To be a good leader, either in the military or civilian world, one must be able to make decisions, follow directions, and most of all, know how to be a follower. An officer has great responsibility in their work. They start out in charge of about 30 soldiers. They are responsible for the actions of those 30 soldiers. Along with the responsibility of those people, officers have duties to be carried out by those officers in higher positions. As an officer advances in the military, the number of people they are accountable for and the responsibilities they have increase. Eventually one could be in charge of the entire Army.
I look forward to becoming an officer in the Army. My career in the military will more than prepare me for a career in the civilian world if I choose to take that route. Instead of starting out at the bottom of the ladder, I will be somewhere in between. As a 2LT, I am at the bottom of the officer ladder but I am still higher ranking and have more responsibility than a SGM who has been in the Army for 30 years. Experienced enlisted soldiers will salute me out of respect because I am an officer. I must show that I can live up to the responsibilities of an officer and not be blinded by power. I must also learn from my subordinates; especially my NCO's. They are the ones who know the most and I hope I will be able to count on them to help me when I need it.
When my time in the military is up, and if I decide to start a civilian career, my military experience will help me excel in whatever I decide to do. I would have already known what it is like to be the "boss." Many people in the real world have never experienced leadership. When my time comes to serve my country as an officer in the Army, I will take it on with great pride and honor.
