Until twenty years ago, the army profession remained a mystery to most people, only being understood by those working within the career. In 2001, the U.S. army published a white paper that refreshed and renewed our comprehension of the military by providing more current information about the profession. The publication created awareness about the army’s contributions, which had remained unknown for a long time. The white paper also created awareness regarding how the army works, hence alleviating common misunderstandings about the career. Encouraging a discussion about the army is crucial in understanding its basic foundations and the roles and responsibilities of employees and leaders in balancing between the culture, environment, and expectations from the citizens. Reading through the white paper was enlightening because it provided insights about the military and clarified what it means to be a profession of arms, the profession leaders’ balancing roles, and the HR sergeant’s roles.
Understanding the army profession is crucial in appreciating the U.S. army’s profound influence over the years. The significance of the army’s contribution over the last ten years would be lost in the absence of references such as the White Paper (U.S. Army, 2010). An in-depth analysis of the document will reveal essential information about what it means to be an army professional, how the profession’s leaders can balance their responsibilities and the duty of the human resource sergeant in the domain.
The army profession involves extensive training and orientation before a person qualifies for deployment and the eventual remuneration. According to the White Paper, the military is a well-respected career that attracts high ratings in public trust polls. Earning the public’s trust and respect is part of what it means to be a professional, and it requires discipline and adherence to ethics (U.S. Army, 2010). Practicing self-control and motivation is one of the ways that army professionals earn the trust of American citizens. Producing unique and proficient results that emphasize effectiveness over pure efficiency is another characteristic of the army as a profession (U.S. Army, 2010). High ratings in the social ranks and commanding respect require years of disciplined training and experience. Therefore, alongside other professions such as law, medicine, and theology, the army is part of the professions that society considers social trustees (U.S. Army, 2010). Motivating employees through extrinsic factors like wages, benefits, and promotions is another characteristic of being a professional. However, there is a distinctive difference between professions like the army and other regular jobs. While intrinsic factors are the primary sources of motivation for the army staff, others rely on extrinsic factors for inspiration (U.S. Army, 2010). Therefore, to be a professional, one must be intrinsically motivated instead of depending merely on extraneous factors like salaries.
Keeping the army balanced is one of the challenges that the profession’s leaders have been facing since its professionalization in the 19th century. Different leaders play critical roles in attaining various aspects of balance in the army. For example, strategic leaders, colonels, sergeant majors, and general officers are responsible for balancing the four fields of expertise with the current and future operating environment (U.S. Army, 2010). Achieving a equilibrium between the two entities ensures that the army retains its capabilities to function optimally when the nation calls for action. The leaders are also responsible for balancing the relationship between its culture and climate to achieve good bureaucracy (U.S. Army, 2010). The stability facilitates the profession’s ability to thrive and good management of institutional systems.
HR sergeants are responsible for identifying vacancies in the army and instituting the correct steps to hire qualified individuals. The sergeants develop the proper roles and responsibilities for each vacancy while specifying the academic and professional qualifications needed for each post (U.S. Army, 2010). The HR sergeants also recruit the right professionals and provide them with the necessary training and orientation. Additionally, HR sergeants develop remuneration programs for each job post, including benefits and promotions (U.S. Army, 2010). The sergeants also create the right training programs that empower the staff members with the right skills to perform optimally.
Reference
U.S. Army. (2010). An army white paper: The profession of arms. Web.