X-mo-1979 said:
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I have I believe motivated my guys to be stronger during PT.I offered a variety of PT...not running every Monday Wednesday Friday with a sport and a ruck march thrown in there.My leadership saw my passion for RESPONSIBLE physical training and allowed me to develop my subordinates in this field.
The response I got was great.And surprisingly from even the heavier set out of shape guys.They actually looked forward to a variety of PT instead of the constant revolving unchanging schedule.
I believe that many Jnco's and Snr NCO's have done this to great effect and improved the troops way beyond the minimum level.
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People need something to reach for to achieve higher IMHO.
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Bingo. Thank you - you hit the nail on the head.
"People need something to reach for" and "many Jnco's and Snr NCO's have done this to great effect ".
That's it! It takes LEADERSHIP - at the lowest possible level - to have troops who are "superior" to the "minimum standard".
What's the reward for doing so? Pride. Pride in belonging to a "kick ass section", or platoon, or coy, or Bn, or Bde.
I hate to bring it up again - because I realize it gets old after a while - but it illustrates the point perfectly. In the Ab Regt, we EXCEEDED the "minimum CF standards" which existed at the time. How come? Because we were Airborne - and we took pride in that, and because we took pride in that, it was incumbent upon us as individuals to ensure that the Regiment was perceived as "elite" (although that was a verboten term at the time) by the rest of the CF. I imagine a similar mindset is prevalent amongst CANSOFCOM troops today (even if it isn't officially sanctioned.)
The LEADERSHIP needs to inspire and motivate the troops to NOT be satisfied with the bare minimum - they need to instill PRIDE in the troops to achieve more. And the methods of doing that are as numerous as the number of Jr and Sr NCOs in the CF.
It remains true that to train your soldiers to a "minimal standard" results in commanding "minimal troops".
The folks I feel sorry for are those serving in those field units (and they exist) which do not take pride in being "better" than the "minimum standard". It is those folks who are physically injured, have their feet torn apart, and generally dread the BFT. A little pride from their leadership (at all levels) would have them "walking in the park" like the soldiers they have the potential to be.
Or do I have it all wrong?