The “Understanding the Military” text was written for mental health professionals to prepare for working with those who have served in the military. Why do you feel it is important for civilian leaders in various roles to understand the culture and practices of the military?
It is important for civilian leaders in various roles to understand the culture and practices of the military in order to collaborate and serve within the sector. Because cross-sector leadership requires communication across/between the sectors, having a basic working knowledge of traditions, general rules, jargon, and (etc.) allows for a more cohesive and clear partnership. Moreover, the military has an incredibly complex structure and each branch has differing responsibilities; with this knowledge, civilian leaders aware of military customs and hierarchy have greater potential to offer relevant outside perspectives, allowing more to be accomplished efficiently and effectively. It promotes a shared sense of responsibility for
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Additionally, there was a severe disconnect between civilians and their troops serving overseas; without a clear visual of the enemy, and casualties far from the public eye, it was easier for society to ignore the ongoing status of the war. The Department of Defense’s bureaucratic system also made this challenge so difficult by stalling progress with the sheer number of approvals and checks that every initiative had to undergo while moving up the chain of command. Plus, the budgets for each department, while not set in stone, can take years of planning and then preparation to execute. Thus, rather than spending time creating new budget plans, time is spent trying to keep the current plan afloat. Overall, Gates attributes the DoD’s shortcomings to them being “structured to plan and prepare for war but not fight