The Noncommissioned Officer and Petty Officer BACKBONE of the Armed Forces

The
“Noncommissioned officers and petty officers are truly the
Backbone of America’s military strength, and the Department of Noncommissioned Officer
and Petty Officer
Defense depends on their leadership, integrity, and dedication
to accomplish our mission. As a former Army sergeant, I know
how much trust and responsibility are placed in the hands of
our NCOs and POs. By explaining what it means to be a leader
in the strongest military in the world, this book will help ensure
that today’s and tomorrow’s noncommissioned officers and petty
officers understand the proud legacy they have inherited.”

—Chuck Hagel
Secretary of Defense

BACKBONE
of the Armed Forces
This book is presented to:

From:

Date:
 The
Noncommissioned Officer
and Petty Officer
 The
Noncommissioned Officer
and Petty Officer

Backbone
of the Armed Forces

National Defense University Press

Washington, D.C.
2013
Published in the United States by National Defense University Press. Portions of this book
may be quoted or reprinted without permission, provided that a standard source credit line is
included. NDU Press would appreciate a courtesy copy of reprints or reviews.

Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of
the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Defense Department or any
other agency of the Federal Government. Cleared for public release; distribution unlimited.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The noncommissioned officer and petty officer : backbone of the armed forces.
pages cm
“Through the direction of the Office of the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, this book was written by a team of enlisted leaders representing the U.S.
Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard with the participation and support of
the National Defense University.”
1. United States—Armed Forces—Non-commissioned officers—History. 2. United States.
Navy—Petty officers—History. 3. United States. Coast Guard—Petty officers—History. I.
United States. Office of the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
II. National Defense University Press.
UB408.N66 2013
355.3’38—dc23
2013048346

Book design by Chris Dunham, U.S. Government Printing Office

Cover concept by Hugo Cantu, U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy

National Defense University Press

260 Fifth Avenue (Building 64)
Suite 2500
Fort Lesley J. McNair
Washington, DC 20319

NDU Press publications are sold by the U.S. Government Printing Office. For ordering
information, call (202) 512–1800 or write to the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. For GPO publications online, access
its Web site at: http://bookstore.gpo.gov.
Contents

Forew ord
by General Martin E. Dempsey, USA, 18th Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Preface
by Sergeant Major Bryan B. Battaglia, USMC, Senior Enlisted
Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

Acknow led g m e n ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv

Introductio n
The Backbone of the Armed Forces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter On e
Noncommissioned Officers/Petty Officers:
Who They Are, What They Do.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter Tw o
The Profession of Arms: An Ancient and Honorable Tradition. . . . . . 19

Chapter Th re e
Steward of the Institution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Chapter F o ur
Complementing the Officer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

vii
Chapter F ive
Enabling the Force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Chapter Six
Service Identity and Joint Warfighting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Chapter Seven
International Roles.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Afterw ord
The Service Continues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Appendix A
Founding Documents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
The Declaration of Independence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
The Constitution of the United States.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Appendix B
Authorizing Statutes for the Armed Forces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Appendix C
Service Values and Creeds.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Appendix D
Code of Conduct for Members of
the United States Armed Forces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

viii
Foreword

All of us who have served in uniform—from the newest recruits to

four-star generals and admirals—have respected and learned from
the outstanding men and women who wear the chevrons, anchors,
and stripes of our noncommissioned officer and petty officer corps.
We know them to have exceptional competence, professional char-
acter, and soldierly grit—they are exemplars of our Profession of
Arms.
Through the nature of their charge, our force’s mid-level enlisted
corps bears tremendous responsibility for accomplishing the mis-
sion. Just as important, they uphold the moral obligation for the care
and success of the men and women they lead.
The mid-grade enlisted force plays a unique role within the en-
tire force. They are the frontline of our profession. They represent
our values, behaviors, and character to our most junior ranks every
day, no matter what transitions we face today or challenges we will
face. Noncommissioned officers and petty officers also safeguard the
voice of the enlisted force, informing senior leaders’ decisions with
candor and care.
Our noncommissioned officers and petty officers have chosen
the uncommon life unique to all members of the Profession of Arms,
a life of service and sacrifice, grounded in our sacred oath to defend
the Constitution. I am enormously proud of them. Their honorable
service on and off the battlefield has earned America’s respect and
trust. And the mutual trust they build with their subordinates, peers,
and superiors enables them to be the Backbone of the Armed Forces.

ix
 To the intrepid noncommissioned officers and petty officers who
will use this book to advance your careers and our profession, thank
you for your service and for the example you provide to the force.

—Martin E. Dempsey
General, U.S. Army
18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

x
Preface

Shortly after I was sworn into office by the 18th Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs in October 2011, the Chairman and I met for a discussion about
the Profession of Arms—a topic important to any of us who honorably
wear the cloth of the Nation. For quite some time before that, I had
longed for a way to capture what our nation’s noncommissioned officer
corps is all about: why they are so trusted and empowered, the pro-
fessional commitment to help achieve our nation’s objectives, and the
moral obligation to care for America’s sons and daughters who serve
in uniform. By the end of the conversation, we agreed that writing a
book about the Armed Forces noncommissioned officer and petty offi-
cer was not only the right idea but also, perhaps even more compelling,
long overdue. The basic concept was to produce a book of, by, and for
noncommissioned officers and petty officers.
On December 17, 1777, General George Washington’s army re-
turned to winter quarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, tired and with
little strategic success in their fight against the professional British
army. This period in Valley Forge proved critical for the fledgling army.
General Washington recruited a former Prussian officer, Baron Frie-
drich Wilhelm Von Steuben, as Inspector General to strengthen the
professionalism of the colonial army. Von Steuben’s training objectives
constituted the first written plan for standards, discipline, and duty for
Washington’s army, and he initiated the first training manual that out-
lined the duties and responsibilities of the noncommissioned officer.
So in an important way, December 17 is considered the birthdate of
America’s noncommissioned officer corps.
To accomplish this rather huge endeavor, I assembled a select group
of enlisted leaders, representing the five military Service branches,

xi
National Guard, and special operations forces as the primary writing
team. Managed by two co-leaders, this writing team was entrusted
with a charge: to write a book that holistically defines the nature and
calling of the U.S. Armed Forces noncommissioned officer and pet-
ty officer. Grounded in the Profession of Arms and distinctive in its
own right, this book complements the Department of Defense’s The
Armed Forces Officer, as well as the Services’ noncommissioned offi-
cer and petty officer doctrinal manuals. The writing team was charged
to make certain that their work accurately captures the attributes and
competencies of noncommissioned officers and petty officers across all
Service branches through the lenses of both war and peace. It is not a
“how to” or instructional manual. Rather, it is focused on defining and
characterizing the noncommissioned officer and petty officer.
Teamwork is a bedrock operating principle from the first day of our
military life cycle. The team of writers (listed in the acknowledgments)
worked seamlessly to produce an inspiring book about who we are,
what we do, and why we do it. They remained mindful of the differing
Service cultures and identities, and they sought to avoid an inadvertent
dilution of any particular Service’s expectations or standards. Because
the Navy and Coast Guard use the term petty officer rather than non-
commissioned officer, the authors made a conscious decision to conjoin
the terms and use the initialism NCO/PO in order to reflect the proud
heritage of these enlisted leaders and their Service cultures.
This book seeks to inspire, validate, and ultimately resonate with
every Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman, and Coastguardsman—past,
present, and future. It aims to pay appropriate tribute to the contribu-
tions of NCOs/POs in each branch of the Armed Forces.
All of us who were involved in producing this book hope that it
finds a spot on your nightstand, qualifies for a place on a command-
er’s reading list, and becomes a standard text for the various enlisted
leadership academies. We want the book to serve as a working tool to
renew our commitment to our profession. We would like it to be read
not only by serving and former NCOs/POs but also by all junior enlist-
ed aspiring to become enlisted leaders. We would like it to be digested
by our officer corps so that they may fully recognize what our enlisted
leaders bring to the units and organizations in which they serve. We
hope our military veterans will treasure this book as they look back

xii
with pride on their own service to the Nation. Finally, we hope that our
comrades in arms in other nations, who are an important part of our
history, will likewise benefit from reading this book.
As I reflect on all that our Servicemembers do in the defense of the
Nation, I am extremely humbled by their dedication to duty and their
sacrifice. These patriots, whom I have served alongside—and served—
during my career, obligate themselves to lead, motivate, develop, and
achieve.
As you read this book, I believe you will see that it encapsulates
why our noncommissioned officers and petty officers still proudly car-
ry the torch as the Backbone of our Armed Forces.

—Bryan B. Battaglia
Sergeant Major, U.S. Marines
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

xiii
Acknowledgments

Through the direction of the Office of the Senior Enlisted Advisor to

the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this book was written by a
team of enlisted leaders representing the U.S. Army, Marine Corps,
Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard with the participation and support
of the National Defense University. This enduring project—to define
and holistically characterize the role of the noncommissioned officer/
petty officer in the Armed Forces—proved a daunting one but long
overdue.
All members of the writing team, except one, were serving or
retired NCOs/POs. They represented the Active and Reserve com-
ponents, including the Army and Air National Guards. The military
authors’ specialties and backgrounds covered a wide array of conven-
tional and special operations, each with extensive experience in Ser-
vice, joint, and coalition formations during national crisis, war, and
peace. Co-leaders and members of the writing team (with their orga-
nization affiliations when they worked on this project) are:

Co-leaders:
Chief Master Sergeant Curtis L. Brownhill, USAF (Ret.), former
U.S. Central Command Senior Enlisted Advisor
Dr. Albert C. Pierce, Professor of Ethics and National Security,
National Defense University

Writing team members:

Command Master Chief (SS/EXW) Donald B. Able, USN, Deputy
Director, U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy

xiv
 Command Chief Master Sergeant Reginald Edwards, USAF,
District of Columbia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader
Command Sergeant Major Richard Espinoza, USA, District of
Columbia National Guard, Land Component Command
Master Gunnery Sergeant Andrew Hampton, USMC, Second
Marine Division, G3 Operations
Master Sergeant James P. Horvath, USMC, Joint Special Operations
Forces Senior Enlisted Academy, Special Operations Command
Master Sergeant Douglas J. Schmidt, USAF, Instructional Systems
Designer, NCO Academy Curriculum, Thomas N. Barnes Center for
Enlisted Education
Master Sergeant Joel C. Zecca, USA, Director, U.S. Army Advanced
Leader Course—Common Core (DL), United States Army Sergeants
Major Academy
Chief Petty Officer C.C. Clayton, USCG, Public Affairs,
Headquarters U.S. Coast Guard

The members of the writing team wish to thank and commend

several individuals and organizations for their outstanding contribu-
tions to this project:

NDU Press, especially Dr. Jeffrey D. Smotherman for his superb

editing
General Richard B. Myers, USAF (Ret.), Command Sergeant
Major Jeff Mellinger, USA (Ret.), Command Sergeant Major Mark
Ripka, USA (Ret.), and Dr. Rick Swain for their executive review of
the manuscript and offering invaluable suggestions for improving the
book
GPO Creative Services, particularly Chris Dunham for his original
design work and typesetting
Hugo Cantu of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy for his
talented graphic support and cover concept.

xv
 David M. Sharp

Sergeant First Class Leroy Petry, USA, awarded Medal of Honor in 2009 for actions in
Afghanistan
Introduction
The Backbone of the Armed Forces

To be a member of the United States Armed Forces—to wear the uni-

form of the Nation and the stripes, chevrons, or anchors of the military
Services—is to continue a legacy of service, honor, and patriotism that
transcends generations. Answering the call to serve is to join the long
line of selfless patriots who make up the Profession of Arms. This pro-
fession does not belong solely to the United States. It stretches across
borders and time to encompass a culture of service, expertise, and, in
most cases, patriotism. Today, the Nation’s young men and women vol-
untarily take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the
United States and fall into formation with other proud and determined
individuals who have answered the call to defend freedom. This splen-
did legacy, forged in crisis and enriched during times of peace, is deep-
ly rooted in a time-tested warrior ethos. It is inspired by the notion
of contributing to something larger, deeper, and more profound than
one’s own self.
Strengthened by the diversity of its citizens, the United States re-
mains a global vanguard of freedom, democracy, human rights, and
opportunity. The monumental task of keeping the Nation secure, pro-
tecting its citizens, and assisting in crisis across the globe often falls
on the shoulders of the United States Armed Forces. Comprised of Ac-
tive-duty, Reserve, and National Guard components, today’s all-vol-
unteer Total Force is led by committed and trusted leaders—officers
and noncommissioned officers (NCOs)/petty officers (POs) who em-
body the discipline, intellect, and fortitude needed to support our na-
tional security strategy and help achieve its national objectives. Theirs

1
is a solemn obligation fortified by the sacred trust of the American
people. This trust looks not only for well-planned execution of mil-
itary operations and responsible management of national resources,
but also for the care of its most precious treasure—America’s sons and
daughters.
At the beginning of this project, the writing team crafted a para-
graph to define and characterize NCOs/POs. The book drew its shape
and focus from this original paragraph:

As an enlisted member in the Armed Forces of the United

States, you are a member of the Profession of Arms and have
taken an oath of enlistment to support and defend the Consti-
tution. When you become a Noncommissioned Officer or Petty
Officer, you are then an empowered and trusted leader in Amer-
ica’s all-volunteer force. As a leader and technical expert, you
enhance organizational effectiveness and directly contribute
to mission success. Innovative, adaptive, and resilient, you are
the indispensable link between command guidance and execu-
tion, ensuring that each task is fully understood and supervised
through completion. You are responsible and accountable for the
development and welfare of your subordinates. You teach, coach,
and mentor them. As a steward of the institution, you enforce its
standards and are its ambassador to the world.

The writing team concluded that NCOs/POs are the bridging lead-
ers within every Service branch. The dual roles of NCOs/POs may be
best described as “complement the officer, enable the force.” How both
are done by the NCO/PO is much more art than science. The collective
capacity of the NCO/PO ranks, junior to senior, forms a distinct and
invaluable leadership cadre that balances artfully between mission and
people. NCOs/POs possess professional qualities, competencies, and
traits that complement the officer corps and enable the enlisted force.
They are trusted and empowered leaders in the Profession of Arms—
the Backbone of the Armed Forces.
This book aims to define and illustrate who NCOs/POs are, what
they do, and why they are a critical enabler within the Armed Forces.

2
Each chapter builds upon concepts and foundations from other chap-
ters, offering a continuity of core ideas. If the authors have been suc-
cessful, the audience should conclude not only that NCOs/POs are
bona fide members of the Profession of Arms, but also that, given their
extraordinary roles and responsibilities, NCOs/POs are quintessential
leaders within the profession.
The clear evolution of NCOs/POs, from traditional supporting
figures to empowered and integrated leaders, spans all five military
Services. It is a product of thoughtful institutional investment and the
remarkable accomplishments over centuries of service. Today’s NCOs/
POs benefit tangibly from the legacy of those who served before. As a
result of their predecessors’ deeds and remarkable successes, today’s
NCOs/POs serve both in ways their predecessors would still recognize
and in ways almost unimaginable only a few decades ago. With one eye
on the past and one on the future, the Armed Forces have re-evaluated
the knowledge, skills, and abilities of enlisted leadership and adapted
them for current and future requirements, yielding today’s profession-
al enlisted force. As an outcome of this evolutionary effort, NCOs/POs
are now empowered to assume added roles and responsibilities—with
commensurate accountability—once reserved for the commissioned
officer corps in each Service.
American NCOs/POs are distinctive in the global Profession of
Arms. This is a result of their common professional education, train-
ing, and development. NCOs/POs are expected to do the right thing
for the right reasons, irrespective of influence, complexity, or urgency.
This high degree of trust and confidence is institutionalized within
the Armed Forces by both superior officers and the enlisted men and
women whom NCOs/POs are responsible for developing and leading.
General James N. Mattis, USMC (Ret.), aptly described why the
Nation needs its Armed Forces: “We’re going to have to fight to defend
this experiment we call ‘America,’ to see if a government of the people,
by the people and for the people can survive in an inhospitable envi-
ronment. If we want the values that grew out of the Enlightenment
to survive, we’re going to have to fight.” This means to fight for the
Nation and to maintain the honor and reputation of the Profession of
Arms. The lineage of the Profession of Arms and the Armed Forces
of the United States has been fortified by millions of uniformed men

3
and women. Many have paid the price of anguish, pain, blood, limb,
and life. And many others carry invisible scars from the weight of war,
conflict, and service around the globe.
America’s corps of enlisted leaders and its longstanding reputation
have been forged by patriotic men and women maintaining unwav-
ering standards during extraordinary times, and by those who have
carried the colors forward into past battles, campaigns, and wars on
behalf of the Nation. The “Gold Star” mother, who has endured the im-
mense burden of sacrifice within her family, must find comfort in the
knowledge that her country’s Armed Forces will continue to protect
the Nation from tyranny and oppression, and that her son or daughter
was entrusted to and led by the finest leaders, the noncommissioned
officers and petty officers.
Ultimately, this book belongs to the U.S. military’s noncommis-
sioned officers and petty officers—past, present, and future. With great
respect and admiration to those who have ever worn—and to those
who aspire to wear—stripes, chevrons, or anchors, the dedicated writ-
ing team humbly presents this book as an inspiring testament about
the Backbone of the Armed Forces.

4
 James Cox

Fighting with 2nd Infantry Division north of the Chongchon River, Sergeant First Class
Major Cleveland, weapons squad leader, points out communist-led North Korean posi-
tion to his machinegun crew, November 20, 1950
 Cha p te r one

Noncommissioned Officers/
Petty Officers: Who They Are,
What They Do

As we finished another evening meal at this forward operating

base, I was drawn to a familiar commotion. A U.S. Army gun
truck team led by a staff sergeant arrived barely in time to catch
a late dinner. It was obvious this team had just returned from
another grueling combat mission on the road. They looked tired,
tattered, and hungry. Still wearing full body armor and carrying
their rifles properly slung and secured, they made their way to
the meal line. The NCO stayed back, allowing his team to get
their meals and eat first. As the most junior ranking member,
a private first class, passed him, the sergeant placed a comfort-
ing hand on the young man’s shoulder and asked, “Hanging in
there, Adams?” “Hooah, staff sergeant,” the Soldier replied re-
assuringly as he grabbed a tray and utensils. The staff sergeant
was the last to join his team at their table. They enjoyed a brief
time of comradeship as he quickly scoffed down his meal, and
within minutes, began gathering his equipment. Standing back
up, he informed the men that he was off to brief battalion, plac-
ing his next ranking sergeant in charge, and leaving in a hurry.
I often find myself thinking back to that deployment and
to that evening. I admired the solidarity and cohesion that ex-
isted among that gun truck unit and the comportment of that
NCO. It was apparent to me that he was the mainstay of that
team. He demonstrated competence, confidence, and a tireless

7
 sense of duty to his cause, his command, and his comrades in
arms. He placed the needs and well-being of his team ahead of
his own, without sacrificing established standards, discipline, or
ethical behavior. He served not only as a leader to his men, but
a follower to his leadership. He embodied the strength, versatil-
ity, selflessness, grit, and dedication of the enlisted military pro-
fessional, and he personified the reason why noncommissioned
officers and petty officers are, indeed, the Backbone of the U.S.
Armed Forces.

This personal account from a senior noncommissioned officer

who observed the scene is just one depiction of the noncommissioned
officer/petty officer in action, as seen through the eyes of a fellow Ser-
vicemember. Similar stories of NCO/PO dedication are found in the
memories of veterans of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam
War, and other conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries. Not all of these
stories unfold in a war zone; some occurred in stateside barracks, on
ships in homeport, and at airbases around the globe. But what do they
have in common?
Regardless of Service, every NCO/PO shares a core essence and an-
cestry grounded in ready obedience, selfless dedication, and uncompro-
mising integrity. As stewards of the enlisted force, NCOs/POs serve as
protectors, guides, and guardians to America’s sons and daughters who
have committed themselves to defending the Constitution, as well as the
Nation’s values, freedoms, and way of life. They are responsible for devel-
oping, preparing, sustaining, and advancing the enlisted force to meet
the challenges of the 21st-century global security environment. Whether
viewed through the eyes of a fellow enlisted Servicemember, commis-
sioned officer, retired veteran, citizen of a foreign nation, parent, spouse,
or child, today’s NCOs/POs are the quintessential leaders to their subor-
dinates, loyal followers to their leaders, and an inspiration to all.

The Servant-Leader

The Armed Forces preserve a legacy of loyalty, honor, commitment,

and perseverance that has stood the test of time and the hardships of
conflict and chaos. A deeper look reveals the rich history of the NCO/

8
PO in shouldering immense responsibility as trusted leaders and serv-
ing proudly at the forefront. The trust, granted by their commands
and witnessed by the American people, relies on their conduct and
character to ensure that the members of the Armed Forces perform to
the standards expected of them. As empowered leaders of the enlisted
force, NCOs/POs are in the most advantageous position to influence,
motivate, and develop their Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, and
Coastguardsmen so that they enthusiastically want to work toward
and achieve the goals established for the common good. As disciplined
and devoted professionals, they follow orders and faithfully carry out
responsibilities while ensuring that they themselves, and the men and
women in their charge, comply with all laws and regulations and exer-
cise sound moral reasoning to ensure highly ethical conduct.
From the most junior NCO/PO to the most senior enlisted advisors
across the five Service branches, NCOs/POs are skilled and profession-
al leaders, critical to all levels of military organization and command.
While all those who have successfully completed initial military train-
ing have proudly earned the title of Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman,
or Coastguardsman, NCOs/POs are the specially trusted leaders who
provide an indispensable and irreplaceable linkage between command
guidance and mission execution. They are the competent, credible, and
capable servant-leaders who influence and impact every aspect of an
organization’s operations, administration, and climate. They embody
and enforce high standards and live by an austere code of conduct,
maintaining an ethical and moral high ground and unwavering ded-
ication to duty. A true and devoted NCO/PO is the embodiment of
responsibility and accountability, never shirking his duty.
As technical and functional experts, specialized practitioners,
and advisors steeped in tactics, techniques, and procedures, NCOs/
POs carry out both the art and the science of the Profession of Arms.
Subordinates and commanders alike draw upon enlisted leaders’ ex-
pertise and experience to achieve mission objectives and depend on
them as leaders and managers. NCOs/POs are expected to acquire
and employ applicable resources efficiently and effectively, to think
critically to prevent and solve problems. Moreover, they must be able
to communicate continually up, down, and across Service, joint,
and coalition chains of command. They accrue extensive practical

9
experience and specialized training, professional military education,
and mentoring, all of which further enhance their capabilities. It is
through this dynamic process of development and maturation that
NCOs/POs emerge from the ranks as the most seasoned Servicemem-
bers capable of not only leading the enlisted force of today but also
developing military leaders for tomorrow.
Heroic and righteous acts of selfless physical and moral courage
highlight the history and fidelity of the NCO/PO—sometimes incredi-
ble deeds performed for the sake of their fellow Servicemembers, their
nation, and its vital interests. But NCOs/POs contribute every day, in
ways small and large, obvious and subtle, in war and in peace, overseas
and at home. Each action, decision, and behavior is a reflection of that
individual military member’s character and professionalism. NCOs/
POs cultivate the virtues of decency, fairness, honesty, humility, integ-
rity, and valor through their own actions—by walking the walk, not
simply talking the talk. They play a vital role in upholding the tradition
and image of the Profession of Arms by instilling its noble qualities in
others. It is the skill and character of NCOs/POs that earn the admira-
tion, trust, and respect of their subordinates, peers, superiors, and the
American people.
The will to serve in the U.S. military is ignited by an unmatched
desire to safeguard the life, liberty, and freedom that all Americans
cherish, and others may envy. The patriotic flame that burns within
every Servicemember is sometimes threatened and can occasionally
flicker from the rigors and realities of the arduous lifestyle in the U.S.
military, but it will never be extinguished. America’s military serves
around the world, often in uncertain and dangerous situations far
from the comforts of home. Such circumstances test resilience, will,
and wits. Commanders and subordinates alike count on the exper-
tise and perseverance of their NCOs/POs to ensure that the enlisted
force is physically and mentally prepared to face the rigors and chal-
lenges of high-tempo operations and expeditionary environments, as
well as seeing to the more routine yet important work of providing
training, maintenance, and professional development of subordinates.
NCOs/POs nurture individual and organizational well-being by gen-
uinely caring for their subordinates and promoting morale and esprit
de corps within their units. They demonstrate compassion, empathy,

10
and support for fellow Servicemembers and their families who may
be struggling with adversity and loss. They foster programs and activi-
ties that promote camaraderie, a healthy social support network, and a
sense of belonging within and beyond their organizations.

NCOs/POs in the Organization

Noncommissioned officers/petty officers are the leadership cadre that

ensures the mission of the unit or organization can and will be accom-
plished. They do so by sustaining and motivating the enlisted force. By
teaching, coaching, and mentoring the force, and by instilling a sense
of unity, purpose, good order, and discipline—and demanding compli-
ance with standards, tradition, culture, customs, and courtesies—they
are looked upon as the organization’s pillars of strength and loyalty.
They are professional servant-leaders who are undeterred by the cha-
os, complexity, uncertainty, fog, and friction that can infiltrate the for-
mations. They have presence. When young military members look up
from a difficult task for purpose, strength, and guidance, it is the NCO/
PO they see first. NCOs/POs continually strive to attain ever higher
levels of personal, professional, and technical competence in order to
be more effective, and they inspire confidence and esprit de corps both
in those appointed over them and in those who look to them for lead-
ership. NCOs/POs influence and develop their subordinates through
personal example and engaged supervision. NCOs/POs relish taking
on challenging tasks—that is what they are developed for and trained
to do, and it is one of the many reasons they are acknowledged and
respected throughout the world.
The traits, qualities, and competencies that NCOs/POs develop
within their respective Services enable them to carry out their funda-
mental roles and responsibilities as the team-builders, force-multipli-
ers, problem-solvers, implementers, and enforcers who take plans and
orders from concept to completion. They lead and execute assigned
and implied tasks competently, without hesitation. The collective ca-
pacity of the NCO/PO ranks, junior to senior, represents a formida-
ble leadership cadre that adds value to the organization. Because they
are the leaders closest to the force, NCOs/POs have the greatest effect
on accomplishing organizational goals and achieving mission success.

11
They help to keep the organization functioning by maintaining open
and effective support channels, while efficiently conducting day-to-day
operations within the framework of prescribed policies and directives.
Most importantly, they prepare the organization for its wartime mis-
sion. NCOs/POs neither relinquish what is right nor allow deviations
from law, policies, command guidance, and established standards. At
the same time, they are expected to display insight and exercise sound
judgment and common sense, as well as ingenuity and innovation.
They take the necessary risks and are confident in seeking out the in-
puts of the team, realizing that at times the most effective ideas can
come from a subordinate closer to the problem.
NCOs/POs are a commander’s treasure, a source of seasoned
perspectives that transcends place in the organizational hierarchy, a
place neatly balanced between mission and people. They provide the
commander and officer corps with unique insights and actionable per-
spectives while also providing an enlisted voice in matters concerning
operations, administration, readiness, and the well-being of the force.
They contribute directly to the development of organizational goals,
objectives, and courses of action that enhance operational effective-
ness. Furthermore, NCOs/POs convey an essential element of expe-
rience (art) as well as skills and competencies (science) on all matters
concerning organizational capacity and command climate. They are
the trusted counselors for the commissioned leaders, enhancing the
officers’ abilities to lead and/or command effectively.
The officer-NCO/PO relationship is one of the hallmarks of the
Armed Forces and a key element in unit effectiveness. Examples in-
clude:

■■ pilot and crew chief

■■ division officer and leading petty officer
■■ platoon leader and platoon sergeant
■■ section officer-in-charge and chief petty officer
■■ flight commander and flight chief
■■ company commander and first sergeant
■■ maintenance officer and superintendent
■■ cutter commanding officer and collateral duty unit command
chief

12
 ■■ submarine captain and chief of the boat
■■ regimental commander and sergeant major
■■ brigade commander and command sergeant major
■■ wing commander and command chief master sergeant
■■ fleet commander and fleet master chief petty officer
■■ combatant commander and command senior enlisted leader
■■ Service chief and Service senior enlisted advisor
■■ Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Senior Enlisted Ad-
visor to the Chairman.

Empowered

NCOs/POs across all Services and domains are accountable for their
personal actions, as well as for the actions of their subordinates. They
are empowered with responsibilities and authorities to maintain good
order and discipline at all times. Even after normal duty hours, on
weekends, and on holidays, when NCOs/POs are out of uniform, they
remain NCOs/POs. They must carry out all obligatory and entrusted
responsibilities to ensure that standards, obedience, and discipline are
upheld at all times, both by themselves and any Servicemember within
sight or hearing. Furthermore, they are never “off duty” when it comes
to the well-being of their subordinates. Even at 0200 hours on a week-
end, the NCO/PO does not hesitate to respond to a subordinate’s crisis.
NCOs/POs are provided certain legal authorities that support
their abilities to maintain good order and discipline of the force sup-
porting the command’s mission. Under the Uniform Code of Military
Justice (UCMJ), Article 91 provides for punishment for insubordinate
conduct toward any warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty
officer. Additionally, Article 92 provides for punishment for failure to
obey an order or regulation. The NCO/PO may also be delegated au-
thorities by the commander, which are dependent on Service doctrine,
organizational position, and predetermined levels of responsibility and
accountability. For example, a Coast Guard master chief petty officer,
while serving as an officer-in-charge of a river tender, would have non-
judicial punishment authority over the crew unless it is withheld by a
superior authority. The Manual for Courts-Martial allows commanders
to empower NCOs/POs with administering extra-military instruction

13
(also known as extra training) to subordinates who need additional
tutelage and development.
Regardless of Service branch or category, the UCMJ authorizes all
noncommissioned officers/petty officers in the official performance of
their duties to place any individual under military apprehension who
appears to be in violation of the code. These examples of empowerment
and authority are not taken lightly and are one of the many tools that
make the U.S. enlisted leader unique from other nations’ militaries.
While there may be profound differences among the Services in
doctrine, culture, and identity, the various enlisted creeds all convey
the key qualities of leadership, allegiance, competency, and responsi-
bility to the profession, to the organization’s senior leadership, and to
the men and women under their charge. The various Service creeds
charge NCOs/POs to lead, develop, and inspire others to support and
defend the Constitution, keep the Nation secure, and uphold the stan-
dards of their charters (see appendix C).
The formal chain of command is a foundational feature of any mil-
itary organization. It establishes lines of authority and communication
at each echelon and assigns requisite levels of responsibility and ac-
countability for the conduct of day-to-day operations for the organiza-
tion’s garrison and wartime mission. The chain of command promotes
unity of purpose by facilitating an efficient communications process
for commanders to convey their guidance and intent (statement of
purpose) to the members of the organization, thus ensuring their or-
ders are passed down accurately and carried out effectively. It provides
a means for members of the unit to raise their concerns, achieve clarity
in complex issues, and resolve problems. NCOs/POs are an invaluable
and essential link in the chain of command. They add value and pur-
pose at every level, and as a leadership cadre they ensure the organiza-
tion remains strong and responsive.
Accountability is a keystone principle of the Profession of Arms.
It is intrinsic to each echelon of the chain of command. It ensures that
orders will be carried out and mission objectives will be achieved. In-
tegral to unity of command, accountability is related directly to po-
sitional responsibility and is deeply rooted in trust and confidence.
Each Service places extraordinary trust and confidence in its NCO/PO
corps, knowing that mission accomplishment and the lives of others

14
are at stake. Trust and confidence can be observed commonly in the
synchronized and professional relationships between officers and
NCOs/POs. In the absence of a commissioned officer in charge, the
experienced NCO/PO is assumed to possess the positional authority,
qualifications, and ability to step in and lead the mission. This concept
is an essential component of U.S. military doctrine and is vital to each
Service’s expectations for its NCOs/POs. If the platoon leader becomes
incapacitated, the platoon sergeant assumes command through mis-
sion completion or relief by higher authority. The trust and confidence
that officers have in NCOs/POs can be seen in countless instances
when a mission, operation, activity, or effort must continue in the ab-
sence of the otherwise responsible officer.
Given their experience and ability to influence and guide others,
NCOs/POs are a decisive factor in the force’s ability to forge ahead
through friction points, adversity, and uncertainty in order to accom-
plish the mission. They do so by maintaining a high degree of situa-
tional awareness and by keeping the force informed of mission pur-
pose, unit contribution, and overall effect. NCOs/POs understand
mission objectives and are adept at clarifying and accurately conveying
the commander’s guidance and intent in the face of changing condi-
tions. They do this in meaningful words with a self-assured manner
that in turn instills confidence in the force and provides an azimuth to
success. Effective organizational communications (vertical and hori-
zontal) require openness, inclusiveness, approachability, and an ability
to translate abstract issues into concrete and meaningful terms. Their
distinctive know-how also enables NCOs/POs to make sound recom-
mendations and develop and convey effective courses of action vital to
any high-performing organization. Perhaps the essence of NCO/PO
organizational communication may be summed up in the answers to
three questions: “What do I know? Who needs to know? Have I told
them—with a sense of urgency?”
The noteworthy contributions of NCOs/POs fully support and
sustain the standards of the Profession of Arms. They are competent,
credible, and capable leaders who pledge themselves to the profession,
embody its ethos, and develop and influence others to adhere to a self-
less calling of service. With commissioned officers, NCOs/POs lead
the force to provide for the common defense. They are particularly

15
responsible for the lives and welfare of their most precious charge—
the men and women they lead. NCOs/POs preserve the integrity of
the profession by keeping a discerning eye on compliance and disci-
pline, and they perform a critical role in policing the ranks as well as
developing future leaders.
Force development and sustainment are paramount leadership
priorities for NCOs/POs. They impress upon the force that the prin-
cipal requirement of the Profession of Arms is the ethical and effec-
tive application of the military element of national power. They teach,
coach, and mentor their subordinates in the art and science of armed
conflict. NCOs/POs help maintain a high quality force by ensuring that
a healthy and positive environment exists for all members. They are
intimately involved in appraising the performance of the enlisted per-
sonnel under their supervision and, when appropriate, recommending
them for retention, grade advancement, increased levels of responsi-
bility, or even discharge. They also advance the enlisted force by con-
tributing to the individual development of subordinates, conducting
enlisted professional military education programs at each level, and
fostering a continuous learning environment for both professional
and personal development. While their primary focus and efforts are
placed on leading and developing the enlisted force, NCOs/POs do
contribute significantly to the development of junior and midgrade
officers as well because of their knowledge, experience, and insights.
The Profession of Arms is unique in the sense that even the longest
military career is short compared to most other recognized profes-
sions. Relatively young NCOs/POs lead a dynamic force that includes
a disproportionate share of even younger, less experienced men and
women. As the stewards of the institution, NCOs/POs ensure conti-
nuity of military traditions, culture, identity, standards, and methods
of operating as new generations fall into formation. By exercising the
principle of bridging the basics, the NCO/PO perpetuates the legacy
of service by the increasingly bright, committed, and capable future
generations who will proudly wear the cloth of the Nation. No matter
what their age or experience, all members of the Profession of Arms
will follow an engaged NCO/PO who works tirelessly to enhance the
effectiveness of the organization—and who genuinely cares for and ap-
preciates the contributions and sacrifices of its members.

16
 Few volunteer to serve the Nation in the Armed Forces, and even
fewer are selected to be its trusted leaders. NCOs/POs carry out this
enormous responsibility by maintaining a unique balance between
mission and people, along with steadfast commitment and vigor that
neither waver nor yield in the face of uncertainty or complexity.
Serving as an NCO/PO is not for the faint of heart. It is a daunting
responsibility and a way of life that calls for substantial sacrifice and
unfailing loyalty. Despite all this, the men and women who wear these
ranks do so with boundless discipline, obedience, commitment, and
enthusiasm. From the inception of the Continental Army in 1775 to
the collective capacity of the interoperable Armed Forces today, Amer-
ica’s NCOs/POs have established their legacy as servant-leaders. An in-
dispensable link between mission command and execution, they serve
as force enablers leading by example. Our nation’s citizens look to the
Armed Forces as the vanguard of freedom and to its noncommissioned
officers/petty officers as the Backbone of that force.

17
 James R. Evans

Captain Bruce H. Lindsey, left, commanding officer of the USS Carl Vinson (CVN
70), administers Oath of Enlistment to Sailors during a ceremony at the USS Arizona
Memorial in Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii, June 9, 2011. The Sailors are,
left to right, Quartermaster 1st Class Reed T. Gonzales, Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class
John C. Anthony, Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Sarah M. Peachey, and
Aviation Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Jason C. Evans
 Cha p te r Two

The Profession of Arms:

An Ancient and Honorable
Tradition

The Profession of Arms is much older than our young country. The
profession emerged over the centuries, arising from the need to defend
a nation’s territory, culture, ideals, and people. Its members were the
noble few who stood for what was morally right and ethically just, who
endured the burdens, and who fought to defend their nation’s interests
or to shield those who could not protect themselves:

From the beginning of man’s recorded history physical force, or

the threat of it, has always been freely applied to the resolution of
social problems. The function of the profession of arms is the or-
dered application of force in the resolution of a social problem. It
has evolved into a profession, not only in the wider sense of what
is professed, but in the narrower sense of an occupation with a
distinguishable corpus of specific technical knowledge and doc-
trine, a more or less exclusive group coherence, a complex of in-
stitutions peculiar to itself, an educational pattern adapted to its
own specific needs, a career structure of its own and a distinct
place in the society which has brought it forth.1

Those who answer this call and embody the warrior spirit are the few
who are prepared to give what President Abraham Lincoln described
as their “last full measure of devotion” in order to serve a higher cause.2

19
The Profession of Arms in the United States

Those who proudly wear the uniforms of the U.S. Armed Forces are
steeped in that broader history and tradition, but they are also the in-
heritors of the unique tradition of the Profession of Arms in the United
States that dates back to the earliest days of the Republic, and in the
case of the National Guard units, beyond. Before the American Revo-
lution, colonial towns mustered a militia when needed. At the onset of
the Revolutionary War, the 13 colonies had only militias comprised of
more or less unskilled troops to defend against a professionally trained
British army. Once the war began, the Continental Congress created a
Continental Army on June 14, 1775, and established an initial enlist-
ment of 1 year. Later, when the Founding Fathers wrote the Preamble
to the Constitution, they identified the fundamental requirements of
a national government. Providing for the common defense was fourth
among them:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more per-

fect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, pro-
vide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and
secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do
ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of
America.3

Article I, Section 8, and Article II, Section 2, provide the consti-

tutional framework for the Armed Forces of the United States. The
Army, Marine Corps, and Navy predate the Constitution. The Coast
Guard came a bit later, and the Air Force emerged in 1947 as a separate
Service after World War II. Though young compared to some allied
militaries, the U.S. military has formally existed for over two centuries.
The U.S. Armed Forces have continually evolved through advance-
ments in education, training, and professional development.
On his first day as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
General Martin E. Dempsey wrote a letter to the Joint Force in which
he addressed his view on the Profession of Arms in the United States:
“We must renew our commitment to the Profession of Arms. We’re
not a profession simply because we say we’re a profession. We must

20
continue to learn, to understand, and to promote the knowledge, skills,
attributes, and behaviors that define us as a profession.”4
But what constitutes a profession? A profession is made up of prac-
titioners performing a kind of knowledge-based work in which the
workers enjoy a high degree of independence in application of partic-
ular skills. A profession generally has four basic elements: a specialized
practical expertise, an acknowledged responsibility to society, a sense
of corporateness, and a professional ethos.5
First, a profession possesses a specialized body of theoretical and
practical knowledge developed through extensive education, training,
and experience. The military’s core expertise is in the ethical appli-
cation of force on behalf of the Nation. This work of developing and
conveying a body of knowledge takes place in military schoolhouses
throughout a career. This learning journey is guided by an established
or “doctrinal” plan of continuous education and professional develop-
ment that unfolds as one advances in the profession. As the operating
environment evolves and technology advances, the learning process
must adapt.
Second, a profession has an acknowledged responsibility to pro-
vide an important and specialized service to the larger society. In the
case of the medical profession, the service is preserving and enhancing
the health of the population. In the Profession of Arms, it is providing
for “the common defence” by prevention and deterrence of war and, if
necessary, facing adversaries through kinetic and nonkinetic means in
order to achieve national objectives. Every profession has, in effect, a
compact with the larger society. Society grants the profession certain
powers, privileges, and prerogatives not normally granted to others;
in exchange, the profession provides reliable and longstanding service
to society. Most particularly, members of professions are granted wide
discretionary latitude in performance of their specialist duties.
Third, a profession generally has a sense of corporateness, a shared
sense of mutual identity. This includes having a formally recognized
role in determining, within limits, who may enter the profession and
who may remain in it. Members of the profession certify and cre-
dential individual professionals at appropriate levels of competence
within their specialized fields of knowledge. The levels of certification
and expertise often reflect the progression within a profession. This

21
progression reflects the older notion of apprentice, journeyman, and
master. This certification is seen at every skill level within military oc-
cupational specialties, as well as in professional military education in-
stitutions for both specialized and general skills.
The fourth and final element of a profession is that it generally has
a commonly accepted ethos, an ethical framework or code that guides
and governs the behavior of its membership. The ethos binds members
together in a common calling. The Profession of Arms shares a warrior
ethos. The fundamental ideals and virtues of the Profession of Arms
transcend time and cultures. Among these, but not all inclusive, are
discipline, courage, honor, loyalty, duty, integrity, and endurance. In
the United States, the members of this noble profession are held to a
higher standard of conduct than most of their fellow citizens. They are
required to follow a unique set of laws and a code that guides them
morally and ethically, while preparing for—and during—the heat of
battle. This code is what separates them from mere criminals, savages,
mercenaries, and terrorists. They bear arms and share risks out of ne-
cessity at the call of their nation, not out of enjoyment or uncivilized
greed. For U.S. military personnel, the requirements of the Uniform
Code of Military Justice, the six articles of the U.S. Armed Forces Code
of Conduct, and the respective Service creeds and core values guide
and govern professional behavior. The Oath of Enlistment formalizes
the commitment each military member assumes:

I, ________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support

and defend the Constitution of the United States against all
enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and
allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the
President of the United States and the orders of the officers ap-
pointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code
of Military Justice. So help me God.6

The Oath of Enlistment has endured the test of time as a public

acknowledgment of an obligation to support and defend the Consti-
tution at all costs. The first pre-constitutional oath was established by
the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War to enlist men
into the Continental Army. Our forefathers saw the need for an oath

22
to renounce any residual obligations of allegiance to King George III
and to ensure loyalty to the newly formed Continental Congress. Two
oaths were established on June 14, 1775, one for enlisted and one for
officers. The enlisted oath has slightly evolved over time, but the power
within the message has remained consistent. Pronounced aloud, it is a
public manifestation of the solemn commitment each military mem-
ber makes to support and defend the Constitution. The swearing of
the oath is done ceremonially. Traditionally, there is a U.S. flag at the
site, and upon conclusion of the oath, there is a handshake of congrat-
ulations between the administering officer and the enlistee. The flag
represents the Nation the new military member promises to serve.
Those who take this oath share a bond of dedication and service
in which they legitimately take great pride. The first Senior Enlisted
Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Command Ser-
geant Major William Gainey, USA, spoke of this pride in remarks to a
group of noncommissioned officers: “You are the people who give this
country and its people their freedoms. . . . Always remember when
people ask you what you do for a living to hold your head up high, look
them square in the eye, and say with pride ‘I’m in the military.’ Pride
is contagious.”7
Out of our entire nation and its territories, only a small percentage
of citizens answer the call to enlist as members of the Profession of
Arms. Since 1973, they have done so voluntarily. Servicemembers near
the end of their contract, if the nature of their service warrants it, have
the ability to re-enlist and renew their commitment. This usually has a
reinvigorating effect on the Servicemembers, their comrades in arms,
and their families. The individual Services re-enlist their members, but
they retain their families. Re-enlistment is a reciprocal display of trust
and cohesion between the military family and the Service, as both of
them share the member.
NCOs/POs play an important role in the re-enlistment process.
They act as moral guides and help junior enlisted Servicemembers bal-
ance the demands of life, family, and the continuous commitment to
the Nation. They are the eyes and ears of their commanders and have
a responsibility to the readiness of the organization. They have a rele-
vant say in who is best qualified for continued service. This is another
dimension of the special bond and relationship between the NCO/PO

23
and officer. NCOs/POs mentor junior enlisted Servicemembers and
participate in the retention decisionmaking process.
Re-enlisting and renewing the commitment is a very special oc-
casion. Servicemembers traditionally get to pick where and how they
want to re-enlist. Some have held their ceremonies aboard aircraft and
then rappelled or parachuted out, some re-enlist underwater, others
on the battlefield, and some even at sports arenas in front of thousands
and perhaps millions. The honor and privilege of re-enlisting is just
as sacred to the re-enlisting official as it is to the re-enlisting member.
The Oath of Enlistment is the public agreement that allows one
to enter or re-enter this age-old profession. Since the beginning of the
Nation, millions have publicly professed, sworn, or affirmed the Oath
of Enlistment. The oath is a legal and binding agreement that is the
prerequisite to becoming a member of the Armed Forces. Service is
a calling, a vocation that only a small percentage of our nation will
accept in their lifetimes. Noncommissioned officers/petty officers fully
understand what it means to be a member of the Profession of Arms
and the Armed Forces of the United States.

The Journey in the Profession

Former Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth Preston described his

profession aptly: “Just as other professions have entry level or appren-
tice, mid-level or journeyman, and senior or expert levels within their
professions, we have levels of competence within our Army.”8 After
swearing/affirming the Oath of Enlistment, one has legally provid-
ed a verbal and written commitment to the U.S. Government and its
people. Certification and testing to become a full-fledged professional
member of the Armed Forces are achieved upon completion of spe-
cific basic training/boot camp where one earns the prestigious title of
Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman, or Coastguardsman. Upon graduation
and attaining that military-specific professional designation, individ-
uals have earned the basic certification as members of the Profession
of Arms. The next step in the journey is to progress to military occu-
pational specialty/rate training, after which apprentice professionals
move onto their first duty stations or ships, or if they are members of
the U.S. Armed Forces Reserve component, into a Reserve/National

24
Guard unit where they will complete skill training and begin to build
experience that will lead them to become journeymen, and potentially
masters, in the Profession of Arms.
Achieving credentials and certifications for military specialties
through either formal schooling or on the job training is challenging.
The profession demands it be that way because excellence is the stan-
dard. A vital part of reaching that standard is the presence of engaged
NCOs/POs at all levels. They are the leaders empowered by their chain
of command and trusted by the American people to uphold and en-
force the standards of the Profession of Arms.

Notes
1
General Sir John Winthrop Hackett, The Profession of Arms (New York: Mac-
millan, 1983), 9.
2
Abraham Lincoln, “Address Delivered at the Dedication of the Cemetery at
Gettysburg, 19 November 1863,” in Abraham Lincoln: Great Speeches (New York:
Dover Publications, 1991), 104.
3
The Constitution of the United States, available at <www.archives.gov/exhib-
its/charters/constitution.html>.
4
General Martin E. Dempsey, “Letter to the Joint Force,” October 1, 2011,
available at <www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2011/10/general-dempseys-letter-to-the-
joint-force/>.
5
The first three elements are borrowed from Samuel P. Huntington, The Soldier
and the State: The Theory and Politics of Civil-Military Relations (Cambridge: Belknap
Press of Harvard University Press, 1985), 8–18.
6
Oaths of Enlistment and Oaths of Office, available at <www.history.army.mil/
html/faq/oaths.html>.
7
William Gainey, “SEAC Visits Goodfellow,” Air Force Print News Today, July
2007, available at <www.goodfellow.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123063260>.
8
Kenneth O. Preston, “We Are Professionals,” The NCO Journal, February
2011, 4.

25
 Aneshea Yee
Marine Staff Sergeant Shakisha Traynham, Platoon 4032, Oscar Company, 4th Recruit
Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Is-
land, Eastern Recruiting Region, looks left to right to make sure there are no corrections
that need to be made before continuing on to the next drill movement during initial
drill, August 29, 2011, aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island
 Cha p te r T hr ee

Steward of the Institution

The scene is a grand ballroom. All eyes are glued to the center
stage where a cake, on a cart, is marched forward between two
columns of sword-carrying honor guards. The cake is beautifully
decorated. Those in attendance are in their most ceremonial uni-
forms. Around the cake is a diverse mix of personnel, young and
old, junior and senior. A Marine produces a sword from the cart
and uses it to slice the elegant cake. The first piece is presented
to the guest of honor. He takes a bite and smiles in appreciation.
As the next piece is sliced off with the sword, the narrator an-
nounces, “The next piece is presented to the oldest Marine pres-
ent. . . . Tonight the oldest Marine is Master Gunnery Sergeant
Johnson. Master Gunnery Sergeant Johnson was born 48 years
ago in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the Marine
Corps 30 years ago and is currently assigned to Headquarters
Marine Corps.” The oldest Marine present then passes his piece
of cake to the youngest Marine present. The narrator continues,
“The passing of the cake from the oldest Marine to the youngest
Marine symbolizes the passing of history and traditions from
one generation to the next. . . . The youngest Marine present
tonight is Private Jones. She was born 19 years ago in San Diego,
California. She enlisted in the Marine Corps one year ago and is
currently assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps.”

The U.S. Marine Corps birthday cake–cutting ceremony rep-

resents a larger, deeper sense of unity and purpose inherent in the Pro-
fession of Arms, which spans generations. It also exemplifies a lineage

27
of service to the Nation that embodies the unique culture and identity
of the Corps. Additionally, it draws on the ethos of the Profession of
Arms, which instills in its members a sense of pride and camaraderie,
and inspires them to undertake endeavors that may require the “last
full measure of devotion,”1 which President Lincoln saluted in his Get-
tysburg Address.
The entrusting of history, customs, traditions, and standards by one
generation to the next is a sacred duty. The institutions of the Armed
Forces are given to the current generation by the proud warriors who
came before. But these institutions do not belong to any one genera-
tion. The hallowed traditions of each Service branch belong to all the
generations that came before, those who serve now, and those who
will follow. The present generation simply preserves these treasures in
trust for the future members of the force. This makes each and every
member of the Armed Forces a steward of the institution. A steward is
a guardian, a caretaker. Stewardship refers to a responsibility to take
care of and improve something one does not own. In medieval times,
a steward cared for a lord’s household. In the end, the household is not
the steward’s to keep. The steward is expected to return the household
in as good or better a condition than when he received it.
Joining the Armed Forces is a significant event for every young
adult who dons the uniform. New members are expected to learn the
history and the way of life that define their respective Service branch-
es. Traditions are a defining part of the Profession of Arms, and they
transcend the life cycle and career of all military members, officer and
enlisted. Some traditions are presented at the time of entry into the
Armed Forces. Others are passed on and practiced later. As members
progress in their careers, they will be exposed to more traditions that
commemorate specific events, promotions to specific ranks, and pro-
fessional milestones. For example, one of the most celebrated and sig-
nificant events in the Navy and Coast Guard is the advancement to
the chief petty officer ranks in which the “Chiefs’ Mess” welcomes new
chiefs through a series of tasks and challenges. When petty officers be-
come chief petty officers, not only do their responsibilities and duties
grow, but their uniforms and social networks change as well. As mem-
bers of the Chiefs’ Mess, they have significantly greater responsibility,
as well as the support and counsel of all the senior enlisted members

28
of the command. At this point, each chief selectee has traditionally
received intense orientation and indoctrination into many proud and
storied traditions of the sea, thereby carrying on continued leadership
development and nurturing of the newest formation of chief petty of-
ficers.

Traditions

Each of the Services that comprise the Armed Forces contributes to the
defense of the Nation, its values, and its way of life. While the sum of
these Services together is greater than any of the parts, it is important
to maintain the remarkable flavor of each unique, individual Service. E
pluribus unum (Latin for “Out of many, one”) was the unofficial motto
of the United States until 1956.2 This simple phrase captures the sense
that America as a nation is derived from many sources and traditions.
It is this unity out of diversity that makes the Nation great, and it is the
same unity out of diversity that makes the U.S. military a powerful,
unified, and effective all-volunteer force.
In these early decades of the 21st century, NCOs/POs are more
likely than their predecessors to serve in joint and multinational or-
ganizations. They may even find that they are the senior enlisted rep-
resentatives of their respective Service branches, and as such it is their
responsibility to represent their Services’ traditions and standards.
In other words, individual histories, lineage, customs, and courtesies
of each Service bring unique capabilities, strengths, and pride to the
greatest and most rewarding profession in the United States. Joint as-
signments require developing an understanding and respect for differ-
ences while learning to exploit the unique strengths of each Service to
accomplish the mission. The same consideration holds when working
with foreign military services.
While forged in the fires of battle and cemented over time, the tra-
ditions of the Services continue to grow, as new traditions are born and
added over time. Although one should never forget what came before,
there are chapters yet to be written. Servicemembers will add their own
stories to the history of the Armed Forces. The Marine Corps cake-cut-
ting ceremony mentioned above was not formalized until 1952. It had
been an informal tradition conducted in various formats for decades

29
before that. Today the cake-cutting ceremony exists as a polished part
of a formal sequence with many symbolic elements.
Ceremonies are one aspect of tradition. Indeed, they are an inte-
gral part of the Profession of Arms. Young enlisted Servicemembers
may be genuinely surprised at the ceremonies and trappings of their
first promotions, while veterans after long careers may feel humbled
by the idea of formal retirement ceremonies. However, these events are
not only for the members being honored; they belong to the institution
or organization. They celebrate the life cycle of the Servicemember and
the vital continuity of the story. Just as the cake is passed from veteran
to novice in the cake-cutting ceremony, so is the mantle of respon-
sibility and leadership passed to new leaders as they rise within the
organization.
The retirement ceremony of senior noncommissioned officers and
chief petty officers is a time to reinforce the reality that the Services
they leave behind are as devoted to duty and honor as they were the
day the retiree entered. They have done their part to preserve—and
to advance—the honor of their Services. They have done their part
to build on the proud traditions. This is a time to reflect on the state
of the Service and the Nation. Retirees may justifiably feel proud that
they have kept their honor. Their successors stand ready to assume re-
sponsibility, to stand the watch, to carry on a proud tradition within
the Profession of Arms.
Customs and courtesies serve many functions for NCOs/POs.
They practice these customs not simply because they enjoy the pag-
eantry, but for deeper reasons. Repeating these traditions at prescribed
times and in precise detail is the practice of discipline. One example is
rendering honors to the colors at “Reveille” and “Retreat.” As Service-
members of units internalize these traditions, a bond grows with those
who also hold these traditions dear and thus learn why it is necessary
to preserve them. To preserve an idea, members must protect those
who value the idea. Their fellow Servicemembers share with them a
love and belief in these values, and these values build bonds that last.
This is the heart of esprit de corps, or spirit of the unit, which is the
sense of unity that leads warriors on the battlefield to believe that the
lives of those around them are more important than their own. The
Oath of Enlistment speaks of defending the Constitution against all

30
enemies foreign and domestic3 because the Constitution is the writ-
ten manifestation of the values they cherish. Article I of The Code of
Conduct states, “I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard
my Country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their
defense.”4
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the first decades of the 21st
century continued the long story of this nation and its men and wom-
en in uniform. Those who fought will join the rolls of honor with the
great warriors of the previous centuries. From these battles, and from
the heroes who fought them, will spring new traditions and new chap-
ters in the history of the Armed Forces.

Standards

Remember, too, that the company which takes pride in the snap
and accuracy with which it does things on the parade ground is
also most likely to be the company that will conform strictly to
the requirements of discipline in garrison and in the field.

—Noncommissioned Officers’ Manual, 19175

As members of the Profession of Arms, all Servicemembers are

stewards of the profession and its unique body of knowledge, the in-
dividual and collective commitment to service, and the obligation to
maintain the integrity that defines the profession. Noncommissioned
officers and petty officers do not simply ensure the continuity of this
knowledge. They also advance the art and science of the Profession
of Arms by expanding that knowledge, especially about the ultimate
activity of a military—waging war. The ancient military philosopher
Sun Tzu said of war: “It is a matter of life and death, a road to safety or
ruin. Therefore, it is a subject that must be thoroughly studied.”6 The
security of the American people, and the protection of their values and
their way of life, demands that the Armed Forces aspire to the highest
levels of professionalism.
As in every societal profession, there are those who are appointed
to ensure that their members have the required knowledge to meet the
established standard. Unique to the Profession of Arms, all NCOs/POs

31
are traditionally charged as the torch bearers who maintain and enforce
its standard. They are teachers, coaches, and mentors who pass on that
knowledge. By learning to inspect and correct the imperfections in
their subordinates, young enlisted leaders become accustomed to giv-
ing orders and holding their subordinates accountable. Those subordi-
nates in turn become accustomed to following orders and looking for
guidance from their mentors. If NCOs/POs deviate from standards,
surely their subordinates will follow. Rather, NCOs/POs must embody
the standards they wish to enforce, and thus become living examples.
This is what is meant by leading by example.
There are many ways that NCOs/POs set the example for subordi-
nates to follow. One is the wearing of their uniforms. NCOs/POs take
pride in their appearance. Their uniform is the physical embodiment of
their esprit de corps. The uniform regulations of the Navy, for instance,
point out that “uniforms are distinctive visual evidence of the author-
ity and responsibility vested in their wearer by the United States.”7 The
uniform worn by Servicemembers communicates at least three things
to an observer: the branch of Service to which they belong, the rank or
grade to which they have been appointed, and the name of the wearer.
But the smartness of the uniform is also an indicator to the observer of
the discipline and pride of the men and women who wear it. Through-
out history, units that are effective on the battlefield have also excelled
at maintaining discipline in matters of uniforms, grooming, and per-
sonal appearance. NCOs/POs ensure that their own uniforms are be-
yond reproach, leading by example, and thus they are able to positively
demand the same of the personnel they lead.
Another longstanding tradition in the Armed Forces of the Unit-
ed States is the salute. The origins of saluting are unknown. It may
be that the tradition goes all the way back to ancient Rome where it
was customary to show an open hand before approaching a public offi-
cial. Medieval knights would raise their visors when greeting a friend-
ly comrade. The practice of the salute is a sign of respect. In modern
times, the hand salute is one of the most visible and important military
courtesies, common to all Service branches.
One of the most important duties of an enlisted leader is to inspect
personnel and to enforce standards. Once NCOs/POs have shown
by personal example what they expect out of their subordinates, it is

32
equally important to inspect those personnel to ensure that the exam-
ple is followed. In combat, inspecting subordinates is a life or death
business. By ensuring that the members of a unit have all of the equip-
ment required for the mission—and that it is in good working order—
NCOs/POs ensure the effectiveness of the unit and enhance the safety
of its members. This attention to the needs of their teams strengthens
the bond among them all. As esprit de corps grows, so does the morale
of the unit, and in turn so does its effectiveness. The desire to accom-
plish the missions that NCOs/POs have been given—and to succeed
in the tasks they have trained so hard for—becomes a powerful force.
The duty of all enlisted men and women is to observe and follow
the example set by their leaders. Great leaders live the standards they
enforce. So in that leader, subordinates have a living model for how to
lead, support organizational goals, and enhance their professional and
personal lives.

Responsibility to the Unit

The foundation and driving force of the Profession of Arms are

its leaders. They provide an incalculable competitive advantage
against our adversaries. They are the builders and maintainers
of trust; they inspire others to achieve what they thought was
beyond reach; they teach and mentor their subordinates to de-
velop experts; and they uphold and enforce our ethical and mor-
al standards regardless of the situation. . . . Today we have the
finest officers and non-commissioned officers on the planet.8

—General Martin E. Dempsey

Noncommissioned officers and petty officers are the caretakers

of their units. They are especially responsible for sustaining what is
known as the command or organizational climate. Command climate
encompasses esprit de corps, that is to say, how the members feel about
their unit. The leaders of the unit nurture it through inspiration, per-
sonal example, and on-the-spot correction. Command or organization
climate includes the members’ perceptions of the commander, senior
enlisted, others in the chain of command, and unit policies. A positive

33
command climate yields the trust, pride, commitment, and unity that
enable positive action and the ability to deal with uncertainty and
change. Conversely, a negative or degraded command climate hinders
productivity, and it generates mistrust, frustration, low motivation,
and fragmentation. A negative command climate too often results in
the emergence of informal leaders who may be influential but are not
aligned with organizational goals. These disruptive voices may under-
cut the effectiveness of the appointed leadership and create additional
morale and discipline issues. The NCO/PO is best positioned to antic-
ipate these problems and best equipped to deal with them.
One role of the enlisted leader is to monitor the command cli-
mate. NCOs and POs know their people intimately; they know them as
subordinates—but NCOs/POs also know how their subordinates feel
about sports, current events, pop culture, and certainly the command.
Enlisted leaders work constantly to shape, improve, maintain, and
report the status of command climate. Enlisted leaders are the com-
mander’s eyes and ears. They are also the voice of the enlisted force to
the commander. They regularly report on the state of morale, welfare,
and discipline within the command. This is not just a litany of mi-
nor offenses. It requires context, experience, and judgment to inform
the commander of indicators of low morale, such as spikes in disci-
pline issues, or indicators of a high state of discipline, such as excel-
lent appearance and proper maintenance of equipment and resources
throughout the command. Commanders are not only looking for de-
tails. They are counting on enlisted leaders to employ critical thinking,
provide judgment as to the degree of any potential problems, advise
on how to rectify minor issues before they develop into problems, and
recommend courses of action to keep the unit operating at its peak.
Command climate is also about how the members feel the com-
mand supports their needs. This is not only about food, mail, and pay,
although those elements are important. Command climate refers spe-
cifically to commanders and the policies that they and the chain of
command enact. While the role of commanders is central, in many
ways enlisted leaders have much more influence over the command
climate. It is also the duty of NCOs/POs to ensure that the members
are receiving realistic and challenging training, which will prepare
them for success in their assigned missions. NCOs/POs show that they

34
care for the members of the command by holding them to the stan-
dard. They show that they care enough to inspect them and correct
any deficiencies they find. This kind of professionalism is a consistent
reminder to all the members that they are part of a proud organization.
They can be confident of the men and women around them in the most
perilous missions.
Even when command climate is good and things are going well, a
significant event can challenge and affect the members of the unit. For
example, unprofessional relationships may form within a command.
They may take the form of fraternization, which might seem inno-
cent enough as seniors and subordinates grow closer together, but that
could result in roles becoming confused and discipline breaking down.
It could also take the form of harassment or discrimination, which can
produce a negative atmosphere within the command. If Servicemem-
bers are the victims of racism or sexual harassment, for instance, and
they believe the chain of command is not supporting them, they could
lose faith in the chain of command. It is the duty of every NCO/PO to
be constantly on the watch for these kinds of toxic situations, which
must be addressed and corrected as promptly and effectively as possible.
Enlisted leaders care for the well-being of their personnel, which
includes caring about their families. The service and sacrifice of mili-
tary families are vital to the success of any unit. NCOs/POs are mind-
ful that while the military members make tremendous sacrifices to
serve the Nation, they can do so only with the support of their families.
Frequent and extended separations due to deployments and duty cre-
ate immense stress within families. In light of this reality, NCOs/POs
play critical roles in ensuring that families are meaningfully supported
and that quality support systems are in place during the absence of
their military members. By doing so, NCOs/POs ensure that members
can maintain their operational focus while remaining confident that
their families will be fully taken care of. Families should find comfort
in knowing that they too are contributing to a larger cause and are
an integral part of the organization. NCOs/POs stay aware of poten-
tial home, personal, or financial problems that will distract from the
mission. As the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman has pointed
out, to maintain effectiveness while ensuring the welfare of the force
and families, enlisted leaders must get better at “problem-preventing”

35
rather than our normal reactive mode of “problem-solving.”9 At times
it may be necessary to ensure that personnel have time or guidance in
order to take care of financial or medical issues within the family. This
kind of personal investment by NCOs/POs sends a clear message to
the members and their families that all of them are important.
NCOs/POs also nurture good command climate through effective
communication within the unit. They must make sure subordinates
understand how to forward productive suggestions up the chain of
command and how to address legitimate grievances. Modeling how
to provide productive feedback is another way NCOs/POs can lead by
example. They may advise their superiors in private, always respect-
ing the superior’s authority to decide and responsibility for outcomes.
At the same time, they are unfailingly supportive and loyal in public
and never undercut the chain of command, tolerate counterproductive
speech and actions, or accept attitudes that degrade esprit de corps.
If someone from outside the command is speaking disparagingly, the
NCO/PO does not tolerate any kind of unprofessional degradation of
his unit. On the other hand, losing trust and confidence that the chain
of command will do the right thing can poison a command climate.
Noncommissioned officers/petty officers are the caretakers and
stewards of the sacred traditions and history of the Armed Forces
of the United States. These traditions have been forged in the fire of
battles and honed by constant practice. Every generation of enlisted
leaders has accepted the added weight of this charge and is worthy of
it—and these leaders too will leave their Services and their professions
better than they found them.

Notes
1
Abraham Lincoln, “Address Delivered at the Dedication of the Cemetery at
Gettysburg, 19 November 1863,” in Abraham Lincoln: Great Speeches (New York:
Dover Publications, 1991), 104.
2
The United States of America did not have an official motto until 1956. “In
God We Trust” was adopted as the official motto, although many still consider “E
pluribus unum” to be a second, unofficial motto. See John D. MacArthur, “Latin Mot-
toes,” GreatSeal.com, available at <www.greatseal.com/mottoes/unum.html>.
3
Title 10 U.S. Code, Subtitle A—General Military Law, Part II—Personnel,
Chapter 31—Enlistments.
4
Executive Order 10631—Code of Conduct for members of the Armed Forces

36
of the United States, August 17, 1955, available at <www.archives.gov/federal-regis-
ter/codification/executive-order/10631.html>.
5
James A. Moss, Noncommissioned Officers’ Manual (Washington, DC: U.S.
Infantry Association, 1917), 17.
6
R.L. Cantrell, Sun Tzu on the Art of War (Arlington, VA: Center for Advan-
tage, 2003), 76.
7
Navy Personnel Command, “United States Navy Uniform Regulations,” avail-
able at <www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/uniforms/uniformregulations/
Pages/default.aspx>.
8
Martin E. Dempsey, “America’s Military—A Profession of Arms,” 4–5, avail-
able at <www.jcs.mil/content/files/2012-02/022312120752_Americas_Military_POA.
pdf>.
9
Bryan B. Battaglia, “Bridging the Basics,” Joint Force Quarterly 68 (1st Quarter
2013), 6–7.

37
 Lauren Jorgensen
Chief Petty Officer Kent Shafer of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Lieutenant
Kristopher Ensley, operations officer aboard Coast Guard Barque Eagle, discuss the
Eagle’s approach into Greenport, New York, September 20, 2012. The Eagle is the Coast
Guard’s training platform for future officers
 Cha p te r Four

Complementing the Officer

From the first moment of contact with the commander and other com-
missioned officers, noncommissioned officers/petty officers have the
opportunity to show their abilities and determination to support and
enforce the goals of the unit and to demonstrate effective leadership
of the enlisted force. By doing so over time, NCOs/POs gain the trust
of all the officers in the unit. One key competency for success in this
critical role is the ability of the noncommissioned officer/petty offi-
cer to understand, pass on, and explain the commander’s intent—that
is, “the commander’s clear and concise expression of what the force
must do and the conditions the force must establish to accomplish the
mission.”1 The ability of the NCO/PO to understand the commander’s
intent, coupled with earned trust to execute it, is the foundation of
the officer-NCO/PO relationship. This understanding greatly contrib-
utes to unity of command, ensures continuity of mission, and instills
confidence that orders will be carried out promptly and effectively.
The overall benefit from this method of operating is no disruption or
loss of momentum to the mission in the absence of the commissioned
leader. NCOs/POs make sure that the endstate will be reached in the
face of whatever contingencies arise. This well-defined and well-un-
derstood relationship reinforces unit integrity, discipline, and overall
mission accomplishment.
A positive and professional relationship between the two leaders
creates and sustains healthy and productive organizational/command
climate. These roles and responsibilities come with expectations of
performance and sacrifice. Developing a positive and professional re-
lationship between the enlisted leader and commissioned officer re-
quires diligence and frequent self-assessment. NCOs/POs who enjoy

39
a close relationship with their officers find it one of the most satisfy-
ing parts of their service. It does not, however, privilege NCOs/POs
beyond their station or position in the organization. It is important
for NCOs/POs to remain grounded in supporting the unit’s mission
by complementing their officers and enabling the force. NCOs/POs
must remember that performing the dual roles is not about them; it is
about the men and women they support and lead. In the more senior
NCO/PO ranks, a considerable amount of leeway is afforded to enlist-
ed leaders and advisors because of the stringent selection process and
their time in service, expertise, and experience.
There is but one commander of any given unit or organization.
That officer, whether a lieutenant/ensign or a general/admiral, is in
command. That officer’s corresponding NCO/PO is a principal ad-
visor, a source of competence and counsel, who enhances the offi-
cer’s ability to command effectively. If NCOs/POs understand this
time-tested concept and direct their efforts to those things that the
commander needs them to focus on and to those matters they real-
ize require their attention, they serve as force multipliers. This can
be described as the art of the officer-NCO/PO relationship. NCOs/
POs bring distinctive perspective and experience. They can assist with
critical thinking, development of courses of action, implementation of
decisions or change, and perhaps most importantly, they add the voice
of the enlisted personnel to the discussion of issues facing the chain
of command. NCOs/POs can forfeit the trusted advisor role quickly
if they do not bring professionalism, maturity, and competence to the
equation, or if they lose the proper perspective of that unique role.
They must never appear to supersede the official chain of command
or impede the force from accomplishing what needs to be done based
on orders or guidance from the commander.
The Oath of Enlistment clearly defines the relationship with of-
ficers: “obey the orders of the President of the United States and the
orders of the officers appointed over me.” Even in this new century,
with a mature all-volunteer force and substantially higher degrees of
responsibility and empowerment of NCOs/POs, it must be clearly un-
derstood that the words of that oath are sacred, enduring, and binding.
As much as some NCOs/POs prefer to use phrases such as my unit
and my decision, the reality is that it is our unit and the commander’s

40
decision. Commanders can—and often will—take into consideration
the recommendations of enlisted leaders as they are making the final
decision, but the responsibility to decide, and the expectation of loyal
obedience, remains with the commander.
In military units, newly commissioned officers, regardless of
Service, will benefit greatly from the advice and support of seasoned
enlisted leaders who will help guide them in their role as the offi-
cer-in-charge or the commander of the platoon, flight, or section.
Newly commissioned lieutenants or ensigns will become savvier over
time, and through their own experience they will gain a more refined
and informed perspective. That professional development and matu-
ration can be shaped positively by the right NCOs/POs, who can have
lasting, positive effects on those officers. At times, junior personnel
may look at senior officers and wonder why they utilize their enlisted
leaders in a certain way. Many times an officer’s desire to empower an
enlisted leader, or to minimize that enlisted leader’s role, is a reflec-
tion of that officer’s initial exposure to enlisted leadership. Officers
will indeed weigh and measure NCOs/POs based largely on their ex-
posure to NCOs/POs throughout their careers, but perhaps especially
on their earliest relationships and experiences with NCOs/POs. The
continued viability of the NCO/PO role depends to a significant de-
gree on this first officer-NCO/PO relationship.
Newly commissioned officers usually come to the fleet, company,
or squadron with an undergraduate degree but little military expe-
rience. Often the enlisted leaders in those units will have less formal
education, but they bring a wealth of experience and technical com-
petence that compensate for variances in education and narrow the
gap between them and their new officers. Because of their increased
complexity, the evolving roles and expectations of NCOs/POs in the
21st century will require increasing their civilian and professional ed-
ucation levels without disturbing proven organizational integrity or
diluting the status of either officers or enlisted personnel.
To be successful in building and sustaining this kind of relation-
ship with officers, NCOs/POs must be competent, credible, and capable.
Competent: NCOs/POs are competent both in their specific skill
sets or occupational specialties/rates and in the “tribal knowledge”
of the units and what makes them tick. They have to be technically

41
and tactically proficient, better than their subordinates and ready to
assume the next higher billet. Through their practical knowledge and
ability to apply it to any given situation, they complement their offi-
cers and enhance both their own and the officers’ performance. Taking
the time to explain—and backing up the explanation with more than
“that is the way it has always been done”—will add to the relationship
and will be instrumental in the maturation of the officers with whom
NCOs/POs serve. Through actions more than words, the enlisted-offi-
cer relationship will grow, and that growth will become the foundation
for a powerful team.
Credible: Credibility—being worthy of belief or confidence—must
be built over time and is extremely difficult to recover if lost. Especially
in times of uncertainty, the credibility of the NCO/PO will weigh heav-
ily in the officer’s decisionmaking. As with any leader, when NCOs/
POs join a military unit, parts of their careers or portfolios follow them
from previous assignments. It is during this early assessment that their
reputations and credibility are accepted—or not. This is likely the base-
line from which they build or lose credibility within the command.
Providing relevant recommendations will become natural with prepa-
ration and practice. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the
unit, and studying the mission and its people while understanding the
commander’s intent, are essential in that preparation and will assist in
gaining credibility.
Regardless of the specific issues that may arise within the organi-
zation, a strong and productive officer-NCO/PO relationship based on
trust will always contribute to success. Building and nurturing trust in
this relationship are essential to good order and discipline, and trust
is the foundation of unit effectiveness. What can be given can also be
lost or taken away, so once that trust is afforded, it must be safeguard-
ed. If that trust is ever lost due to inappropriate action, or lack of ac-
tion, it is difficult to regain. The credibility of NCOs/POs is tied to
the trust reposed in them. It starts with the officer trusting the NCO/
PO to accomplish the mission without direct or constant supervision.
The credibility of NCOs/POs grows in the eyes of officers when those
individuals demonstrate that they are trustworthy. As credibility grows
over time, so does trust. This only codifies an idea in a preceding para-
graph: actions will speak louder than words.

42
 Capable: Some NCOs/POs are competent, and some are credible,
but what brings certain NCOs/POs to the forefront is that they are
capable; that is, they are able to apply their expert knowledge (com-
petence) to real tasks in the real world. Being able to teach tactics in a
sterile environment is one thing, but can those same NCOs/POs exe-
cute those tactics when taking enemy fire? Are they capable of taking
the information and applying it under conditions of stress and con-
fusion? Capable NCOs/POs can perform at will, unsupervised, and
produce desired results. More often than not, the capability the NCO/
PO brings to the equation will be the difference between mission ac-
complishment and substandard results. When the NCO/PO possesses
a known capability that can be directed toward a problem, that capa-
bility is a force multiplier for both the commander and the unit. Much
like a good blade, it must be sharpened frequently to maintain relevan-
cy. When used but not sharpened, it becomes dull and less useful. The
most capable NCOs/POs work continually to improve their capabili-
ties, and they become increasingly useful, indeed invaluable, to their
officers, personnel, and families.
Competent, credible, and capable are the three Cs, used here to
illustrate a well-rounded formula for enlisted leaders to execute their
duties effectively. But attitude and approachability also play a signifi-
cant role in the officer-NCO/PO relationship. It is said that “amateurs
advertise.” The officers above the NCOs/POs, and the subordinates
below them, will take notice and respond positively to quality leader-
ship and a strong presence, but not to bragging or self-promotion. A
good officer-NCO/PO relationship benefits from humility. If NCOs/
POs are well versed in the Profession of Arms and have humility, their
contribution to the officer-enlisted relationship will positively reflect
throughout the command. If NCOs/POs aim for personal glory or ac-
colades, everyone around them will see it. Broadcasting one’s self-im-
age weakens leadership; it poisons the command climate. Officers ap-
preciate humility in their NCOs/POs and value the ones who allow
their abilities to speak instead of themselves. Being humble and getting
the mission done without seeking personal recognition is a testament
to the NCO/PO commitment to the Profession of Arms. This display
of selfless and humble performance will endear them to the officer and
will build trust and confidence in their relationship.

43
 Being approachable is also key when dealing with officers, subor-
dinates, and peers. NCOs/POs can be competent, credible, and capable
yet still not be approachable. Approachable enlisted leaders encourage
new officers to reach out to them to get their perspectives on issues. Un-
approachable enlisted leaders have the opposite effect and may either
unintentionally or intentionally discourage a productive officer-NCO/
PO relationship. Some may label it as “burning a bridge.” If they have
an approachable enlisted leader they can turn to, new lieutenants and
ensigns will gain wisdom and grow in their professionalism. Being ap-
proachable is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of confidence
and strength. Being approachable will facilitate synergy and help the
NCO/PO guide the officer’s decisions, thus enhancing unit cohesion
and effectiveness.
The commander and the enlisted leader have an obligation to be a
moral backstop for all members of the organization. Specifically, the
manner in which NCOs/POs behave in both their professional and
their personal lives will set an example for all who observe them. This
involves more than lip service to a policy or regulation. It encompass-
es the enlisted leader’s whole persona and will become infectious in
the organization. Doing what is right—and not what is convenient—is
a hard road to travel, but it will pay considerable dividends when eth-
ical dilemmas confront leadership. Ethically sound NCOs/POs will
become part of the conscience of the unit, and no one will want to
let them down. In essence, the NCOs/POs can be the moral compass
of the unit that will help keep it going in the right direction. It takes
moral courage to set this example, but it is well worth the effort, and it
will produce positive and lasting results for the entire force.
No man is an island and no leader—officer or enlisted—can ex-
pect or even hope to be effective, especially in moments of crisis and
during trying times, without the support, faith, and confidence of oth-
ers within the leadership team. The officer-NCO/PO relationship is a
sacred feature in the Profession of Arms. It is built on mutual recogni-
tion of their respective roles and responsibilities, and a true apprecia-
tion of the contribution of each. An officer-NCO/PO relationship can
be toxic, passive, or positive, but what each one brings to the table can
have profound and far-reaching effects, from command climate to the
overall capacity of the organization. While the relationship is a shared

44
effort, NCOs/POs are at their best when they nurture it through ex-
ample, perseverance, and persistence.

Note
1
Joint Publication 3.0, Joint Operations (Washington, DC: The Joint Staff, 2011).

45
Staff Sergeant John Wheeler teaches Corporal Cody Kapotak specifics about his military
occupation in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, August 12, 2011. SSgt Wheeler is com-
munications maintenance chief, communications platoon sergeant, electronic warfare
officer, and the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructor trainer for 1st Battalion,
3rd Marine Regiment (1/3). This deployment is his first time to Afghanistan, but his
third deployment. Cpl Kapotak is communications maintenance noncommissioned
officer for 1/3.
 Cha p te r Fi ve

Enabling the Force

Enabling the force is one of the most important functions and respon-
sibilities of noncommissioned officers/petty officers. All noncommis-
sioned officers/petty officers are responsible and accountable for their
own development, but most importantly they are responsible for the
development of their subordinates. They contribute to the develop-
ment of their peers collaterally, and in many important ways they con-
tribute to the development of the officers with whom they serve. As
Chief Master Sergeant Denise M. Jelinski-Hall, USAF, former Senior
Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau, noted, the effort is
well worth it: “Investing daily in . . . personal growth will yield extraor-
dinary success.” From using creative and critical thinking to identify
needs and courses of action to teaching “how we do something” and
“why we do something,” NCOs/POs are the key players in the develop-
ment, advancement, and sustainment of the force.
Leadership, regardless of level or status, involves managing tasks
and relationships. NCOs/POs take the lead in helping their junior
enlisted members focus on the task at hand, perform their duties to
the best of their abilities, and develop productive relationships with
the other members of the organization. NCOs/POs must understand
themselves, their peers, their superiors, and most importantly the peo-
ple they lead if they are to develop their subordinates into better fol-
lowers and, ultimately, effective leaders.
Great leaders understand the importance of developing and main-
taining professional relationships. These relationships allow leaders
to understand the wants and needs of their followers and to ensure
that the members of the force are properly cared for at work and at
home. This attention promotes a resilient force capable of dealing with

47
adversity. The bottom line is that leaders take care of their people so
their people can take care of the mission.
The U.S. Armed Forces are developed from within. Senior leaders
are not hired from outside the organization; they rise from within their
Services over entire careers. Therefore, it is incumbent upon leaders to
develop subordinates who will one day be the successors to the very
leaders who trained them. To this end, NCOs/POs develop their sub-
ordinates through teaching, coaching, and mentoring.

Teaching

Teaching—the imparting of information and knowledge—is a prima-

ry function for enlisted leaders. They are the teachers, and their sub-
ordinates are their students. In this relationship, NCOs/POs possess
the necessary information and knowledge their subordinates need
to succeed. They ensure that their subordinates possess the requisite
knowledge for the day-to-day operations of the command or unit. This
involves more than just teaching the technical aspects of their jobs.
NCOs/POs ensure that their subordinates are properly developed in
all aspects of their lives in order to accomplish their missions. Basic
life skills such as individual and family financial planning and man-
agement, and mental and physical preparedness, all contribute to the
mission readiness of individual Servicemembers.
The most essential subject matter that NCOs/POs teach is the sci-
ence of the Profession of Arms—the basics, the nuts and bolts of mil-
itary skills and competencies. Developing and honing proficiency in
individual military skills and specialty expertise represent the sweet
spot of NCO/PO roles and responsibilities.

Coaching

While teaching imparts information and knowledge, coaching focus-

es on developing and refining skills. Coaching involves overseeing the
repetitive practice of skills until they are mastered. A key component
of coaching is leaders’ praise and constructive criticism of their subor-
dinates. Coaching involves the determined effort to help subordinates
develop the desire and capacity to achieve professional and personal

48
goals. Subordinates must be motivated, and NCOs/POs provide the in-
spiration. Enlisted leaders are role models for their subordinates. For-
bidden in the teachings of any military leadership guide is the slogan,
“Do as I say, not as I do.” Rather, the enlisted leader leads by example.
Said in simpler form, NCOs/POs live a life ready for inspection.
NCOs/POs develop specific job-related competencies for their
subordinates and work with them to clarify and refine their short- and
long-term career and life goals. Helping subordinates develop strate-
gies to deal with difficult people, and to manage difficult emotions in
the workplace, is critical. Coaches provide feedback and encourage-
ment. The endstate is learning, competence, and confidence.
The adage “watch one, do one, teach one” is paramount. Coaching
is collaborative: leaders impart the required information and knowl-
edge and then allow their subordinates to demonstrate their mastery
of it, offering positive correction where it is required. NCOs/POs also
empower their subordinates to become the coaches for the next gen-
eration.
In contrast to teaching, coaching involves a balanced mix of the
art and science of the Profession of Arms. Only when Servicemembers
have acquired the basic skills are they ready to begin to absorb the art
of the profession.

Mentoring

Teaching imparts new knowledge, and coaching develops and refines

new skills, but mentoring is the apex of subordinate development.
While there is some science involved, mentoring takes both the men-
tor and protégé deeply into the art of leadership and the Profession of
Arms. This is where wisdom enters the picture. Mentoring by more
experienced professionals enables subordinates to tap into their own
talents, traits, and resources in order to mature and develop not only
as military professionals but also as human beings. A mentor-protégé
relationship is complex, and it contains elements of both teaching
and coaching. While mentors may be assigned, the best mentors are
chosen—chosen by their subordinates because they embody the attri-
butes and qualities to emulate. Mentors are often outside the formal
chain of command, selected because of their reputation or observed

49
performance. Subordinates often seek out mentors who share com-
mon interests or values. As a mentor, an NCO/PO enhances a subordi-
nate’s knowledge and mastery of the job—and of life.
The NCO/PO mentor commits to the subordinate and vice versa
because both are looking for a sustained professional relationship that
will serve a higher purpose. For the NCO/PO, mentorship provides
an opportunity to influence and develop the full potential of others.
NCOs/POs draw on their wisdom and inherent knowledge—and those
of their subordinates—to allow the rising generation to develop and
flourish. More than skill acquisition and knowledge transfer, mentor-
ing involves cultivating the whole person—values, passions, and goals.
A mentor provides guidance and direction on setting and achieving
goals and helps subordinates become more deeply steeped in Service
cultures. The endstate is for subordinates to take on the essence of the
Service ethos—the culture, philosophy, and way of life. Subordinates
who are properly mentored are more committed not only to their ca-
reers, but also to their commands, their Services, and the Armed Forc-
es. Everyone benefits from a good mentoring relationship.

Critical Thinking

One important aspect of professional and personal development is

nurturing critical thinking, which involves developing and maintain-
ing an analytical attitude. Responding to life-and-death situations—
flooding on a ship, an aircraft emergency, or a firefight—calls primarily
for reactive thinking, drawing on training and experience to make a
sound split-second decision. In contrast, critical thinking is a more
deliberate contemplation of decisions and anticipation of possible
courses of action, and accordingly it yields better understanding and
stimulates creativity. Critical thinking is a process by which leaders, as
well as subordinates, evaluate decisions and actions to answer relevant
tough questions and challenge assumptions.
Practicing critical thinking enables leaders to react more quickly,
decisively, and effectively in moments of crisis or combat. As critical
thinkers, NCOs/POs are adept at evaluating how they see the world.
Accepting the status quo as a permanent condition ensures that the
force will become stagnant. NCOs/POs challenge a specific method

50
of operating and then evaluate it critically with an eye toward greater
efficiency and effectiveness. Critical thinking is perhaps most need-
ed when someone says, “We’ve always done it this way.” This is when
asking “Why?” is paramount; this is the time to evaluate whether the
way of doing something is still practical and relevant. It then falls to
experienced and wise NCOs/POs to make sound recommendations to
their chains of command to ensure that the organization and force are
always improving.
Enlisted leaders prepare themselves and their subordinates for
the unknown. While training hones the ability to perform, education
broadens intellectual capacity. Both training and education enhance the
ability to anticipate and react to the unknown. The U.S. military owes its
success to a long history of developing its people for the unknown. Not
long ago, no one would have thought an attack over the Internet could
cripple a nation. However, great thinkers—critical thinkers—anticipat-
ed this threat and initiated training and education programs that have
enabled today’s Armed Forces to protect both space and cyber domains.
As experienced and empowered leaders, NCOs/POs evaluate situations
critically and understand the environments in which they operate. Then
they ensure that they and their subordinates are trained, educated, and
prepared to deal with unanticipated situations and scenarios.

Empowerment

People are empowered when they are encouraged to think, behave,

decide, and act on their own. This empowerment does not spring up
spontaneously. Rather, it must be fostered and instilled by leaders. Only
when that is done do individuals come to feel genuinely empowered.
This sense allows them to grow in self-confidence through a process of
continuous self-development to remain relevant and sharp. With em-
powerment comes a higher form of accountability. In the Profession
of Arms, power and accountability are inextricably linked: the more
power and responsibility individuals have, the more they are held ac-
countable. NCOs/POs are champions for empowerment within their
commands. They ensure that subordinates not only understand and
fully trust in this empowerment, but that they also put it to good use
for the benefit of the organization or unit.

51
 Self-development comes in many forms, and failure is one. Tradi-
tionally, failure is looked on as calling for punishment. In an environ-
ment of true empowerment, though, failure becomes an avenue for
self-development, with minimal outside corrective action and rarely
with punishment. Empowerment transforms shortfalls or mistakes
from an occasion for punishment into an opportunity to learn. There-
fore, NCOs/POs must adequately communicate this process to their
subordinates. Failure through malice, negligence, or gross incompe-
tence is not self-development and not part of the empowerment pro-
cess, but failure through understandable human error, used reflectively
and self-critically for learning, can be—and should be—part of the em-
powerment process.
It is up to NCOs/POs to fully understand their subordinates and
their abilities, weaknesses, and willingness to take risks. This allows
NCOs/POs to assign tasks and actions commensurate with their sub-
ordinates’ abilities. Ultimately they are training their replacements, so
they must ensure that additional opportunities open up for continuing
the development process.

Force Development

Professional and personal development of subordinates requires a bal-

ance of specialized training (qualification, certification, and readiness)
and professional education (expanding intellectual capacity) to round
out a member of the Profession of Arms. The complex and rapidly
changing environment of the 21st century calls for renewed attention
to both training and education for the enlisted force. NCOs/POs are
taking the lead in rethinking what is required for tomorrow’s military.
As stewards of the institution, NCOs/POs understand that profes-
sional development involves more than training that leads to certifica-
tion and qualification and education that leads to expanded intellec-
tual capacity. It also includes the development of mental and physical
readiness. The Profession of Arms depends on NCOs/POs to be ex-
emplary role models, specialized experts, thoughtful counselors, com-
petent career and life-skills advisors, and approachable coaches and
mentors. NCOs/POs invest in their people, and by doing so, they yield
a better professional and a better citizen. They encourage personal

52
growth through advocacy of off-duty education, realizing that a more
educated subordinate is more likely to be a more effective leader. They
lead and motivate their subordinates to meet and exceed physical stan-
dards because they know that physical fitness supports endurance and
resilience. They challenge subordinates mentally because they know
that doing so will result in a critically thinking warrior who can endure
the stress and uncertainty of combat or crisis.
NCOs/POs embody and impart unyielding moral standards and
values. They are responsible for what they do—and for what they fail to
do—and for developing subordinates to do the same through teaching,
coaching, and mentoring. As Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
James Roy stated, “The fundamental building block of leadership is
establishing, communicating, and maintaining clear standards. NCOs
are entrusted with the awesome responsibility of preparing young Ser-
vicemembers to meet joint force mission requirements.” They are guid-
ed by the importance of mission accomplishment and their responsi-
bility to develop future leaders—leaders who will assume their place
and continue to enable the force.

53
 Helene C. Stikkel

Joint Service Color Guard advances colors during retirement ceremony of Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Henry H. Shelton, Fort Myer, Virginia, October 2, 2001
 Cha p te r Si x

Service Identity and

Joint Warfighting

[Note: This chapter was first published as chapter 8, “Service Identity and
Joint Warfighting,” in The Armed Forces Officer (NDU Press and Poto-
mac Books, 2007). The original version has been modified here.]

The days of any Service (Active duty or Reserve component) operating

as a truly independent actor are gone. The five Services fight together
as a team, which means they must plan and train as a team. This in
turn means that, in order to be effective leaders, 21st-century noncom-
missioned officers/petty officers must know something about the other
Services.
Fighting, living, or operating as a joint force does not mean that all
Services play equal parts in every battle or exercise. It does mean that
they are partners in the overall business of defending the United States,
its territory, population, and national interests, and therefore the best
each has to offer must be woven into every plan, exercise, and battle.
There can be no “lone wolves” among the Services because U.S. securi-
ty cannot afford such free agency. When the Nation is threatened, the
Navy does not go to war, nor does the Army; the Nation goes to war,
using all of the Services’ capabilities in the combination that best suits
the particular threat posed and the war plan designed to defeat it.
While “jointness” has become the shorthand description for this
five-Service partnership (with its own color, purple), there is another
way to characterize the relationship among them, one with deep roots
in American history and political culture: E pluribus unum—from
many, one. Inscribed on the banner held in the beak of the eagle on

55
the Great Seal of the United States, approved by Congress on June 20,
1782, these words convey the reality that out of the original 13 colo-
nies, one nation emerged.1 The 13 new states kept their own identities,
but together they constituted one nation that was not just the sum of
the 13, but greater than the total when combined.
So, too, from five Service branches comes the one entity charged
with the defense of the Nation—the Armed Forces of the United States.
Tradition and identity, including uniforms and customs, matter. So do
the requirements generated by the distinctive roles the various Ser-
vices perform in fighting on land, at sea, in the air, and in space, and
the different capabilities they bring to the battle. Thus, the Services
keep their separate traditions and identities, their distinctive uniforms
and customs, but out of them emerges a single armed force that, be-
cause of the synergies among them, is greater, more flexible, and more
capable than the mere sum.
This book is all about being an NCO or PO in the Armed Forces of
the United States in the 21st century. This involves being a Soldier, Ma-
rine, Sailor, Airman, or Coastguardsman, each maintaining a distinc-
tive identity, but it also involves being a member of something larger.
Being a fully effective NCO or PO requires knowing one’s own Service
well (its capabilities as well as its limitations), and knowing the oth-
er Services well enough to appreciate their strengths and weaknesses,
what they bring to the fight, and how their capabilities can best mesh.
On a deeper level, each Service has its own culture. It is culture
that best defines and describes any organization. It also best defines
and describes what it means to be a member of that organization. Thus,
part of this chapter’s contribution to understanding what it means to
be an NCO or PO in the Armed Forces is to capture, albeit in snapshot
style, the culture of each of the Services. As used here, culture is taken
to have two meanings: at the organizational level, how this Service de-
fines and sees itself, and at the individual level, what it means to be a
Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman, or Coastguardsman.

Army

Army Service culture is founded on a fundamental belief in the

human dimension of war and the centrality of land combat in its

56
 prosecution. The Army sees
its two core competencies as
“[t]raining and equipping sol-
diers and growing leaders”
and “[p]roviding relevant and
ready land power to Combat-
ant Commanders as part of
the Joint Force.”2 It believes
that its purpose, as part of the
joint team, is to fight and win
the Nation’s wars. Since its
founding during the Ameri-
can Revolution, the Army has
operated in concert with allies
and the other Services. The
Army acknowledges the inter-
dependence of all the Armed
Forces, indeed their necessary
operational integration, but Soldiers cannot imagine any military
objective worth accomplishing that does not require dominance on
land—“boots on the ground,” to be decisive. Historian and veteran
T.R. Fehrenbach wrote in his history of the Korean War: “[You] may
fly over a land forever; you may bomb it, atomize it, pulverize it and
wipe it clean of life—but if you desire to defend it, protect it, and keep
it for civilization, you must do this on the ground, the way the Roman
legions did, by putting your young men into the mud.”3
Every Soldier a Warrior. The Army’s unique function is found
in Title 10, U.S. Code: “It shall be organized, trained, and equipped
primarily for prompt and sustained combat incident to operations on
land.” The Army culture puts a high premium on the quality of individ-
ual and unit endurance.
The Army perceives its operational environment to be complex
and challenging. Its ground forces are organized in a hierarchy of
headquarters, each of which controls a number of subordinate units
performing multiple coordinated tasks simultaneously. Command and
control are fragile. The risk of surprise is omnipresent, and mobili-
ty advantage is often relatively limited vis-à-vis the adversary’s. Land

57
forces fight with multiple echelons from theater commander to squad
leader, compared with two or three for sea or air forces.
The nature of land combat underscores a preference for organiza-
tional autonomy and redundancy, which tends to prejudice Soldiers
against relying on others for essential ingredients of tactical survival
and success. It also makes Army officers and NCOs instinctive plan-
ners who try to minimize chance by detailed study and anticipation.
America’s Army. The Army identifies itself intimately with the Na-
tion. Because it sees itself as a citizen force, it perceives itself to have a
unique relationship with, as well as unique obligations to, the Amer-
ican people. Officers and NCOs alike are inculcated with a sense of
obligation to ensure the Soldier’s well-being that sometimes achieves a
near parity with the obligation to accomplish assigned missions: “Mis-
sion First, People Always.”
Soldiers value doctrine, theory, and history. The Soldier prefers
troop duty to the staff, training to education, and the practical to the
theoretical. At the same time, many NCOs read some theory, and there
is always a subculture of thinkers ready to fill the pages of the Services’
professional journals. Professional schools form a central part of the
Army career for both commissioned and noncommissioned officers.
Success in the Army is built on the cult of the commander, the one
who gets things done, personally responsible for all that the unit does
or fails to do. The NCO is an integral partner in that effort.
The Army Is People. The Army views itself as the most human-cen-
tered Service, yet it demands enormous human sacrifice. The Soldier is
seen both as indomitable in battle and merciful to those in need, non-
combatants and defeated foes alike. Consider General Order 100 from
1863: “Men who take up arms against one another in public war do not
cease on this account to be moral beings responsible to one another.”4
The Army perceives itself to be an institution of values. At the core of
the Army’s self-identity is The Soldier. The Army asserts that it equips
Soldiers; it does not man equipment.
Selfless service is a core value of the Army and of the Soldier: sac-
rifice for comrades, sacrifice for country, and if necessary, wounds and
loss of life. The Tomb of the Unknowns is its most sacred monument.
At Antietam, the Soldier Monument is marked with the phrase “Not
for themselves but for their country.”

58
Marine Corps

Marines are different. They have their own air arm, and they deploy
on land and at sea. They have a hymn, not a song. Marines are differ-
ent because of their ethos. Chapter 1 of Marine Corps Warfighting
Publication 6-11, Leading Marines, is titled “Our Ethos.” The intro-
duction to that publication captures the essence of the Marine Corps
ethos:

Being a Marine comes

from the eagle, globe,
and anchor that is
tattooed on the soul
of every one of us who
wears the Marine
Corps uniform. . . .
Unlike physical or psy-
chological scars, which
over time, tend to heal
and fade in intensi-
ty, the eagle, globe,
and anchor only grow
more defined—more
intense—the longer
you are a Marine.
“Once a Marine, al-
ways a Marine.”5

That tattoo reflects a selfless spirit of being one of the few. Ask any
Marine what he or she does, and the answer will be “I’m a Marine.”
What is most important to a Marine is being a Marine, not what rank
or military occupational specialty he or she holds. It is the culture of
the Marine Corps that makes it different not only from society as a
whole, but also from the other Services. The Marine Corps is deter-
mined to be different—in military appearance, obedience to orders,
disciplined behavior, adherence to traditions, and most important,
the unyielding conviction that the Corps exists to fight. It has a deep

59
appreciation for its rich history and traditions, which instills pride
and responsibility in every Marine down to the lowest levels. Older
Marines pass the traditions of the Corps to younger ones, ensuring
they understand that the successes and sacrifices of the past set the
path for the future. Since the first two battalions of Marines were
raised by an act of the Continental Congress in 1775, many recruited
from Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, the Corps has distinguished itself
in every conflict in our nation’s history. What follows are some of the
more important characteristics that have shaped Marine Corps cul-
ture not only in the past, but also today.
Every Marine Is a Rifleman. In fact, every Marine, officer or en-
listed, is trained first to be a rifleman before being trained in any other
specialty. It is this bedrock premise and the training that goes with
it that set all Marines on a common foundation. Leaders are molded
with the same training given to those they will lead, building empathy
and understanding unattainable in the other Services. Every facet of
the Marine Corps exists to support the rifleman, and every Marine
understands that.
Taking Care of Our Own. The characteristic that best defines
Marines is selflessness—a spirit that places the self-interest of the
individual after that of the institution and the team, all working
toward a common goal. It is important that the unit succeed, not
the individual. It is common to hear Marines speak of their leaders
based on how well they take care of subordinates. “Take care of your
people” and “take care of each other” are imbued in Marines from
their first day in the Corps. Officers and NCOs eat last. They inspect
the chow hall by eating in it. They know how their troops live in
the barracks because they go there, and in the field they never have
more creature comforts than their troops do. The only privilege of
rank is that of ensuring that your subordinates are cared for. This
culture defines what the Marine Corps is and who Marines are: men
and women who exhibit extraordinary leadership and courage, both
physical and moral, shaped by their dedication to the institution and
each other.
Combined Arms Expeditionary Forces in Readiness. Opera-
tionally, there are four generally accepted characteristics that define
and describe the Marine Corps. First, although capable of deploy-

60
ing and employing by various means, the Marine specialty is am-
phibiousness: the Corps comes from the sea, thus Marines think of
themselves as “Soldiers of the Sea.” Therefore, the Service focuses
primarily on the coastal or littoral regions of the world. Second,
the Marine Corps trains and operates as a Marine Air-Ground Task
Force, a combined-arms, air-ground team, logistically self-sustain-
able for short periods of time. Third, as a force-in-readiness, the Ma-
rine Corps is a national “swing force”—forward deployed and ex-
peditionary by nature—ready to respond rapidly to crises. Fourth,
the Marine Corps considers itself a light-to-medium force, packing a
quick and lethal punch. Although prepared to operate across the full
spectrum of conflict, the Corps is more at home and most effective
as a light-to-medium force that can be on scene quickly with enough
firepower and sustainability to conduct operations as an “enabling
force” until heavier units arrive.
The Marine Corps Is Small. As part of its expeditionary nature,
the operating forces of the Marine Corps live on “camps,” not forts
or bases, and maintain a high tooth-to-tail ratio, relying on the other
Services for a large portion of logistics, transportation, education, and
combat service support. Many Marines receive specialized training at
the other Service schools. There are no Marine doctors, nurses, den-
tists, field medical corpsmen, or chaplains—all of these are provided
by the Navy. The Air Force and Navy get the Marines to the fight,
with the Army assisting toward sustainment if Marines are forward
deployed for extended periods.
Most Active-duty Marine forces are in the operating forces, with
the bulk of those forces in the Fleet Marine Forces. These operating
forces provide the combat power that is immediately available to the
combatant commanders for employment.
To Marines, expeditionary means more than just getting there
quickly. The Marines in the operating forces—most living in a
Spartan-like “temporary-residence” mindset when not deployed—
are eager members of the combined-arms team. This team is tai-
lored toward a maneuver warfare approach to combat, where power
from the sea is projected across the littoral, ideally maximizing the
combined effect of its resources at a critical seam of the enemy’s
defense.

61
 In 1957, the Commandant of the Marine Corps asked Lieutenant
General Victor Krulak, “Why does the United States need a Marine
Corps?” Five days later, General Krulak replied:

Essentially, as a result of the unfailing conduct of our Corps over

the years, they (our nation’s citizens) believe three things about
Marines. First they believe when trouble comes to our country
there will be Marines—somewhere—who, through hard work,
have made and kept themselves ready to do something useful
about it, and do it at once.
Second, they believe that when the Marines go to war they
invariably turn in a performance that is dramatically and deci-
sively successful—not most of the time, but always. Their faith
and their convictions in this regard are almost mystical.
The third thing they believe about Marines is that our Corps
is downright good for . . . our country; that the Marines are
masters of a form of unfailing alchemy which converts unorient-
ed youths into proud, self-reliant stable citizens—citizens into
whose hands the nation’s affairs may safely be entrusted.

Krulak concluded:

I believe the burden of all this can be summarized by saying that,

while the functions which we discharge must always be done by
someone, and while an organization such as ours is the correct
one to do it, still, in terms of cold mechanical logic, the United
States does not need a Marine Corps. However, for good reasons
which completely transcend logic, the United States wants a Ma-
rine Corps. Those reasons are strong; they are honest, they are
deep rooted and they are above question or criticism. So long as
they exist—so long as the people are convinced that we can really
do the three things I mentioned—we are going to have a Marine
Corps. . . . And, likewise, should the people ever lose that convic-
tion—as a result of our failure to meet their high—almost spiri-
tual standards—the Marine Corps will then quickly disappear.6

62
 In 1935, Gunnery Sergeant Walter Holzworth was asked how the
Marine Corps came by its reputation as one of the world’s greatest
fighting formations. He replied, “Well, they started right out telling
everybody how great they were. Pretty soon they got to believing it
themselves. And they have been busy ever since proving they were
right.”7

Navy

“The profound influence of sea commerce upon the wealth and

strength of countries was clearly seen long before the true principles
which governed its growth and prosperity were decided,” wrote Al-
fred Thayer Mahan in his classic, The Influence of Sea Power upon His-
tory, 1660–1783.8 As Margaret Tuttle Sprout put it, “Mahan’s studies
convinced him that sea power, conceived on a broader scale, would
constitute for the United States . . . an instrument of policy serving to
enhance the nation’s power and prestige.”9
Like many other navies, the U.S. Navy has always seen itself
intimately tied to national power—protecting it, enhancing it, ad-
vancing it. From the seed of
this idea has grown the rich
heritage that has shaped
the way the Navy has done
business for centuries on
any of “the seven seas.” As a
seagoing service, the Navy
is built on surface ships,
submarines, and aircraft,
supported by a seaborne
logistics force, protecting
U.S. interests at sea and on
the land immediately adja-
cent to the sea. Moreover,
the culture of the Navy is
built on this idea, shaped
by—and shaping—this rich
heritage.

63
 Those Who Go Down to the Sea in Ships. The Navy—and its Sail-
ors—go to sea. For Sailors, tours at sea and tours ashore are two differ-
ent things entirely. Sailors often pride themselves, indeed brag about,
how many months or years of their careers they have spent at sea. The
oceans are vast, so tours at sea are long, usually measured in months
rather than weeks. The Navy culture is a deployment culture—deploy-
ments form the rhythm of Navy life for the Sailors and for their fami-
lies. If “home is where the heart is,” then many, perhaps most, Sailors
have two homes, one with family and friends ashore, and the other
with shipmates on deployment. The Navy’s worldwide presence and
availability are its hallmarks, and usually make the Service the first on
the scene when trouble erupts affecting U.S. interests in any corner of
the globe. To this day, the Navy says, and on some level believes, that
when a crisis springs up, the first question the President of the United
States asks is, “Where are the carriers?”
Independence. The Navy has always been the most independent
of the Services. In its formative years, when a ship went to sea, the
Navy cut nearly all of its ties to its place of origin. The often harsh na-
ture of the operating environment at sea forces the Navy to a culture
of self-reliance. In the days before modern communications, when the
captain of a ship surveyed the horizons from the bridge, he was the
master of all he surveyed. There was no one else, including senior of-
ficers, there.
Autonomy of Command at Sea. With the captain being the sole
word of authority onboard, every decision rested squarely on his
shoulders. Even after technology created the ability to “talk to the boss”
around the clock, anywhere in the world, the habit of autonomous op-
erations continued to reside in the naval forces. Command by negation,
a concept unique to naval command and control, allows subordinate
commanders the freedom to operate as they see best, keeping author-
ities informed of decisions made, until the senior overrides a decision.
The Navy is the only Service that uses the acronym UNODIR—UNless
Otherwise DIRected—by which a commanding officer informs the
boss of a proposed course of action, and only if the boss overrides it
will it not be taken. The subordinate is informing the boss, not asking
permission.

64
 Community Subcultures. One other important element of Navy
culture does not have ancient roots, but is rather a function of the evo-
lution of the Service and, to a great extent, the evolution of technology
and hardware. More so than members of the other Services, Sailors
identify with a specific warfare specialty or community. The Army has
its infantry, artillery, and armor troops, for example, but the power-
ful identities of the warfare communities in the Navy exceed anything
their other comrades in arms know. While some of this power comes
from parochialism, there is a more substantial reason for it. No mat-
ter their branch, all Soldiers operate on, or near to, the ground. Land
warfare is their specialty; they work on the ground. In contrast, some
Sailors operate on the surface of the water, some underneath it, others
fly high above it, and still others use the water as the springboard for
special operations on land. They think differently because they have
to—the varying mediums in which they operate demand it.
Surface Sailors see themselves as the backbone of the naval service,
involved in all facets of our nation’s defense from power projection
ashore to maritime interdiction operations and law enforcement. Sub-
mariners take pride in being known as the “Silent Service,” referring
not only to the stealthiness of their platform, but also to their culture of
not discussing their specific operations with others. Since 1910 when
the first naval officer was ordered to flight training, naval aviators have
assumed an increasingly important role in the Navy, and with it, a style
in many ways more like those of their fellow aviators in other Services
than like those of their fellow Sailors in other communities. The SEALs
(Sea, Air, Land) embody both a flexibility beyond that of their fellow
Sailors and a bond between officers and enlisted that is unique within
the Navy. This latter is both the reason for and the product of the single
Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) course that all SEALs—
officers and enlisted members—must complete.
Navy–Marine Corps Team. One other element of the Navy culture
has to do with the close linkage between it and the Marine Corps. With
both branches united under the Department of the Navy, sharing one
academy as a commissioning source, and bearing a history of part-
nership dating back to the 18th century, the Navy–Marine Corps team
is able not only to influence events at sea but also to project power
ashore, defending and advancing U.S. interests around the world.

65
Air Force

“Man’s flight through life is sustained by the power of his knowledge.”

These words, written by Austin “Dusty” Miller and inscribed on the
Eagle and Fledglings statue at the U.S. Air Force Academy, capture Air
Force Service culture. At the heart of this culture is an idea that avia-
tion transformed both civil society and warfare. Aircraft revolution-
ized war by adding a third dimension to land and sea operations, along
with unmatched speed, range, mobility, and flexibility in both combat
and support activities. In a like manner, evolving space technology
transforms warfare on the Earth’s surface. Space capabilities provide
revolutionary strides in global presence, intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance, communications, geolocation, navigation, weather,
and precision weaponry. The airplane and spacecraft also changed so-
ciety dramatically by opening new horizons of knowledge and shat-
tering previous barriers of time and distance. They made the world
smaller. The realities of technology’s impact altered profoundly how
we travel, how we view the world, and how we fight.
Current Air Force culture emphasizes the term Airman. In the past,
this word referred to pilots and navigators, but now it refers to anyone
who understands and appreciates the full range of air and space capabil-
ities and can employ or support some aspect of airpower and space pow-
er. The Air Force understands
that not all aviators wear a blue
uniform; some wear green
or khaki or fight from ships.
Moreover, not all Airmen are
aviators. Nonflying air and
space operators, combat sup-
port and rescue forces, securi-
ty forces, and intelligence and
logistics troops, and numerous
others in “support” functions
vitally contribute to air and
space superiority. They are all
Airmen, and together they
form the air and space team.

66
 The concept of independence formed the bedrock of Air Force
identity in its early days. Pioneer Airmen believed that the air arm
must achieve Service independence in order to operate most effective-
ly and provide the single-minded focus to maximize airpower’s poten-
tial. At the core of that belief was their understanding, gained through
theory and experience, of the strengths and weaknesses of airpower
and space power. Early airpower theory stressed strategic airpower,
that is, the ability to destroy an enemy’s warmaking capability by at-
tacking vital centers of industrial or communications infrastructure.
Important too was the airplane’s capability to provide support to
ground troops and air superiority. Indeed, at its inception in 1947 as a
distinct and separate Service, the Air Force began with three primary
commands: Strategic Air Command, Tactical Air Command, and Air
Defense Command.
Although strategic attack, tactical support, and air defense remain
important operational functions of airpower and space power, con-
temporary air and space doctrine emphasizes support to joint and
combined operations. It describes the contribution of airpower and
space power to the joint warfighting team through “the tenets of air
and space power.” Air Force Doctrine Document 1, Air Force Basic
Doctrine, Organization, and Command, describes the tenets of airpow-
er as the “fundamental guiding truths” that reflect not only the unique
historical and doctrinal evolution of airpower, but also the specific
current understanding of the nature of airpower. These tenets, which
are interconnected, overlapping, and often interlocking, emphasize
that airpower must:

■■ be centrally controlled and decentrally executed

■■ be flexible and versatile
■■ produce synergistic effects
■■ offer a unique form of persistence
■■ be prioritized
■■ be balanced.

These tenets reflect the specific lessons of air and space operations
over history and require informed judgment in application. On the
other hand, historically, there were inherent limitations of airpower.

67
They too were recognized early in the airplane’s development:

■■ technology and capital dependent: not every country has the

industrial, scientific, or financial resources to build modern
aircraft
■■ transitory: aircraft cannot live in their medium as surface forc-
es can; they must land to refuel and re-arm
■■ weather and night: the natural phenomena of rain, wind,
clouds, and darkness present formidable barriers to flight
■■ inability to hold ground: for surface advocates, this is the most
damning limitation; only troops can occupy and therefore
control events on the ground.

Over the past century of flight, technology enhanced airpower’s

strengths and diminished its traditional weaknesses. While space
assets do not share the same limitations, scientific, technological,
and budgetary obstacles pose challenges. Today’s Air Force empha-
sizes mastery of the capabilities and potential of airpower and space
power, while understanding fully their limitations. Along the same
lines, in order to appreciate Air Force Service culture, the NCO/
PO should comprehend the following ideas that mark the Air Force
vision.
Unity of Command and Centralized Control/Decentralized Ex-
ecution. Airmen still believe that the Air Force is the Service most
oriented to think in strategic, operational, and tactical dimensions;
to think globally; and to appreciate and emphasize time. Hence, Air-
men should work for Airmen, and the senior Airman should work for
the geographic combatant commander (theater commander) to max-
imize the capabilities of the joint Service team.
Future-oriented and Technology-focused. Advances in tech-
nology dominate both the official and unofficial culture of the Air
Force. In one sense, Air Force personnel tend to identify with their
plane, space system, or Service specialty. Since it often takes years to
master the technology and procedures involved, this cultural trait
is natural, but today’s Air Force emphasizes a common mission and
doctrine to minimize division. Additionally, since rapid technologi-
cal advances dominate air war, Airmen believe in the words of one of

68
the pioneers of airpower theory, Italian Air Marshal Giulio Douhet:
“Victory smiles upon those who anticipate the changes in the char-
acter of war, not upon those who wait to adapt themselves after the
changes occur.”10
Space: Unlimited Horizons. With scientific advances opening
exciting vistas of space, Douhet’s remark captures Air Force think-
ing for the 21st century. Today’s Airman appreciates the value of space
as “the ultimate high-ground” and views American space suprem-
acy as an imperative. Today’s Air Force is committed to developing
tomorrow’s space capability in three vital areas: unsurpassed mili-
tary and civilian space cadre, a strong and consistently funded space
industrial base, and commitment to leading-edge space research and
exploration. Thus, the Air Force considers itself a genuine air and
space force.
Adaptability and Change. From the dawn of flight, Airmen un-
derstood the vital role of nonmilitary aviation. The founders of the
Air Force consciously developed ties to civilian aerospace industry
and the airlines as well as to popular culture in an attempt to develop
“air mindedness” and public acceptance. Like civilian industry, the Air
Force is based on adaptability and change: new ideas are encouraged,
and new management trends are often adopted.
Expeditionary and Forward-deployed. For most of its first 50
years, the Air Force conducted global operations from fixed bases
within the continental United States or overseas. With the end of the
Cold War and a rise in overseas contingency operations, Air Force
culture and operations shifted to an expeditionary, forward-deployed
reality. Concentrating on rapid, effective deployment, bare-base oper-
ations, and crisis-response actions, the Air and Space Expeditionary
Force represents not only a new organization and training focus, but
also a new attitude.
With a shorter Service history, fewer cherished traditions, and
more emphasis on change, the Air Force often struggles with identity.
Airmen master their individual specialties and become highly skilled,
but they sometimes become overly specialized, and thus lose perspec-
tive on broader Service concerns. Nevertheless, the Air Force prides
itself on mission focus and accomplishment. Air Force culture looks to
the future and attempts to lead technological trends.

69
 Coast Guard

In 1790, the First Congress

of the United States estab-
lished a small maritime
law enforcement agency to
assist in collecting the new
nation’s customs duties.
For the next eight years
this Revenue Marine (later
called the Revenue Cutter
Service) was the nation’s
only naval force and so
was soon assigned mili-
tary duties. Over time, the
Revenue Cutter Service . . .
acquired new responsibili-
ties. . . . The result is today’s
U. S. Coast Guard—a unique force that carries out an array of civil and
military responsibilities touching on almost every facet of the maritime
environment. . . .
[T]he Coast Guard’s legal core is as a military service, invested with
unique law enforcement authorities and leavened with a well-earned
reputation for humanitarian service. These singular attributes enable us
to satisfy a broad, multi-mission mandate from our nation. Our core
values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty are key to fulfilling that
mandate.11

The Coast Guard’s foundation doctrine articulates the essence of

the Nation’s smallest branch of the Armed Forces. Two hundred plus
years as the only armed Service assigned a vast array of civil responsi-
bilities and missions have caused the Coast Guard’s culture to be dis-
tinctly different from its four larger military cousins. The Nation has
long recognized that the Coast Guard requires military discipline and
training to perform its national defense duties and its often dangerous
maritime security and safety missions successfully. When Alexan-
der Hamilton originally suggested forming the Revenue Marine, he

70
insisted on organizing it along military lines and convinced President
George Washington to commission Revenue Marine officers. Thus
began the formation of the military culture and history of this small,
unique naval Service.
To understand the Coast Guard’s unique service culture, one must
recognize that it is the compilation of several interrelated histories and
cultures. Formed in 1790 as what would later be called the U.S. Revenue
Cutter Service, it combined with the U.S. Life-Saving Service in 1915
to form the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard would later absorb the
U.S. Lighthouse Service and Bureau of Maritime Inspection and Navi-
gation. The distinctive service that exists today includes attributes and
core values from each organization, expanding and strengthening the
Coast Guard’s maritime culture. Here are a few highlights of the things
that form Coast Guard culture today.
A Naval Service. The Coast Guard is a naval service. It honors the
same naval ceremonies, customs, and traditions as its larger sea Service
cousins. From the titles it attaches to its ranks and rates to the nautical
nomenclature used in everyday speech, the Coast Guard shares a com-
mon maritime history with Sailors everywhere. Coastguardsmen have
a deep affection for the sea and its lore. Coast Guard cutters are U.S.
warships. The Cuttermen who sail in these ships continue a long and
distinguished seagoing heritage. Having fought side by side at home
and abroad in our nation’s conflicts, the Coast Guard is inspired by the
history and tradition of the U.S. Navy as well as its own. Every Coast-
guardsman must remain Semper Paratus—Always Ready—to answer
the call.
All Things Maritime. The Coast Guard’s many roles and missions
require it to possess a rare blend of humanitarian, law enforcement,
regulatory, diplomatic, and military capabilities. The Coast Guard’s
many broad regulatory mandates require it to monitor and understand
all manner of activity on or near the water. In short, the Coast Guard
protects those on the sea, protects Americans against threats delivered
by the sea, and protects the sea itself. This omnipresence provides a “cop
on the beat” familiarity with the waterfront and a deep understanding
of the many occupations and enterprises that make their living on or
around the sea. A long, distinguished history of enforcing internation-
al maritime treaties and successful joint naval operations extends this

71
comprehensive knowledge and understanding of all things maritime
far beyond the borders of the United States.
Face-to-face Interaction with the Citizens It Serves. The Coast
Guard’s many civil, peacetime missions require it to have far great-
er day-to-day interaction with the American public than the other
branches of the Armed Forces. From rescuing a recreational boater in
distress to conducting an inspection on a large merchant ship, many
citizens have reason to have routine contact with Coast Guard person-
nel. This frequent interaction presents extraordinary challenges for the
organization and individual Coastguardsman. Coast Guard personnel
must exercise their powers prudently and with restraint. In his 1791
Letter of Instruction to Revenue Cutter officers, Alexander Hamilton
charged them to “overcome difficulties . . . by a cool and temperate
perseverance in [your] duty.”12 That standard remains integral to Coast
Guard culture today.
Small Units in Small Places. The Coast Guard has very few large
bases. It is an organization dominated by small boat stations, small
cutters (ships), and small air stations—often in equally small coastal
communities far from other military facilities. These small units are
integral parts of the community. Often operating far from higher com-
mand authority, junior Coast Guard leaders, including POs, enjoy a
clear mandate for on-scene initiative, but also bear immense responsi-
bility for the well-being and conduct of their crews.
“You Have to Go Out but You Don’t Have to Come Back.” Coast-
guardsmen are taught to avoid or mitigate unnecessary risk, but this
historic, deep-rooted saying from the U.S. Life-Saving Service captures
the Coast Guard’s heritage of selfless service to the Nation. Whether
it is combat, law enforcement, or search-and-rescue operations, the
Coast Guard does dangerous work in hostile environments. Selfless
acts by courageous men and women using their tools and their wits
under dangerous conditions to get the job done are the foundation of
Coast Guard culture. A lifeboat crashing through the surf or a helicop-
ter in a low hover over a vessel in distress are the enduring images of
the Coast Guard at work.
Maritime Cop on the Beat. Maritime law enforcement and border
control are the oldest of the Coast Guard’s many responsibilities and
the historic core of its existence. Stopping and boarding ships at sea

72
Sergeant Alvin C. York, 328th Infantry, who with the aid of 7 men captured 132 German
prisoners, shows the hill on which the raid took place on October 8, 1918, in the Ar-
gonne Forest, near Cornay, France, after World War I (F.C. Phillips)
Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Virginia Westover with the 179th Medical Group
works at the immunizations and allergy office of the 48th Medical Group Medical Sup-
port Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, England, June 19, 2013 (Joe Harwood)
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464 assists Marines of 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion
conduct special purpose insertion and extraction training aboard Marine Corps Base
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, March 13, 2013 (Ryan Joyner)
The Sullivan brothers were five siblings all killed in action during or shortly after the
sinking of the light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52), the vessel on which they all served,
around November 13, 1942, in World War II
Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Shawn Beaty looks for survivors in the wake of
Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, August 30, 2005 (NyxoLyno Cangemi)
Staff Sergeant Antonio J. Curry, a drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot
San Diego, barks out instructions to align his platoon of fresh recruits, August 30, 2012
(Kuande Hall)
A member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, The Old Guard, inspects a relieving guard’s rifle
before his watch at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery,
January 9, 2008 (Michael Russell)
Sergeant 1st Class Lawrence Jarrett (left), of Spencer, Oklahoma, Sergeant 1st Class Jared
Hallmark (center), of Choctaw, Oklahoma, and Master Sergeant Ken Perry (right), of
Shawnee, Oklahoma, review a map of the area they are about to search for a miss-
ing 3-year-old boy. All three are members of the 63rd Civil Support Team, Oklahoma
National Guard. The missing boy was pulled from his house by a tornado on May 24
(Geoff Legler)
A grief-stricken American infantryman whose buddy has been killed in action is com-
forted by another Soldier. In the background, a corpsman methodically fills out casualty
tags, Haktong-ni area, Korea, August 28, 1950 (Al Chang)
Lance Corporal Ashley Ramirez and Corporal Jessica L. Echeard of the Regimental
Combat Team–2 Lioness Program check the passports of Iraqi women coming into
the country at the Syrian Border in Waleed, Iraq, June 7, 2007. The Lionesses is an
all-female unit organized to engage with Iraqi women at entry control points (Charles
S. Howard)
Navy chief petty officers celebrate 120 years of the chief petty officer rank, April 1, 2013,
at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, DC (Todd Frantom)
Technical Sergeant Eddie Martin provides maintenance status to pilots prior to their
acceptance of the aircraft for flight operations (Marleah Miller)
Lieutenant Colonel John Hopkins, commanding officer of the First Battalion, Fifth
Marine Regiment, leads in singing the “The Star Spangled Banner” during memorial
services held in the field during the Korean campaign, June 21, 1951 (Corporal Valle)
Joseph Ambrose, an 86-year-old World War I veteran, attends the dedication day pa-
rade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, November 13, 1982. He
is holding the flag that covered the casket of his son, who was killed in the Korean War
(Mickey Sanborn)
Chief Master Sergeant Curtis Brownhill (left), command senior enlisted leader of
U.S. Central Command, stands atop a patrol base in Tarmiya, Iraq, with Command
Sergeant Major Ronald Riling, 4th Infantry Division, August 21, 2006. Brownhill visited
troops throughout the Baghdad area bringing words of encouragement and an open ear
to Soldiers’ concerns (Karl Johnson)
Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Brice Fronek, with Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C.
Webber, guards contraband at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, April 26, 2013. The
contraband was seized during an interdiction in the Caribbean Sea, April 18, 2013
(Sabrina Laberdesque)
provided the foundation upon which the Coast Guard’s broader and
more complex present-day mission set is built. The burden of being the
Nation’s primary maritime law enforcement service is an essential and
inescapable component of Coast Guard culture.
The Coast Guard’s relatively small size, assignment within the De-
partment of Homeland Security, and civil responsibilities and missions
make its culture and authorities unique among the U.S. Armed Forces.
As stated in Coast Guard Publication 1, U.S. Coast Guard: America’s
Maritime Guardian, “What makes the Coast Guard unique is that in
executing our diverse missions, we harmonize seemingly contradic-
tory mandates. We are charged at once to be police officers, sailors,
warriors, humanitarians, regulators, stewards of the environment, dip-
lomats, and guardians of the coast.”13

Guard and Reserve

To keep the United States

secure and to protect its
vital interests across the
globe, the Armed Forces
rely on a Total Force con-
struct composed of both
Active-duty and Reserve
components. The Re-
serve components con-
sist of the Army Reserve,
Navy Reserve, Marine
Corps Reserve, Air Force
Reserve, Coast Guard
Reserve, Army Nation-
al Guard of the United
States, and Air National
Guard of the United States. The purpose of the Reserve components,
as prescribed by law, is to “provide trained units and qualified persons
available for active duty in the armed forces, in time of war or national
emergency . . . whenever more units and persons are needed than are
in the regular components.”15

73
 The Reserve components are commensurately organized, trained,
and equipped as their Active-duty counterparts, and over recent de-
cades have steadily transformed from a strategic reserve to a fully op-
erational force capable of seamlessly integrating with Active-duty forc-
es for roles across the spectrum of conflict and engagement. They play
a vital role in the global security environment through both integrated
missions with Active-duty forces, as well as specialized missions that
the Reserve component is uniquely suited for and fully prepared to
perform. They not only integrate with Active forces operationally, but
they uniquely represent the Armed Forces’ closest link to the Ameri-
can public through their roles within their communities.
Members of the various Army National Guard, Air National Guard,
and Service Reserve forces share the culture and heritage of their Ser-
vices, but in at least three ways their cultures are somewhat different
from that of their Active component brothers and sisters.
First, most Guardsmen and Reservists spend most of their lives
as part of the broader civilian population, and thus serve as military
ambassadors to the American people. Unless activated for a specific
purpose, they spend 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year as full-
time Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, and Coastguardsmen. Peo-
ple who join the Guard or Reserves maintain their full-time civilian
employment while serving on weekends, completing training, and
ultimately deploying. They make this choice knowing the hardships
of balancing family commitments, civilian employment, and mili-
tary obligations.
National Guard armories and Reserve bases are located in more
than 3,000 communities across the United States. Guard and Reserve
members are located in nearly every congressional district. They have
links to their local civic and elected leadership, with relationships de-
veloped in schools, churches, clubs, sports, and civic organizations.
They are responsible for telling the military’s story to the vast majority
of the American people who have never served. They also help ensure
that a more diverse military population is better aware of, and con-
nected to, the citizens it serves.
Second, National Guardsmen have a distinctive role as ambas-
sadors abroad through the State Partnership Program (SPP). With
partnerships with 65 foreign countries, located in all six geographic

74
combatant commands, the National Guard’s SPP builds enduring re-
lationships that meet U.S. global security objectives. This innovative,
low-cost, and high-impact program delivers a significant return on
investment by motivating partner countries to share in the burden of
global security. For over 20 years, National Guard members and their
partner country counterparts have focused on small footprint activi-
ties, including exercises, rotational presence, and advisory services to
achieve security objectives. Servicemembers often forge relationships
with partner countries that last throughout their careers. Some partner
countries observed the U.S. military’s model of empowering NCOs/
POs to take on a greater share of leadership responsibilities and decid-
ed to apply it in their own armed forces.
Third, Army and Air National Guardsmen can serve in several dif-
ferent legal statuses: state Active duty (SAD), Title 32, and Title 10 of
the U.S. Code. They can have two different commanders in chief: their
state governor and the President of the United States.
SAD allows militia members to perform their military duties
within their respective states without violating Federal laws, such as
the Posse Comitatus Act, which normally prohibits law enforcement
by military personnel. This legal status provides the governor with an
option to use militia members for law enforcement purposes within
the state. The governor of each state retains command and control over
the National Guard forces called to state Active duty. Thus, in contrast
with their Active-duty counterparts, Guardsmen are more solidly an-
chored in their respective states.
Title 32 of the U.S. Code is another attractive flexible legal option
particular to the National Guard. Under this legal provision, militia
members serve on Active duty for a specific Federal purpose. Follow-
ing the 9/11 attacks, for example, National Guard members provided
security details at airports within their states in Title 32 status after
being called upon by the President. Out of all legal statuses, Title 32
offers states the most flexibility, insofar as it allows the governor to re-
tain control over the state’s own militia while ensuring that the Federal
Government subsidizes the costs of activating the force.
Finally, the President can call the National Guard to Active duty
under Title 10. Federalizing the National Guard places control of the
forces under the President as Commander in Chief, just like any other

75
Federal force. A federalized National Guard member is no different
from an Active-duty member with same rights and protections.

Conclusion

These five powerful Services, as well as the Guard and Reserves, are
diverse but complementary, and together they constitute the Armed
Forces of the United States. The challenge for NCOs/POs is to be simul-
taneously masters of their own Services and knowledgeable partners
of the others. Taking appropriate pride in one’s own Service is in order,
but that should never stray into arrogance regarding the other Services.
Different does not mean inferior; it means different. The talented, pro-
fessional NCO/PO—at any pay grade—must be ready, willing, and able
to leverage the best of each of the Services as the mission requires.
Joint warfighting is the employment of the Armed Forces in a
common effort to achieve a desired end. Joint warfighting is not new.
George Washington’s victory at Yorktown depended on cooperation
with naval forces, that is, the French fleet. Ulysses S. Grant’s victories
on the western rivers were built largely on Navy cooperation with
Army forces onshore. The great amphibious landings of World War II
could not have taken place without imaginative and detailed integra-
tion of the efforts and complementary capabilities of all the Nation’s
military forces.
What has changed in the 21st century is the overlapping nature
of individual Service capabilities within a single area of operations.
Essentially, the range of weapons and communication systems, com-
bined with the ability to create and operate sophisticated information
networks, promises to reduce the theater of war to a single battlespace
on which effects created by forces of all Services can be employed se-
lectively and simultaneously throughout the area, much as Napoleon
Bonaparte directed subordinate units around early 19th-century bat-
tlefields.
As Napoleon’s cavalry, artillery, and infantry retained unique char-
acteristics because of differences in capabilities, operating require-
ments, and skills, so today’s military Services necessarily retain their
unique identities, founded on their histories and on the continuing
differences in the functional requirements of operating in their respec-

76
tive mediums. Conflicting pressures—full operational integration of
effects for greatest collective impact and organizational separation to
maximize individual means—have required the development of new
organizational concepts to guide the Services in achieving the greatest
possible operational integration, while maintaining their more or less
traditional organizational diversity.
Central to 21st-century warfare is the concept of joint interdepen-
dence, which is broadly the notion that Service capabilities provided to
joint operational commanders are combined to achieve their full com-
plementary effects, at the lowest possible level, to obtain the greatest
possible collective effects. Achieving joint interdependence requires
that officers and NCOs/POs alike understand the differing strengths
and limitations of each Service’s capabilities and know-how to inte-
grate them in order to speed mission accomplishment. Service rival-
ries have no place on the battlefield, where success, not credit, is the
professional currency.
Because seamless cooperation at all levels is increasingly import-
ant, reciprocal respect of members of other Services as fellow warriors
and members of the Profession of Arms is vital. Operational integra-
tion begins with mutual understanding and respect, as well as shared
adherence to the professional military ethic born out of the Oath of
Enlistment, which this book invokes as common ground for all non-
commissioned officers and petty officers. Joint synergy, the ability to
make the whole greater than the sum of the parts, begins with under-
standing the several Service cultures. E pluribus unum.

Notes
1
“Original design of the Great Seal of the United States (1782),” available at
<www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=5>.
2
R.L. Brownlee and Peter J. Schoomaker, United States Army 2004 Posture State-
ment, Presented to the Committees and Subcommittees of the United States Senate
and the House of Representatives, 108th Cong., 2nd sess. (Washington, DC: Office of
the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, Special Actions Branch, February 5, 2004), 1, available
at <www.army.mil/aps/04/index.html>.
3
T.R. Fehrenback, This Kind of War: A Study in Unpreparedness (New York:
Macmillan, 1963), quoted in Field Manual 3-0, Operations (Washington, DC: Head-
quarters Department of the Army, June 14, 2001), 1–2.
4
War Department, Adjutant General’s Office, Washington, April 24, 1863, Gen-
eral Orders No. 100, “Instructions for the Government of Armies of the United States
in the Field,” prepared by Francis Lieber, LLD, and revised by a board of officers, of

77
which Major General E.A. Hitchcock is president . . . in War Department, The War
of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate
Armies, Series III, Volume III (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1899),
150.
5
Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 6-11, Leading Marines (Washington,
DC: Headquarters United States Marine Corps, 1995), 3
6
Victor H. Krulak, First to Fight: An Inside View of the United States Marine
Corps (New York: Pocket Books, 1984), xix–xxi.
7
Ibid., 1
8
Alfred Thayer Mahan, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783
(New York: Dover Publications, 1987), 1.
9
Margaret Tuttle Sprout, “Mahan: Evangelist of Seapower,” in The Art and Prac-
tice of Military Strategy, ed. George Edward Thibault, 114 (Washington, DC: National
Defense University, 1984).
10
Giulio Douhet, The Command of the Air, trans. Dino Ferrari (New York:
Coward-McCann, 1942; reprint, Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, 1983),
30.
11
Coast Guard Publication 1, U.S. Coast Guard: America’s Maritime Guardian
(Washington, DC: U.S. Coast Guard, 2009), 1, 73–74.
12
Ibid., 88.
13
Ibid., 1.
14
Bruce Stubbs, “We Are Lifesavers, Guardians, and Warriors,” U.S. Naval Insti-
tute Proceedings (April 2002).
15
United States Code, 2006 Edition, Section 10102, Title 10—ARMED FORC-
ES, available at <www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/USCODE-2011-title10/USCODE-2011-
title10-subtitleE-partI-chap1003-sec10102/content-detail.html>.

78
 Christopher Ruano
Staff Sergeant Matthew Hoffman, 448th Civil Affairs Battalion noncommissioned officer
in charge of operations, performs a blood pressure check on a patient during a Medical
Civic Action Program clinic in Chebelley, Djibouti, October 6, 2012
 Cha p te r Se ve n

International Roles

Our ability to sustain . . . alliances, and to build coalitions of

support toward common objectives, depends in part on the ca-
pabilities of America’s Armed Forces. Similarly, the relationships
our Armed Forces have developed with foreign militaries are a
critical component of our global engagement and support our
collective security.
We will continue to ensure that we can prevail against a
wide range of potential adversaries—to include hostile states
and nonstate actors—while broadly shaping the strategic envi-
ronment using all tools to advance our common security.

—National Security Strategy1

The U.S. Armed Forces play a vital role in the global security envi-
ronment. Drawing on the professional traits, qualities, and competen-
cies developed within their respective Service branches and enriched
through experience, exposure, and engagement, the noncommissioned
officer/petty officer corps greatly contributes to meet America’s national
security objectives in diverse environments. Furthermore, as leaders in
the Profession of Arms, their roles, responsibilities, authorities, and in-
novative methods of operating can provide a model for other countries
to emulate.
The 21st-century global security environment differs greatly from
the environment of yesteryear. It is marked by remarkable complexity,
ambiguity, evolution, and transformation. Among the factors shaping

81
this environment are shifting demographics, interdependent econo-
mies, competition for natural resources, global natural disasters, and,
in several parts of the globe, the aspirations of newly emerging con-
tenders for regional and global influence. Advances in technology and
communications both improve and threaten this evolving and trans-
forming security environment. Emerging security threats and chal-
lenges include often unpredictable failed states, international criminal
and terrorist networks, and other nonstate actors. In this fluctuating
context, the global community must think collectively about new ways
and means to deter, dissuade, or defeat these threats through unity of
effort and innovative security arrangements.
Serving in alliances, coalitions, and partnerships is woven into the
fabric of the U.S. Armed Forces. From the inception of the Nation,
Americans have relied on, and provided aid or assistance to, other
countries. Beginning in the second half of the 20th century, the United
States has worked within international organizations such as the United
Nations and has entered into a wide variety of security arrangements,
from multinational alliances, often bound by formal treaties for endur-
ing mutual defense, to less formally bound multinational coalitions,
with specific purposes and generally limited durations. Maintaining
international alliances or coalitions requires a collective vision of mis-
sion, flexibility, and adaptability, and a continuing effort by all leaders
to keep the alliance or coalition strong and confident. Often, keeping
the coalition focused and unified is as important as the operation it-
self. General John P. Abizaid, USA, then-commander of U.S. Central
Command, captured this idea well in 2005 when he told his senior staff
and the senior national representatives of the coalition supporting the
war on terror: “Nothing is as important as the Coalition in this battle.”2
Irrespective of the strategic framework, or the size and scope of
any security arrangement the United States may enter into, the Nation
will leverage the Armed Forces to engage with its partners. Whether
in combat or in a humanitarian role, the United States, its allies, and
partners have always depended on the specialized skills, expertise, and
leadership capabilities of its professional enlisted force. Forged in crisis
and reinforced during decades of peace, the history of NCOs/POs in
international affairs is deeply rooted in a resilient personal determina-
tion, persistent resolve, and a strong set of professional standards and

82
ethics. This international legacy transcends generations and instills in
today’s NCOs/POs a high sense of global purpose and a positive bias
toward solidarity with the militaries of other nations working with the
United States.
In this new century, not only are NCOs/POs depended on to per-
form their traditional roles with credibility and efficiency, but they
are also leveraged and empowered to perform strategic roles in this
evolving global security environment. NCOs/POs are uniquely adept
at advising, training, and mentoring others at various levels of mili-
tary organization and structure. Moreover, NCOs/POs are critical in
helping other nations’ militaries to achieve new or increased levels
of capability, especially at the small unit and individual levels, and to
meet emerging or evolving challenges where interpersonal skills, the
warrior ethos, and diplomatic approaches are necessities.
NCOs/POs, regardless of specialty or background, may find
themselves involved directly in a wide range of international engage-
ments—from major combat to various forms of international security
force assistance operations to humanitarian relief. They may be in-
volved in multilateral or bilateral exercises, military assistance activ-
ities, and even large-scale engagements. NCOs/POs may be assigned
to an alliance delegation, a coalition battle staff, a multinational force
headquarters, an Embassy, or a personnel exchange program. Almost
assuredly, they will be connected with whole-of-government endeav-
ors, working hand in hand with other U.S. Government agencies, non-
governmental organizations, and ministries of defense in pursuit of
common goals. In each case, NCOs/POs can and do facilitate profes-
sional relationships that can yield an enduring positive strategic effect.
The NCO/PO leadership cadre is the closest to the force and will
have the greatest immediate impact on accomplishing organizational
milestones. NCOs/POs keep things in proper perspective and they help
maintain a positive and productive organizational climate through an
acute understanding of the mission and a keen sense of inclusiveness,
not only for U.S. forces, but also for those of other nations. They fos-
ter mutual trust and confidence in a multi-Service and multinational
force, recognizing that troops of any Service or nation will follow an
engaged leader who genuinely cares about them and appreciates their
contribution to the organization.

83
 In addition to their involvement with multinational alliances and
coalitions, NCOs/POs directly contribute to fostering partnerships
with other nations on behalf of the United States. As former Secretary
of Defense Robert Gates wrote, “This strategic reality demands that the
U.S. government get better at what is called ‘building partner capacity’:
helping other countries defend themselves or, if necessary, fight along-
side U.S. forces by providing them with equipment, training, or other
forms of security assistance.”3

An Ambassador and a Professional

The American people have exceptionally high expectations for their

military, especially when serving overseas as the face of the United
States and the ambassadors of its citizens. They expect that their mili-
tary will ably represent the society it serves and the ideals on which the
Nation was founded. Americans further expect their military to main-
tain high moral standards, embody the Code of Conduct, and person-
ify the standards, traits, qualities, and competencies of a member of
the Profession of Arms. As trusted leaders of the all-volunteer force,
NCOs/POs lead their subordinates to exceed these expectations, and
they do so through personal example, inspiration, and enforcement.
General Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, de-
fined the expectations of Americans for their military members this
way: “We must provide an example to the world that cannot be di-
minished by hardships and challenges. This example is based upon the
words and intent of the U.S. Constitution that each of us takes a per-
sonal oath to support and defend. Our oath demands each of us dis-
play moral courage and always do what is right, regardless of the cost.”4
NCOs/POs can justifiably lay claim to a long and impressive his-
tory of contributing to success in managing and resolving internation-
al crises, and partnering with other militaries during peacetime and
conflict. U.S. military personnel are judged by their deeds, including
when dealing with other nations. NCOs/POs serving in alliances, co-
alitions, and security partnerships must remain true to who they are,
while bringing out the best in others. NCOs/POs bring with them the
values and strategic objectives of the United States, as well as the traits,
qualities, and competencies of the Profession of Arms. Whether sta-

84
tioned abroad (often with their families), enjoying a port of call, or
attached to an international force, the enlisted leader understands that
every engagement can have strategic effects and that those who wear
the uniform are representing the United States. Their conduct must be
above reproach. NCOs/POs take all appropriate measures to ensure
that military members are professional at all times and respectful of
other cultures, peoples, and societies.
At the same time, NCOs/POs must remember those times when
events have not gone well for the U.S. military or the United States.
From violation of a status-of-forces agreement to some form of inap-
propriate conduct by an individual or small group, these incidents re-
sult in significant strategic setbacks and international embarrassment.
As an institution, the Armed Forces do not relish highlighting such
occurrences in which the conduct of a tiny percentage of the force
tarnishes the honorable reputation and ethical service of the military
as a whole. However, all members of the Profession of Arms must be
personally reflective, open to national and international scrutiny, and
dedicated to preserving the integrity of the Profession of Arms by po-
licing its ranks.
Proven leadership throughout the NCO/PO corps provides a sol-
id foundation for engaging with foreign counterparts. Over the years,
the fine work of NCOs/POs with extensive experience in internation-
al military assistance and building partnership capacity has yield-
ed many best practices worthy of study and emulation. A great deal
can be gleaned from U.S. Special Forces, who for many decades have
been intimately involved with training, advising, and mentoring in-
ternational militaries. Working at the operational and tactical levels,
special operations forces NCOs/POs maintain a high degree of strate-
gic awareness, which makes them especially well equipped to take on
engagement activities. In building international partnership capacity,
and in contributing to professionalizing other militaries, the most ef-
fective NCOs/POs are critical and creative thinkers who keep a wider
view of the environment, and who are extremely adaptive when em-
powered in diverse, highly decentralized situations. They maintain a
keen understanding of the “human element.” Seeing through the eyes
of others is a powerful way to learn and thus gain the trust and garner
the respect of those of other cultures and traditions.

85
Building Partner Capacity

In these situations, a high degree of mutual respect, openness, inclu-

siveness, and patience is critical. NCOs/POs are mindful that the ser-
vicemembers of other nations are equally proud of their own countries.
NCOs/POs appreciate different national visions, cultures, traditions,
sensitivities, loyalties, and motivations whether they are political, tribal,
or religious. They seek what is common among military professionals
and get to know the people they are working with. They understand that
no two countries are alike and that regions vary in any number of ways.
Thus, any developmental or professionalization approaches must be cal-
ibrated to be effective for each particular country. To this end, NCOs/
POs familiarize themselves with that nation’s defense structures, force
foundations (volunteer or conscript), rank structures, and levels of re-
sponsibilities and authorities of the force. They respect the other nation’s
institutions and customs and show appropriate courtesies to its officers
and other leaders. When focusing efforts on professionalizing mid-level
leadership, NCOs/POs understand that many other militaries may not
have a professional NCO/PO corps. Therefore, NCOs/POs may find
themselves advising and mentoring another country’s officer corps to
win access, support, and buy-in for developing a corps of professional
mid-level leaders.
In working with other nations’ militaries, it is paramount to under-
stand and appreciate that NCOs/POs both learn from and teach others.
Effective U.S. advisors, trainers, and mentors understand that they must
learn from others and that they will gain understanding by listening.
There is no immediate benefit or strategic advantage in attempting to
replicate the U.S. military model. While the U.S. structure is superb in
many ways, and can be a distinctive model, other nations have differ-
ent circumstances and requirements. NCOs/POs are at their best when
they show other militaries what is good, effective, and efficient in the
U.S. Armed Forces model and then pursue meaningful discussions and
courses of action toward what makes best sense for that nation’s mili-
tary. NCOs/POs help another nation’s military leaders understand what
is right for their country as opposed to attempting to recast another
nation’s military into a mirror image of the U.S. military. Competence,
credibility, capability, and character build trust. When military leaders

86
in other nations recognize these professional traits, qualities, and com-
petencies in U.S. advisors, trainers, and mentors, they are more inclined
to cooperate, thus setting the conditions to move forward in security
partnerships and arrangements that serve the near-term and even lon-
ger term interest of all participating nations.
NCOs/POs continue to play vital roles in attaining the national secu-
rity objectives of the United States. Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond
F. Chandler III underscored this point to Army NCOs: “Forging bonds
with the Soldiers of other countries can pay big dividends as our Army
engages in regional alignments and builds partner capacity. NCOs can
have an impact across the entire spectrum of operations.” Service to one’s
nation is what is common to the Profession of Arms. As the U.S. Armed
Forces’ premier advisors, trainers, and mentors, NCOs/POs will increas-
ingly be called on to serve alongside, and also to provide a professional
example for, international forces in multinational alliances and coalitions,
to assist in building partnership capacity, and to contribute to innovative
approaches to foreign affairs. To meet the known and emerging require-
ments of the international environment, the U.S. noncommissioned offi-
cer and petty officer will need to possess a global vision and an adaptive
mind—as well as professional and personal traits, qualities, and compe-
tencies—to positively influence and operate with international militaries.
They will need to do so while striking a necessary and desirable balance
between traditional U.S. military culture and identity and the unique
partnership requirements of an international force.

Notes
1
National Security Strategy (Washington, DC: The White House, May 2010),
41, available at <www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/national_securi-
ty_strategy.pdf>.
2
General John P. Abizaid, commander, U.S. Central Command (2003–2007),
Guidance and Intent during 2005 strategy focus session with field commanders,
commanders, and senior U.S. and coalition staff as recorded by U.S. Central Command
senior enlisted advisor.
3
Robert M. Gates, “Helping Others Defend Themselves: The Future of U.S. Secu-
rity Assistance,” Foreign Affairs, May/June 2010, available at <www.foreignaffairs.com/
articles/66224/robert-m-gates/helping-others-defend-themselves>.
4
Martin E. Dempsey, “America’s Military—A Profession of Arms,” 3, available at
<www.jcs.mil/content/files/2012-02/022312120752_Americas_Military_POA.pdf>.

87
 Sherman Fuller

Command Sergeant Major Sherman Fuller, USA (Ret.), teaches a group of students at
the Global Village Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he serves as principal
Afterword
The Service Continues

Whether serving for 4 years or 4 decades, those who have honorably

worn the cloth of the Nation as invested members of the Profession
of Arms are eternally associated with this battle-proven, dynamic,
and highly respected organization known as the United States Armed
Forces.
Those who make this commitment are the protectors of their fel-
low citizens and the defenders of freedom and liberty. For over 200
years, they have come from all walks of life—from big cities, small
towns, suburbia, and rural communities—and are all bound together
by duty to pursue a common purpose: the safety, security, and freedom
of their nation. These men and women view the American flag not
only as an emblem of geographical vastness and diversity, but also as
the symbol of what the United States of America stands for, what its
values and ideals are, and what it considers worth fighting and dying
for. They have stood the watch in an uncertain world with vigilance,
devotion, and courage. Their commitment to their fellow Servicemem-
bers is exemplified by never leaving a fallen comrade. Their lives are
enriched by discipline, obedience, comradeship, and teamwork and by
the sure knowledge that they are a part of something that is above and
beyond their individual lives. Not that long ago it was common to hear
a veteran say, “I was in the service”—meaning in service to the Nation.
A lifelong loyalty often comes with this commitment to serve the
Nation—a conscious and free choice to continue to serve even after
returning to civilian life. This loyalty stems from one’s personal ex-
perience performing a demanding duty to which few have obligated

89
themselves—the larger, deeper, and meaningful duty of service and
sacrifice for the welfare of others.
For some, service continues as soon as they return to civilian life.
For others, the call to continue to serve comes later. In either case, that
service may take many forms. Most who have served and have depart-
ed the ranks and files of the Armed Forces reintegrate back into Amer-
ican society and choose to serve in new ways. Some choose to continue
to serve by taking civilian jobs in government service at the Federal,
state, or local level. Some offer themselves as candidates for elective
office. Many join veterans’ organizations to maintain those precious
bonds with others who have worn the cloth of the Nation or civic or-
ganizations that help sustain and nurture local communities. Others
work with young people as teachers, coaches, or Junior Reserve Offi-
cer Training Corps instructors, guiding a younger generation toward
lives of service. Some obligate themselves to direct military support
organizations as leaders or volunteers. Others visit wounded warriors
to provide strength and encouragement or volunteer at Veterans Ad-
ministration hospitals or homeless shelters. Still others volunteer to
serve in details that render military honors at veterans’ funerals, pro-
vide escort services for fallen comrades, or routinely mow the lawn
of a deployed Servicemember’s home. No matter the particulars, what
these and other forms of continuing service have in common is the
idea of “service before self.”
Yet veterans who do not choose to continue service in such visible
ways still stand out. They are often family members or neighbors who,
because of their experience and discipline, are sought out for leader-
ship when an emergency arises. They can also be a source of “Civics
101.” They can explain how and why some things are not free—that the
few serve the many. They participate in national days of recognition
and patriotism and attend their Services’ birthday celebrations, singing
their Services’ songs loudly and proudly. They are the ones who respect
Old Glory as the flag parades by. For them, it is more than a bumper
sticker on a vehicle or a unit patch on a ball cap that denotes time of
service. It is a manifestation of pride in the sacrifice that is required as
a member of the Profession of Arms in times of peace and war.
Those who “stood the watch” before today’s Servicemembers pro-
vide an enduring example of patriotism and service. The Marine Corps

90
motto of Semper Fidelis (Latin for “always faithful”) can speak to every
member of the Profession of Arms. Those who have worn the uniform
of the Nation should never tarnish the reputation or the legacy that
was paid for with the blood of so many for the future of so many more.
“Soldier for Life” means exactly what it says. And there is no more pa-
triotic optic for America to witness than the 85-year-old retired NCO
Ranger who is propping himself up in his wheelchair as the national
colors march by. He does not do it for a photograph; he does it because
he still feels Army.
The most quoted portion of President John F. Kennedy’s inaugu-
ral address exemplifies the service to one’s country that continues to
inspire the members of the Armed Forces, while in uniform and af-
ter they return to civilian life: “Ask not what your country can do for
you—ask what you can do for your country.”1 Veterans set an example
of a higher calling, and they demonstrate tangibly and proudly that,
even though they have departed a Service, service has not departed
them. This sense of service exemplifies the loyalty and lifelong com-
mitment of those who were willing, if necessary, to give the “last full
measure of devotion” in the service of a grateful nation. This is yet
another reason why the United States Armed Forces is America’s most
respected and honored profession.

Note
1
John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Washington, DC, January 20, 1961, avail-
able at <www.jfklibrary.org/>.

91
Appendix A: Founding Documents

93
 The Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one

people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with
another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and
equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God enti-
tle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created

equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happi-
ness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among
Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —That
whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends,
it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new
Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its
powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their
Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments
long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and
accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed
to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing
the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses
and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to
reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to
throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future
security.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and
such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Sys-
tems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is
a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object

95
the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this,
let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and neces-
sary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and
pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent
should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to
attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large
districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Rep-
resentation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formida-
ble to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncom-
fortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the
sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing
with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause oth-
ers to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihi-
lation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State
remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from
without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for
that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; re-
fusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the
conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his As-
sent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of
their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms
of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without
the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior
to the Civil power.

96
 He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign
to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent
to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any
Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring
Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging
its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument
for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws,
and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves in-
vested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Pro-
tection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns,
and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries
to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun
with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most
barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high
Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of
their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeav-
oured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian
Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction
of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress

in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered
only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by ev-
ery act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

97
 Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren.
We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legisla-
ture to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded
them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We
have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have
conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usur-
pations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and corre-
spondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consan-
guinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces
our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies
in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America,

in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the
world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Au-
thority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and de-
clare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and
Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the
British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the
State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as
Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, con-
clude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other
Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for
the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection
of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our
Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

98
 The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions
indicated:

Column 1 Column 4
Georgia: Pennsylvania:
Button Gwinnett Robert Morris
Lyman Hall Benjamin Rush
George Walton Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
Column 2 George Clymer
North Carolina: James Smith
William Hooper George Taylor
Joseph Hewes James Wilson
John Penn George Ross
South Carolina: Delaware:
Edward Rutledge Caesar Rodney
Thomas Heyward, Jr. George Read
Thomas Lynch, Jr. Thomas McKean
Arthur Middleton
Column 5
Column 3 New York:
Massachusetts: William Floyd
John Hancock Philip Livingston
Maryland: Francis Lewis
Samuel Chase Lewis Morris
William Paca New Jersey:
Thomas Stone Richard Stockton
Charles Carroll of Carrollton John Witherspoon
Virginia: Francis Hopkinson
George Wythe John Hart
Richard Henry Lee Abraham Clark
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison Column 6
Thomas Nelson, Jr. New Hampshire:
Francis Lightfoot Lee Josiah Bartlett
Carter Braxton William Whipple

99
 Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton

100
 The Constitution of the United States

Note: The following text is a transcription of the Constitution in its

original form.
Items that are underlined have since been amended or superseded.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more per-

fect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings
of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.

Article. I.

Section. 1.
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of
the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Represen-
tatives.

Section. 2.
The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen
every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in
each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most
numerous Branch of the State Legislature.
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to
the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United
States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in
which he shall be chosen.
Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the
several States which may be included within this Union, according to
their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the
whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a
Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other
Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after
the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every
subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law

101
direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every
thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative;
and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire
shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and
Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jer-
sey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten,
North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.
When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Ex-
ecutive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.
The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other
Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section. 3.
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators
from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof for six Years; and each
Senator shall have one Vote.
Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the
first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three
Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at
the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration
of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth
Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Va-
cancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the
Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Ap-
pointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then
fill such Vacancies.
No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age
of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and
who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he
shall be chosen.
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Sen-
ate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro
tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise
the Office of President of the United States.
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When
sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the

102
President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And
no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the
Members present.
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to
removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office
of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted
shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment
and Punishment, according to Law.

Section. 4.
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and
Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature there-
of; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regula-
tions, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such
Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by
Law appoint a different Day.

Section. 5.
Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Quali-
fications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a
Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to
day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members,
in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.
Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its
Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two
thirds, expel a Member.
Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to
time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment re-
quire Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on
any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered
on the Journal.
Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the
Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other
Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

103
 Section. 6.
The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for
their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury
of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and
Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at
the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from
the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be
questioned in any other Place.
No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he
was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the
United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof
shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any
Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during
his Continuance in Office.

Section. 7.
All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Repre-
sentatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as
on other Bills.
Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and
the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of
the United States: If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return
it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated,
who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to
reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall
agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the
other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved
by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases
the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the
Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on
the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by
the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been
presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had
signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return,
in which Case it shall not be a Law.
Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the
Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a

104
question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the Unit-
ed States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him,
or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate
and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations
prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section. 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Im-
posts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence
and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and
Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several
States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws
on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and
fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and
current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for
limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their re-
spective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high
Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make
Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that
Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and
naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the
Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

105
 To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and
for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of
the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment
of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the
discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such
District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of par-
ticular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the
Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all
Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which
the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-
Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying
into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this
Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Depart-
ment or Officer thereof.

Section. 9.
The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States
now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the
Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but
a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten
dollars for each Person.
The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended,
unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may re-
quire it.
No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion
to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.
No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.
No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Rev-
enue to the Ports of one State over those of another; nor shall Vessels
bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in
another.
No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence
of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account

106
of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published
from time to time.
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no
Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without
the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office,
or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

Section. 10.
No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation;
grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit;
make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts;
pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obli-
gation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.
No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts
or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely neces-
sary for executing it’s inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties
and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use
of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to
the Revision and Controul of the Congress.
No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of
Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any
Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or
engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as
will not admit of delay.

Article. II.

Section. 1.
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United
States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years,
and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elect-
ed, as follows:
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof
may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Sena-
tors and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Con-
gress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of
Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

107
 The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot
for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the
same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons
voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign
and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the
United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the
Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives,
open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person
having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Num-
ber be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there
be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number
of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by
Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then
from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse
the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by
States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum
for this purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of
the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice.
In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the
greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if
there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall
chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.
The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and
the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same
throughout the United States.
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United
States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to
the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office
who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been four-
teen Years a Resident within the United States.
In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death,
Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said
Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress
may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or In-
ability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer
shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until
the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

108
 The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Com-
pensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the
Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive with-
in that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of
them.
Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the fol-
lowing Oath or Affirmation:—”I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will
faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to
the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of
the United States.”

Section. 2.
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy
of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called
into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion,
in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments,
upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he
shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the
United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Sen-
ate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur;
and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the
Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls,
Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States,
whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which
shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Ap-
pointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President
alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may hap-
pen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall
expire at the End of their next Session.

Section. 3.
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the
State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Mea-
sures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordi-
nary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of

109
Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment,
he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall
receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that
the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of
the United States.

Section. 4.
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United
States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction
of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Article III.

Section. 1.
The judicial Power of the United States shall be vested in one su-
preme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time
to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior
Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stat-
ed Times, receive for their Services a Compensation, which shall not be
diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section. 2.
The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, aris-
ing under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties
made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;—to all Cases af-
fecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;—to all Cases
of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;—to Controversies to which the
United States shall be a Party;—to Controversies between two or more
States;— between a State and Citizens of another State;—between Cit-
izens of different States;—between Citizens of the same State claiming
Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citi-
zens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Con-
suls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have
original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme
Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such
Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

110
 The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be
by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes
shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State,
the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law
have directed.

Section. 3.
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War
against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Com-
fort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of
two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason,
but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfei-
ture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

Article. IV.

Section. 1.
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts,
Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress
may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records
and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Section. 2.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Im-
munities of Citizens in the several States.
A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime,
who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on De-
mand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be de-
livered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.
No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws
thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Reg-
ulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be
delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may
be due.

111
 Section. 3.
New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no
new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other
State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or
Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States con-
cerned as well as of the Congress.
The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful
Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging
to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed
as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.

Section. 4.
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Re-
publican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against In-
vasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when
the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence.

Article. V.

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it nec-
essary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Ap-
plication of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call
a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall
be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when
ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by
Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Rat-
ification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment
which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and
eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth
Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall
be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

Article. VI.

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adop-
tion of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under
this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

112
 This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall
be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be
made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme
Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby,
any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary not-
withstanding.
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Mem-
bers of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Of-
ficers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound
by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious
Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust
under the United States.

Article. VII.

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient

for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying
the Same.
The Word, “the,” being interlined between the seventh and eighth
Lines of the first Page, the Word “Thirty” being partly written on an
Erazure in the fifteenth Line of the first Page, The Words “is tried” being
interlined between the thirty second and thirty third Lines of the first
Page and the Word “the” being interlined between the forty third and
forty fourth Lines of the second Page.

113
 Attest William Jackson Secretary

Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States

present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of
the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have
hereunto subscribed our Names,

Go. Washington South Carolina

Presidt and deputy from J. Rutledge
Virginia Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Pinckney
Delaware Pierce Butler
Geo: Read
Gunning Bedford jun Georgia
John Dickinson William Few
Richard Bassett Abr Baldwin
Jaco: Broom
New Hampshire
Maryland John Langdon
James McHenry Nicholas Gilman
Dan of St Thos. Jenifer
Danl. Carroll Massachusetts
Nathaniel Gorham
Virginia Rufus King
John Blair
James Madison Jr. Connecticut
Wm. Saml. Johnson
North Carolina Roger Sherman
Wm. Blount
Richd. Dobbs Spaight New York
Hu Williamson Alexander Hamilton

114
 New Jersey
Wil: Livingston
David Brearley
Wm. Paterson
Jona: Dayton

Pennsylvania
B Franklin
Thomas Mifflin
Robt. Morris
Geo. Clymer
Thos. FitzSimons
Jared Ingersoll
James Wilson
Gouv Morris

115
 The Bill of Rights

Note: The following text is a transcription of the first ten amendments

to the Constitution in their original form. These amendments were rati-
fied December 15, 1791, and form what is known as the “Bill of Rights.”

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of reli-

gion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assem-
ble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free

State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be in-
fringed.

Amendment III

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, with-

out the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to
be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, pa-

pers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not
be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, sup-
ported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to
be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

117
Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous

crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in
cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual
service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject
for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall
be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be
deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall
private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to

a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and dis-
trict wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall
have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the
nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses
against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his
favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Amendment VII

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall ex-

ceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no
fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the
United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed,

nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be

construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

118
Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,

nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively,
or to the people.

Note: The capitalization and punctuation in this version is from the

enrolled original of the Joint Resolution of Congress proposing the Bill of
Rights, which is on permanent display in the Rotunda of the National
Archives Building, Washington, D.C.

The Constitution:
Amendments 11–27

Constitutional Amendments 1–10 make up what is known as The

Bill of Rights.

Amendments 11–27 are listed below.

Amendment XI

Passed by Congress March 4, 1794. Ratified February 7, 1795.

Note: Article III, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by

amendment 11.

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to

extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against
one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or
Subjects of any Foreign State.

Amendment XII

Passed by Congress December 9, 1803. Ratified June 15, 1804.

Note: A portion of Article II, section 1 of the Constitution was super-

seded by the 12th amendment.

119
 The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot
for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be
an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in
their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots
the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct
lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for
as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they
shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the govern-
ment of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; —
the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and
House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall
then be counted; — The person having the greatest number of votes
for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of
the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such
majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not ex-
ceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of
Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But
in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the repre-
sentation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose
shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states,
and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. [And if
the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever
the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of
March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as
in case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.
—]* The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President,
shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole
number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then
from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the
Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds
of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number
shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible
to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of
the United States.

*Superseded by section 3 of the 20th amendment.

120
Amendment XIII

Passed by Congress January 31, 1865. Ratified December 6, 1865.

Note: A portion of Article IV, section 2, of the Constitution was su-

perseded by the 13th amendment.

Section 1.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment
for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist
within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.

Amendment XIV

Passed by Congress June 13, 1866. Ratified July 9, 1868.

Note: Article I, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by section

2 of the 14th amendment.

Section 1.
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and sub-
ject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and
of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any
law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the
United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its
jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2.
Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States
according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number
of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the
right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and

121
Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the
Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Leg-
islature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State,
being twenty-one years of age,* and citizens of the United States, or in
any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime,
the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion
which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole num-
ber of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3.
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or
elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or mil-
itary, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previ-
ously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the
United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an execu-
tive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the
United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against
the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress
may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4.
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized
by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and boun-
ties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be
questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or
pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion
against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of
any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal
and void.

Section 5.
The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate leg-
islation, the provisions of this article.

*Changed by section 1 of the 26th amendment.

122
Amendment XV

Passed by Congress February 26, 1869. Ratified February 3, 1870.

Section 1.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race,
color, or previous condition of servitude—

Section 2.
The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appro-
priate legislation.

Amendment XVI

Passed by Congress July 2, 1909. Ratified February 3, 1913.

Note: Article I, section 9, of the Constitution was modified by amend-

ment 16.

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes,
from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the sev-
eral States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Amendment XVII

Passed by Congress May 13, 1912. Ratified April 8, 1913.

Note: Article I, section 3, of the Constitution was modified by the 17th

amendment.

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators

from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each
Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the
qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of
the State legislatures.

123
 When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the
Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election
to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may
empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until
the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election
or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the
Constitution.

Amendment XVIII

Passed by Congress December 18, 1917. Ratified January 16, 1919.

Repealed by amendment 21.

Section 1.
After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture,
sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation
thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all
territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is
hereby prohibited.

Section 2.
The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power
to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3.
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified
as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several
States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the
date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Amendment XIX

Passed by Congress June 4, 1919. Ratified August 18, 1920.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

124
 Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.

Amendment XX

Passed by Congress March 2, 1932. Ratified January 23, 1933.

Note: Article I, section 4, of the Constitution was modified by section

2 of this amendment. In addition, a portion of the 12th amendment was
superseded by section 3.

Section 1.
The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon
on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representa-
tives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms
would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of
their successors shall then begin.

Section 2.
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such
meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall
by law appoint a different day.

Section 3.
If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President,
the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall be-
come President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the
time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall
have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as Presi-
dent until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by
law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice
President shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as Presi-
dent, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and
such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President
shall have qualified.

125
 Section 4.
The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any
of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a
President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them,
and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the
Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall
have devolved upon them.

Section 5.
Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October follow-
ing the ratification of this article.

Section 6.
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as
an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths
of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

Amendment XXI

Passed by Congress February 20, 1933. Ratified December 5, 1933.

Section 1.
The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the
United States is hereby repealed.

Section 2.
The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or Pos-
session of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating
liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3.
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified
as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several
States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the
date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

126
Amendment XXII

Passed by Congress March 21, 1947. Ratified February 27, 1951.

Section 1.
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than
twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted
as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other
person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President
more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding
the office of President when this Article was proposed by Congress,
and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of
President, or acting as President, during the term within which this
Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or act-
ing as President during the remainder of such term.

Section 2.
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as
an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths
of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission
to the States by the Congress.

Amendment XXIII

Passed by Congress June 16, 1960. Ratified March 29, 1961.

Section 1.
The District constituting the seat of Government of the United
States shall appoint in such manner as Congress may direct:
A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the
whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which
the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more
than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those ap-
pointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of
the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed
by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties
as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

127
 Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropri-
ate legislation.

Amendment XXIV

Passed by Congress August 27, 1962. Ratified January 23, 1964.

Section 1.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or
other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President
or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall
not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason
of failure to pay poll tax or other tax.

Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropri-
ate legislation.

Amendment XXV

Passed by Congress July 6, 1965. Ratified February 10, 1967.

Note: Article II, section 1, of the Constitution was affected by the 25th
amendment.

Section 1.
In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death
or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2.
Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the
President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon
confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
Section 3.
Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of
the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written

128
declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his
office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the con-
trary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President
as Acting President.

Section 4.
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal
officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Con-
gress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written
declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and
duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the
powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tem-
pore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his
written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers
and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of ei-
ther the principal officers of the executive department or of such other
body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the
President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable
to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress
shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that pur-
pose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after
receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in ses-
sion, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble,
determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is un-
able to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President
shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise,
the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

Amendment XXVI

Passed by Congress March 23, 1971. Ratified July 1, 1971.

Note: Amendment 14, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by

section 1 of the 26th amendment.

129
 Section 1.
The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years
of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United
States or by any State on account of age.

Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropri-
ate legislation.

Amendment XXVII

Originally proposed Sept. 25, 1789. Ratified May 7, 1992.

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators

and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of representa-
tives shall have intervened.

130
Appendix B: Authorizing Statutes for the
Armed Forces

U.S. Army

TITLE 10, Subtitle B, PART I, CHAPTER 307.

Sec. 3062. – Policy; composition; organized peace establishment

(a) It is the intent of Congress to provide an Army that is capable,

in conjunction with the other armed forces, of –

(1) preserving the peace and security, and providing for the de-
fense, of the United States, the Territories, Commonwealths, and pos-
sessions, and any areas occupied by the United States;
(2) supporting the national policies;
(3) implementing the national objectives; and
(4) overcoming any nations responsible for aggressive acts that im-
peril the peace and security of the United States.

(b) In general, the Army, within the Department of the Army,

includes land combat and service forces and such aviation and wa-
ter transport as may be organic therein. It shall be organized, trained,
and equipped primarily for prompt and sustained combat incident to
operations on land. It is responsible for the preparation of land forces
necessary for the effective prosecution of war except as otherwise as-
signed and, in accordance with integrated joint mobilization plans, for

131
the expansion of the peacetime components of the Army to meet the
needs of war.

(c) The Army consists of –

(1) the Regular Army, the Army National Guard of the United
States, the Army National Guard while in the service of the United
States and the Army Reserve; and
(2) all persons appointed or enlisted in, or conscripted into, the
Army without component.

(d) The organized peace establishment of the Army consists of all –

(1) military organizations of the Army with their installations and

supporting and auxiliary elements, including combat, training, admin-
istrative, and logistic elements; and
(2) members of the Army, including those not assigned to units;
necessary to form the basis for a complete and immediate mobilization
for the national defense in the event of a national emergency.

U.S. Marine Corps

TITLE 10, Subtitle C, PART I, CHAPTER 507.

Sec. 5063. – United States Marine Corps: composition; functions

(a) The Marine Corps, within the Department of the Navy, shall
be so organized as to include not less than three combat divisions and
three air wings, and such other land combat, aviation, and other ser-
vices as may be organic therein. The Marine Corps shall be organized,
trained, and equipped to provide fleet marine forces of combined arms,
together with supporting air components, for service with the fleet in
the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and for the conduct of
such land operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a naval
campaign. In addition, the Marine Corps shall provide detachments
and organizations for service on armed vessels of the Navy, shall pro-

132
vide security detachments for the protection of naval property at naval
stations and bases, and shall perform such other duties as the President
may direct. However, these additional duties may not detract from or
interfere with the operations for which the Marine Corps is primarily
organized.

(b) The Marine Corps shall develop, in coordination with the Army
and the Air Force, those phases of amphibious operations that pertain
to the tactics, technique, and equipment used by landing forces.

(c) The Marine Corps is responsible, in accordance with integrated

joint mobilization plans, for the expansion of peacetime components
of the Marine Corps to meet the needs of war.

U.S. Navy

TITLE 10, Subtitle C, PART I, CHAPTER 507.

Sec. 5062. – United States Navy: composition; functions

(a) The Navy, within the Department of the Navy, includes, in

general, naval combat and service forces and such aviation as may be
organic therein. The Navy shall be organized, trained, and equipped
primarily for prompt and sustained combat incident to operations at
sea. It is responsible for the preparation of naval forces necessary for
the effective prosecution of war except as otherwise assigned and, in
accordance with integrated joint mobilization plans, for the expansion
of the peacetime components of the Navy to meet the needs of war.

(b) All naval aviation shall be integrated with the naval service as
part thereof within the Department of the Navy. Naval aviation con-
sists of combat and service and training forces, and includes land-
based naval aviation, air transport essential for naval operations, all air
weapons and air techniques involved in the operations and activities of
the Navy, and the entire remainder of the aeronautical organization of
the Navy, together with the personnel necessary therefor.

133
 (c) The Navy shall develop aircraft, weapons, tactics, technique,
organization, and equipment of naval combat and service elements.
Matters of joint concern as to these functions shall be coordinated be-
tween the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy.

U.S. Air Force

TITLE 10, Subtitle D, PART I, CHAPTER 807.

Sec. 8062. – Policy; composition; aircraft authorization

(a) It is the intent of Congress to provide an Air Force that is capa-

ble, in conjunction with the other armed forces, of –

(1) preserving the peace and security, and providing for the de-
fense, of the United States, the Territories, Commonwealths, and pos-
sessions, and any areas occupied by the United States;
(2) supporting the national policies;
(3) implementing the national objectives; and
(4) overcoming any nations responsible for aggressive acts that im-
peril the peace and security of the United States.

(b) There is a United States Air Force within the Department of

the Air Force.

(c) In general, the Air Force includes aviation forces both combat
and service not otherwise assigned. It shall be organized, trained, and
equipped primarily for prompt and sustained offensive and defensive
air operations. It is responsible for the preparation of the air forces
necessary for the effective prosecution of war except as otherwise as-
signed and, in accordance with integrated joint mobilization plans, for
the expansion of the peacetime components of the Air Force to meet
the needs of war.

134
 (d) The Air Force consists of –

(1) the Regular Air Force, the Air National Guard of the Unit-
ed States, the Air National Guard while in the service of the United
States, and the Air Force Reserve;
(2) all persons appointed or enlisted in, or conscripted into, the
Air Force without component; and
(3) all Air Force units and other Air Force organizations, with their
installations and supporting and auxiliary combat, training, admin-
istrative, and logistic elements; and all members of the Air Force, in-
cluding those not assigned to units; necessary to form the basis for a
complete and immediate mobilization for the national defense in the
event of a national emergency.

(e) Subject to subsection (f) of this section, chapter 831 of this title,
and the strength authorized by law pursuant to section 115 of this title,
the authorized strength of the Air Force is 70 Regular Air Force groups
and such separate Regular Air Force squadrons, reserve groups, and
supporting and auxiliary regular and reserve units as required.

(f) There are authorized for the Air Force 24,000 serviceable air-
craft or 225,000 airframe tons of serviceable aircraft, whichever the
Secretary of the Air Force considers appropriate to carry out this sec-
tion. This subsection does not apply to guided missiles.

U.S. Coast Guard

TITLE 14, PART I, CHAPTER 1.

Sec. 1. – Establishment of Coast Guard

The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a mili-

tary service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all
times. The Coast Guard shall be a service in the Department of Home-
land Security, except when operating as a service in the Navy.

135
 Sec. 2. – Primary duties
The Coast Guard shall enforce or assist in the enforcement of all
applicable Federal laws on, under, and over the high seas and waters
subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; shall engage in maritime
air surveillance or interdiction to enforce or assist in the enforcement
of the laws of the United States; shall administer laws and promulgate
and enforce regulations for the promotion of safety of life and property
on and under the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the
United States covering all matters not specifically delegated by law to
some other executive department; shall develop, establish, maintain,
and operate, with due regard to the requirements of national defense,
aids to maritime navigation, ice-breaking facilities, and rescue facili-
ties for the promotion of safety on, under, and over the high seas and
waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; shall, pursuant
to international agreements, develop, establish, maintain, and operate
icebreaking facilities on, under, and over waters other than the high
seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; shall
engage in oceanographic research of the high seas and in waters sub-
ject to the jurisdiction of the United States; and shall maintain a state
of readiness to function as a specialized service in the Navy in time
of war, including the fulfillment of Maritime Defense Zone command
responsibilities.

136
Appendix C: Service Values of the Armed
Forces

U.S. Army U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force

Loyalty Marine Corps Integrity First
Duty Honor Service Before Self
Respect Courage Excellence in All We Do
Selfless Service Commitment
Honor
Integrity
Personal Courage

U.S. Coast Guard

Honor
Respect
Devotion to Duty

137
Appendix D: Code of Conduct for Members of
the United States Armed Forces

I
I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country
and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

II
I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will
never surrender the members of my command while they still have the
means to resist.

III
If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I
will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept
neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

IV
If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow pris-
oners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might
be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not,
I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back
them up in every way.

V
When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am re-
quired to give name, rank, service number and date of birth. I will

138
evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will
make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies
or harmful to their cause.

VI
I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, re-
sponsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made
my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of
America.

Executive Order 10631 (1955) as amended by EO 11382 (1967)

and EO 12633 (1988)

139
Notes
Notes
Notes
Notes
 The Noncommissioned Officer and Petty Officer BACKBONE of the Armed Forces
The
“Noncommissioned officers and petty officers are truly the
Backbone of America’s military strength, and the Department of Noncommissioned Officer
and Petty Officer
Defense depends on their leadership, integrity, and dedication
to accomplish our mission. As a former Army sergeant, I know
how much trust and responsibility are placed in the hands of
our NCOs and POs. By explaining what it means to be a leader
in the strongest military in the world, this book will help ensure
that today’s and tomorrow’s noncommissioned officers and petty
officers understand the proud legacy they have inherited.”

—Chuck Hagel
Secretary of Defense

BACKBONE
of the Armed Forces