After the completion of this long training exercise, the Battalion Commander decided that he would ... "Impress his bosses by conducting a 17-mile force road march.  Have you ever been in a situation where your boss was trying to impress his boss, and you did not suffer because of it?  This situation was no different.  I thought that was a dumb idea and immediately suggested that we use helicopters and conduct a massive jump into the heart of Ft Hood.  My idea didn't go over very well.  I did not understand that I should have come up with a way to make the commander think he had come up with that idea!  You know how that works. "The Colonel" stuck to his guns, and we prepared for a seventeen-mile road march.  

Just before the start of the seventeen-mile march, I decided to recheck the troops, about 240 men.  They look good and prepared, but tired.  The Battalion Commander gave the word, and we were off to the races.  About an hour into the march, I noticed how happy some of my troops were.  I became somewhat suspicious when I saw how much sweat they were showing after just two hours.  I thought it was far too soon for that. 

I couldn't understand it, but what the hell, I assumed that they were happy to be going home, even though there was a seventeen-mile march staring them in the face.  As this situation continued, I decided to inspect a few of their canteens.  I am an old country boy, and it is not easy to get much past me.  Just as I suspected, there was beer in many of the canteens, passing as water.  But I had still screwed up.  I should have identified this situation before we departed.

As some of the troops were starting to lag.  I continued walking back and forth, trying to keep the troops in some semblance of formation.  Didn't want the colonel to know that I had missed the beer during my last equipment check.  Who in the hell would have thought to taste the water?   So I continued walking back and forth to try to get them to keep up.  Never, because what I was really doing was walking almost three times as much as anyone else (back and forth for seventeen miles)!  I was a young lieutenant at the time, didn't think of any other way to do this, and, well, I was responsible for not checking the water canteens, even though I suspect no one would ever have inspected them. 

The results were that I had to work like hell, walking back and forth, trying to keep the troops in formation.  We finally arrived at Ft Hood and were standing in formation, (ready for the Commanding General's inspection of the troops)!  I was dam near dead.  A seventeen-mile walk after almost a week of round-the-clock, day and night training as the Officer in Charge of the company had taken a toll on me.  And the extra miles of walking back and forth added another ten or more, bringing the total to about 34 miles.  I had to keep the formation looking good because a Two Star Helicopter was lingering overhead, and things had gone extremely well for me to point … don't want to screw that up.  And as you may already know, it's not what you did yesterday, it's what you do for me today.

We finally arrived at Fort Hood.  I was standing in front of my company.  My body had given up on me. So, I fainted!   But there was my trusted and caring 1SG standing just behind me, his left hand on my back, holding me upright, and no one ever knew. Soldiers have a way of stealing your heart.

After the Division Commanders' short talk, I  thanked the troops for a great job and dismissed them.  Within seconds, the Captain walked up.  Apparently, his wife had gotten better.  He ordered me to reassemble the troops.  I didn't budge.  My troops were tired and were ready to go home … and were in no mud to listen to any of his bull-shit.  He again ordered me to reassemble the troops.  Again, I didn't budge.  About that time, the 1SG said, Sir, you understand that you are about to disobey a direct order from the commanding officer.  And you know that the troops are going to stand by you.  And I will, but I already have my 20.  But it's not worth it, let me reassemble the troops.  Almost in tears, I ordered the 1SG to reassemble the troops and reported to the Company Commander.  

As a young lieutenant, this was one of the more difficult decisions of my military career.   It became clear to me that people care far less about what you know and far more about what you care about!  I had made several mistakes during that exercise, but I had been there with the troops, and that is what they cared about most.  How strange soldiers are! Soldiers have a way of stealing your heart.

One of the things I learned early in my military career was that soldiers need to feel that they are members of a team.  And they felt that way as well.  You would often hear leaders and officers, and most Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), say, "There is but one color in the military, Green."  It was said, of course, to indicate that everyone would feel treated fairly, no matter their color or situation.  

I did then and still believe that there is less of a racial problem in the military than anywhere else in our society.  People learn quickly to love and appreciate each other when their very lives may and often do depend on it.  When people accomplish bit things together … there is a binding effect like no other.

But I took a somewhat different approach, and it worked wonders for me.  When I work with a group of military men and women, I try to see each of their different personalities, even though they are all dressed in green uniforms.  I tried to get to know each person's own individual personality.  I don't know why I thought this was so important, but as the years passed, I realized my approach was the most important factor in my success, more than any other factor.   

Dowdy's Aximum: You need to understand the situation before you can help with any personal problems they may have.  You must be ready to help.