are; grenade launcher, shot guns, flashlights and sight mounts. The rifle is rated as having the best accuracy compared to AK-47 assault rifle. Because of the special and unique use of the rifle, it is always important to keep track of it. The security of the machine should be put into consideration. At no time should the rifle be left unattended especially in the combat zones. They are expensive to acquire, and during the war, the enemy may steal them. Being very strong, the rifle posses a lot of a treat to the military if it goes to adversary’s hands. All persons who hold the weapons are accountable for the safety of their firearms. It is important to keep track of how the M4 is used and stored. The m4 rifle should be loaded and carried in a certain manner to ensure safety and ease of use while on combat. Baglole goes on to say that, the weapon should at all times be left on fire, he says that it should not be left on safe as is hard to use it especially while wearing gloves and while under pressure. For this reason, the person carrying the weapon should be very careful as it may pose many treats to them. The rifle should be checked frequently to ensure that it is not dusty. This is because it does not work well when it is dusty. Lastly, regular checking of the rifle to ensure that it does not run out of bullets, especially while in the combat zones is important. The lives of the military personnel while in the combat zones depend on the performance of the rifle; it should therefore be kept loaded at all times in case of abrupt emergencies. The 7 Magazines It is a fact that no single war can easily be won without the use of guns and ammunitions. Many serious operations involve firing at the enemy using magazines. It is for this reason that the current IOTV if fitted with pockets for holding the magazines to be used during army combat. The 7 magazines in IOTV are composed of 6 x30 round magazines used in M4 riffle. The other is the 2 x 15 round magazine meant for the M9 pistol (Anatomy of an IOTV 1). The magazines are important in war and must be kept track of at all times. This is because an empty riffle is equal to nothing. Take an example of a situation where an army has gone for war and in the event, he happens to run out of the magazines. This is a daring situation that no army would want to fall into. Therefore, before any combat begins, every army should ensure that his IOTV and riffles have enough magazines to be used during the entire operation to avoid a situation where one runs out of magazines. Moreover, in case a soldier establishes that he is about to run out of the magazines, then it is indispensable for the soldier in question to inform the commander about this in advance (Anatomy of an IOTV 1). This will ensure that the soldier in question is provided with more magazines for use in the combat. In fact, when everyone is accountable, falling into such a situation may not be easy. The Non-commissioned Officer should, therefore, ensure that army soldiers report the number of magazines they have used during the operation for them to be provided with more magazines to enable them face the war with enough courage. It is also worth noting that accountability will ensure that no magazine is carelessly used or mishandled (Headquarters Department of the Army 298). Take, for example, a situation where the enemy happens to acquire the magazines from one of the soldiers. This may put the entire combat in danger of assault by the opponents. This means that every soldier must be held accountable for his or her magazines before and after the operation. This will ensure that the magazines do not end up in the hands of US adversaries before, during and after the war. Grenades Winning a war is not easy and at times, soldiers find themselves in a situation that calls for the use of grenades to protect themselves or to kill the enemy. IOVT is usually fitted with hand grenades to help soldiers during military combat. The hand grenade is a small bomb, containing chemicals and explosive substances usually thrown by hand or sometimes rigged as booby traps (Headquarters Department of the Army 283). These bombs are very crucial to military army for both defence and attacks. Therefore, every soldier must ensure that these grenades are tracked and are available during any military operation. This is because it will help the soldiers in situations where guns cannot be used such as during an ambush of an enemy. The grenade may also assist the soldiers in laying traps at enemies. The use of hand grenades has indeed helped US soldiers win a number of wars in the past like the combats in Iraq, and Afghanistan just to name a few and must, therefore, be accounted for by every soldier (U.S Army 1). It is also worth noting that keeping track of a hand grenade will ensure that the weapon do not get to the wrong hands of US enemies as they may use the grenades to attack the US troops. If this happens, weaning war may not be easy, as it will now be based only on tactics and not weapons. Medical pouch It is an acknowledged fact that war involves many risks irrespective of how weak the enemy may be passive. This has proved so from the previous wars that America has engaged in such as those fought in Afghanistan and the recent war in Iraq. During these wars, it was not only the adversaries who suffered injuries or death but also the US army combat. These shows how first aid is an important element in combat and should be considered. It is for this reason that IOTV’s vests used by the US military combat army are fitted with medical pouches. This pouch is usually well equipped with supplies for providing first aid to oneself or to other soldiers who may fall casualty of war (U.S Army 1). For example, soldiers more that often may get injured as a result of gun shots when they are alone in the field. This may result into serious bleeding from the gun shot wound that may result in unnecessary deaths if no doctor is around to administer treatments. It is here that the medical pouch is helpful to soldiers as they will be able to perform first aid on their own thereby helping in saving their lives (Anatomy of an IOTV 1). The medical pouch may also help a given military soldier help his colleague who may have been seriously wounded and cannot be able to perform first aid on his or her own. Indeed, this first aid kit has been of help to US army soldiers who fall prey of enemies. These shows how crucial it is to keep track of the medical pouch all the time. Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MITR) Communication is one other vital element in war. Soldiers have to keep communicating with their colleagues and commanders every time and again. This is because, without communication, it can be exceedingly difficult to establish the progress of the military combat from either side. It may also lead to a lot of confusions between soldiers in operation. This calls for every soldier to be accorded with a communication garget to assist him or her in conversing with his other colleagues and commanders (Headquarters Department of the Army 274). This has been made possible by IOTV gear that has a place for holding a multi inter/intra team radio (MITR). This garget helps army soldiers in communicating with one another and in receiving instructions from their commanders during military combat. This shows how valuable keeping track of MITR is in any military war. For instance, imagine a situation where a soldier has been injured in the jungle alone and has no communication garget. This implies that the wounded soldier may end up dying for lack of communication on how to get assistance from his other colleagues (Anatomy of an IOTV 1). Therefore, before any soldier goes for any military operation, he or she should keep track of his MITR and ensure that it is in superb condition and is working well. This should involve carrying out several tests and if a problem is discovered, then the soldier should report this in advance to the technical team as well as to the commander to get a replacement. Importance of telling a team leader about being heat causality Johnson (3) states, “The ability of military personnel is essential for a military operation to be successful”. Adaption to the effects of the weather is an exceptionally serious concern to the military. Heat has been the most extreme weather condition that can impair the performance of military personnel in many ways. As an infantry team leader, one should be able to understand how cognitive and behavioral responses vary with heat. Heat does not impair only the performance of a person but also psychological changes do occur. In our day to day’s activities, heat affects our performance. People tend to complain that they cannot concentrate and work well in extremely hot offices or areas. This also affects the military in the same way. Many of those who have gone to combat zones have gone through harsh weather condition mostly having extremely high temperatures. High temperatures caused fatigue, drowsiness, and boredom (Johnson et al 10). During the war, it is usually necessary for the military personnel to be psychologically okay. Psychological performances are varies they include sensory tasks, interpretation or perception and assessment. A soldier should be able to make fast reactions to changes that occur in the combat zones. Johnson et al (15) noted the time taken to perform a task under normal heat takes a shorter time, but as heat increases, performance reactions involving complex actions faced by military takes longer. Extreme heat affects vision. Sweating increases and as they flow into the eyes the ability of military personnel to see is impaired. Mirages, glare and optical illusions which are caused by heat, distort performance e.g. Target aiming and distance judgment. Many of the military equipments can be metallic, and under increased heat condition, handling of such equipment becomes a challenge (Johnson et al 16). According to Johnson (12), continuous heat exposure causes fatigue and unsteadiness. The increased variability reduces and affects the firing accuracy. Tracking by an operator, which require proper judgment, are said to decrease under high temperatures. For this reason, a team leader should be able to know weather his or her team members are able to work in the adverse weather conditions. Heat related illness affects the performance of a soldier (13). These effects do differ from one soldier to another and so it is the work of a leader to note the ability of each member in a military mission. A soldier should never be assigned back to duty when they are still recovering from such illness. Returning them to duty before they recover obviously will affect their military performance. Although the military use chemical protective clothes to shield them from attacks, these clothes prevent direct heat from the environment. The clothes create a very uncomfortable condition inside as it prevents the release of heat from the body. Team leaders need to understand how mental and psychological performance varies with effects of heat. Understanding is necessary because heat stress significantly affects military personnel performance. Psychological changes often come before the start fatal physiological changes. Establishing a relationship between weather conditions and psychological performance has been hard to achieve. Heat effect researchers have tried to identify psychological effects in performance, a clear proof of the effects has not been found. Therefore, it is difficult to make generalizations about the effects of heat on performance. Psychological performance during extreme heat exposure is critical for military personnel, essential clothing and equipment; including, chemical protective clothing and medications often encumber them. Military training in hot environments for acclimatization and continuous practice of military tasks in hot environments will help improve performance. Johnson (24) concludes that military personnel differ in their ability, ranges of capability, attitude, and persistence and all these should be put into account by a team leader. Reporting previous experiences helps one to get used to a certain environment. Those who have once encountered the heat causality are mainly more experienced to such weather condition. They may be well suited for the task when it is at hand than those who have never been in such a situation. Team leaders get to assign duties to the troops according to their experience and ability. Therefore, it is important for military personnel to inform their team leaders about their experience in extreme heat condition. This will either help the team leader to re assign them to such a condition if they were able to work under the situation, or even exempt them if the condition did not favor them previously. Effects based operations This term has been subject to much debate in the military for several years. Some military personnel have always explored the term on the basis of elaborating various theories of war. In addition, there has also been the application of scientific principles in order to understand the attributes of war. However, the scientific understanding on war principles such as causality, deduction, categorization and analysis are not able to critically address the ever changing character of wars. Wars are characterized by apprehensions, sensations, perceptions, impulses, and emotions. These properties of war give military personnel a low practical ceiling for effects-based operations. Most armed forces in the world have decided to go “effects-based”. There has been the need to make the shift from massing forces to massing effects. In addition, there has been a shift from focusing on effort to tracking results (Stevenson 46). All army members and their leaders must have the understanding of what leadership demands. Team leaders and their leadership skills will determine the strength of the infantry military personnel. Team leaders as well as junior infantry members must have deep-rooted values, the warrior ethos, and professional competence for them to undertake military combats. National army values ensure that the infantry team leader’s character and professional development help them in leading the infantry officers. Team leaders apply this knowledge in order to achieve the accomplished mission accomplishment. Further, team leaders should understand that when other infantry officers tell them that they are previous heat causality, they should be able to realize that mission accomplishments are failing (Stevenson 47). Infantry officers must be able to lead and adapt to situations. The satisfaction and personal development the infantry officer experiences from the leadership of soldiers and the management of challenging staff assignments prove invaluable both within the military and in later civilian pursuits. In most cases, all infantry officers have an opportunity to lead a platoon during their tour of duty. Leadership in the infantry is an important process. The leader should be able to motivate other infantry juniors to take active role in combat operations. The team leader must ensure that soldiers are motivated; lack of motivation may result from previous challenging operations. In order to motivate infantry soldiers, the leader may ensure that the equipments they use are efficient in carrying out combats. Soldiers become reluctant to take active participation in combat due to past failures of equipments. Motivating infantry soldiers requires supremely human as well as tactical and technical skills (Stevenson 48). Infantry team leaders are also expected to develop a close bond with other members of the team. In addition, team leaders should be prepared to be challenged to the limits of their abilities to lead the rest of the team with the excellence they deserve and demand. In return, junior infantry officers should be rewarded with the sure knowledge that they have done an excellent work in the military and that they have earned the respect of the American infantryman. Team leaders in the military have an opportunity to lead and practice leadership. This can be achieved through management of priorities among collective as well as individual training. The team leaders should also provide the junior infantry personnel with the opportunity to make tough decisions, accept responsibilities, hone leadership skills, and develop proficiency. These tactical and technical techniques are the most demanding in the infantry military in order to participate in combat and peacetime roles (Hoerl, McCormack & Beck, 214). Team leaders are also responsible for the allocation of Army’s special commands to the junior infantry personnel. The infantry personnel are expected to undertake training, administration, and management functions of the organization. The team leader should be the company training officer and instructor. Newly commissioned infantry officers should be given training in basic military techniques for them to serve competently and confidently in any initial assignments they might face. Team leaders should ensure that other infantry members first receive a solid background at the small unit level. Young infantry officers are required to serve in both light infantry and mechanized infantry assignments early so that the can be able to develop the required tactical knowledge for later field grade development. Later in their service, the infantry officers many be important for additional schooling opportunities, both military and civilian. Team leaders ensure that infantry officers attend the Infantry Officer Basic Course (IOBC). The course prepares infantry officers so that they can be able to lead an infantry platoon. The course also enables infantry officers to appreciate fully their role in the organization and the functioning of the infantry rifle company. The officers are expected to study tactics that can help them in combat operations. In addition, the officers study leadership, management, and administration. Team leaders are important to other infantry officers be cause they can offer advice for infantry lieutenants to volunteer for range school. Volunteerism in the ranger school helps infantry helps infantry officials to achieve the professional development goal of successful service in all types of infantry units. Two thirds of all infantry platoon leader positions are coded for ranger qualified lieutenants which ensure that infantry officers who volunteer acquire ranger training. Active involvement in ranger training ensures that infantry officers receive in-depth unit combat skills and stresses right tactical operations and leader skills and endurance in various geographical settings. The training also ensures that infantry officers are competent, aggressive; self disciplined and are tactical in their operations (Hoerl, McCormack & Beck, 214). Telling a team leader that I am previous heat causality enables the team leader to know areas of weaknesses. Infantry officers may not have mastered the skills needed in the airborne course. The airborne skills are important because they help infantry officers to qualify for military parachuting. Further, the course is also aimed at training infantry officers and leaders on the employment and operation of the most sophisticated fighting vehicle in the world. Ranger and airborne training ensure that infantry officers have self confidence. They are also capable of acquiring battlefield skills that might otherwise be developed only over long experience. Military team leaders can identify the shortcomings in the training needs so that appropriate measures can be taken. Team leaders can respond to the heat causality issues affecting infantry officials by providing protective equipment and survival gear. Protective gear should be able to help soldiers overcome high temperature conditions they experience in some geographical regions. The infantry officials must be provided with helmets which ensure that high explosive fragmentations do not affect the soldiers (Hoerl, McCormack & Beck, 214). Team leaders should influence other soldiers in doing what is necessary in battle fields. However, team leaders should realize that influencing other soldiers to undertake important tasks is more than simply passing order to the juniors. Telling a team leader that I am previous heat causality may mean that the team leader is up to the expectations of the group. Team leaders should lead by example because personal examples are important than spoken words. Team, leaders should set example by taking actions on the words spoken on or off duty. Through personal examples, team leaders are able to communicate purpose, direction and motivation to the junior infantry soldiers. There are instances when the infantry soldiers may lack purpose and vision. Team leaders should ensure that subordinates have reason to act so that they can achieve the desired outcome. In addition, team leaders should use the information provided by other soldiers to provide clear purpose for their followers. Team leaders can decide to employ the direct means of conveying purpose through requests or order for what to do. Consequently, infantry officials may not be familiar with the group vision. The team leader can use vision to provide purpose to the soldiers. Every organization should have purpose which may be broader than other purpose statements. Competent team leaders know how to communicate their vision. When vision is not communicated to the soldiers appropriately, there can never be any progress in combat assignments. Information from junior infantry soldiers can be used as a means of improving on important lessons of ongoing and completed projects and missions. Team, leaders should ensure that all tools are checked. This ensure that military tools are repaired, cleaned, accounted for and are properly stored away. Poor management of combat tools leads to ineffective subsequent combats. Team leaders should be free to initiate professional discussion of particular combat event with other colleagues. The discussion should be focused on the performance standards where the soldiers are expected to discover for themselves what happened, why it happened, and how to sustain strengths as well as improve on their weaknesses. Honest feedback ensures that the team leader identifies strong areas to sustain and the areas that they need to improve. 9f the team realizes that the infantry soldiers spend more time on less important activities while neglecting others, he or she should improve the section standing operation procedures. In addition, team leaders should also counsel specific soldiers on how to carry out some combat operations better (Hoerl, McCormack & Beck, 214). Lack of command from the team leader can also be shown when a team leader is told that other infantry soldiers are previous heat causality. The team leader or the commander should have authority over the subordinates. Command from the team leader includes leadership and authority. The team leader also has responsibility and accountability for them to effectively use the available resources. Command cannot be achieved when team leaders do not plan the employment of, organizing, directing and coordinating, and controlling military forces in order to accomplish missions (Cares 114). In infantry camps, team leaders should set the standards and policies for achieving and rewarding superior performance. They should also be able to punish misconduct. Team leaders selected to lead infantry soldiers should lead beyond merely exercising formal authority. Leading by example and serving as example is the best way to achieve accomplishments. Further, team leaders should realize that their personal example and public actions carry tremendous moral force in the infantry camp (Cares 114). Team leaders should listen to their subordinates. Injuries sustained in the battle field can provide necessary information on how to avoid future injuries. The injury may be as a result of poor training, ineffective protective gear or lack of specialized machines. Subordinates are the best source of information on how to improve work conditions of soldiers. The nature of combat that infantry soldiers undertake demand that current and most sophisticated war weapons be used. The soldiers should be able to carry out their duties efficiently so that the enemy strengths are reduced (Cares 114). Works Cited Anatomy of an IOTV. A Year in the Sandbox. Retrieved from: http://www.ayearinthesandbox.com/2009/02/01/anatomy-of-an-iotv/ Baglole, Joel. “The M4 Carbine Assault Rifle-History and Future: A Widely Used Weapon,” 2012. Web. (5 July, 2012) http://usmilitary.about.com/od/armyweapons/a/m4.htm Cares Jeffrey. Distributed Network Operations: The Foundations Of Network Centric. New York. Iuniverse. 2006. Print. Headquarters Department of the Army. Soldier’s Manual of Common Tasks: Warrior Skills Level 1: Soldier Training Publication. No 21-1-SMCT. 18 June 2009. Hoerl Christoph, Mccormack Teresa & Beck Sarah. Understanding Counterfactuals, Understanding Causation. New York. Oxford University Press. 2011. Print. Johnson, Richard F., & Kobrick, John L. “Psychological Aspects of Military Performance in Hot Environments,” n.d., Web. (5 July, 2012) http://www.bordeninstitute.army.mil/published_volumes/harshEnv1/Ch4-PsychologicalAspectsofHotEnvironments.pdf Levin, Carl. Nominations Before The Senate Armed Services Committee, Second Session, 110th Congress: Hearings Before The Committee On Armed Services, U.S Senate. New York: Diane Publishing Co. 2010 Print. SOFREP. “Army Rangers Weapons & Gear,” 2012. Web. (5 July, 2012) http://sofrep.com/army-rangers/weapons-gear/ Stevenson Robert. Organizational Reaction To Social Deviance: The Military Case. New York. Algora Publishing. 2010. Print. U.S Army. US Army Infantry with IOTV Armor. Retrieved from: http://buymodels3d.blogspot.com/2012/02/us-army-infantry-with-iotv-armor.html Read More