The Profession of Arms

Major Christopher DN. Washington
Student, Command and General Staff School
U.S. Army Combined Arms Center
Fort Belvoir, Virginia

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." (Shead)
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote frames what being a member of the profession of arms is to me. As an intelligence officer in the U.S. military, I must hold the awareness and knowledge to assess problems and identify solutions. At times, these solutions guide unfamiliar paths, but in doing, so leave behind the standards for current/future members of the military professions to develop. Merriam Webster defines a profession as “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.” (Webster) With that, aside most professions have a code of ethics that guides their profession, on the other hand the profession of arms, that being the military has a code of ethics unlike doctors, lawyers or clergy. (FM-1) The code requires us to march in harm’s way, not to use a banal slogan, but U.S. military service members often pay the “ultimate sacrifice.” That ultimate sacrifice is evident in 5000 thousand Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines, who have lost their lives in the past decade while serving in the profession of arms.

It was not until my deployment in 2004, with 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) 2nd Infantry Division (ID) to Ramadi, Iraq did I truly appreciate the seriousness of the profession. As the S2 Battle Captain and Direct Support (DS), Military Intelligence (MI), Company Commander, I became a quick study of the Area of Operation (AOR), Al-Anbar Providence, which was the center of the Sunni Triangle. The Sunni Triangle in 2004, became the strong hold for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (AMZ), Al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorist organization. The seriousness of timely and accurate intelligence in the AOR was “life and death.” The sense of pride in knowing that you helped a fellow soldier from a possible Improvised Explosive Device (IED) or Small Arms Fire (SAF) attack was enough provocation to handle 18-hour days for seven months straight. This selfless service became an azimuth in my moral compass.

2BCT 2ID had one of the highest fatality rates out of any BCT during OIF-I/II. The S2 shop was following 1BCT 1ID’s Tactic Techniques and Procedures (TTP) and in doing so, the enemy had adapted over time to our decision making cycle. I found it necessary to make my own path in solving some of the complex intelligence issues. My predecessor’s TTP’s were anachronistic for the current problem set. I took an out of the box approach that forded greater success in killing and capturing insurgents. The successes allowed for the first time in 50 years free elections in Al-Anbar providence.

"The Army's most important guiding values and standards are written in the Army Values, Soldier's Creed, and Warrior Ethos. These instill in every Soldier the will to win and make great personal sacrifices-sometimes the ultimate sacrifice-in selfless service to the Nation. In answering the call to duty, Soldiers voluntarily limit certain rights to become disciplined, competent practitioners of the art and science of war. In so doing, they guarantee the Nation's security." (FM-1)

In summary, as a leader within the profession of arms, you have to be willing to accept change, and adapt quickly to an ever-changing environment. In the responsibility of protecting, the country there are no mulligan’s and mistakes cost lives, therefore, blazing new roads, and not walking the path often taken are keys to success. As a member of the U.S. military, I am a profession of arms member who accomplishes missions/tasks that ordinary Americans are not charged to perform. The sense of pride received in accomplishing the more than ordinary missions/tasks fuels my continued service in arms.

"The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government."
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Mark Shead, “Leadership Quotes,” Leadership501, http://www.leadership501.com/leadership-quotes/316/ (accessed September 2, 2010).

Merriam Webster, s.v. “Profession,” http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profession (accessed September 2, 2010).

Department of the Army, FM-1 “The Army and the Profession of Arms,” (Department of the Army, 2004), 1-40-1-42, http://www.army.mil/fm1/chapter1.html (accessed September 2, 2010) cited hereafter FM-1.

FM-1, 1-82.