By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Bunn
CAMP CASEY, South Korea – Retired Gen. B.B. Bell, former United States Forces Korea commander, was a guest speaker during an “Under the Oak Tree Counseling” professional development class for junior leaders of 4th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, at their headquarters on Camp Hovey, Dec. 3.
Under the Oak Tree Counseling is used to help mitigate possible risks and hazards associated with being in unfamiliar places, and helps leaders get to know their Soldiers while teaching them how to behave appropriately.
Bell began the discussion emphasizing the importance of the military’s role in the Republic of Korea and making sure the junior leaders understood why they were stationed here.
“This is the most strategic outpost for the United States in the world today,” he said. “It’s not all about North Korea. This area of the world is the number one economic entity for trade with the U.S. When you add up Japan, China and Korea, nowhere else in the world comes close to our dependency on this area for economic activity.”
Bell said he wants solders stationed in South Korea to realize how important it is for them to represent the U.S. in a positive manner.
“Your principal mission is to be a ready military force day to day,” said Bell. “But you are also supposed to be good ambassadors for America.”
Bell added that we remain on the peninsula because we are welcomed and wanted. But it is up to us as U.S. ambassadors to maintain that good relationship with the Korean people. That is why Under the Oak Tree Counselings are important to give to junior soldiers.
As Bell reminisced about his 39 years in the Army, he told the junior leaders how safety counseling was usually given by the first sergeants and platoon sergeants during company formations.
To get first line supervisors more involved with their soldiers, he started having his squad leaders and team leaders sit down with their soldiers and ask them what they were doing and where they were going during their time off, he said. A verbal contract between the two helped the young soldier follow through with good behavior.
“It’s about talking and having candid agreements with each other about behavior, not about standards only,” said Bell, “but about how people behave and what you expect in terms of behavior as a leader.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Albert T. Washington Jr., the 4-7th Cav. senior enlisted advisor said, having Bell as a guest speaker was beneficial to his junior leaders.
“Bell brought his past experiences and meshed them with what is going on in today’s Army,” Washington said. “He was right to the point when telling these soldiers why they were here and what is expected of them as junior leaders.”
On a final note, Bell left the junior leaders with unyielding praise.
“I am very proud and appreciate your commitment to this organization, to the heraldry of the Army and to your nation,” Bell said.
| Date Taken: |
12.03.2010 |
| Date Posted: |
12.13.2010 21:30 |
| Story ID: |
61920 |
| Location: |
CAMP CASEY, KR |
| Web Views: |
152 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Bell visits 4-7th Cav. junior leaders, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Subscribe
