FORT KNOX, Ky. – Through the reemphasis on the Army Profession in recent years, the heart of the Army—The Army Ethic—is defined as the moral principles that guide us in the conduct of our missions, performance of duty, and all aspects of life.
Maj. Gen. David Puster, commanding general, 84th Training Command, visited and discussed the Army Profession with cadets attending Leader Development and Assessment Course during Cadet Summer Training conducted at Fort Knox, Ky.
After observing their performance during their culminating event of the training—platoon operations, which tests all the skills they learned throughout their 29-day LDAC iteration, Puster held an open-forum discussion.
Riddled with personal anecdotes, Puster shared lessons he has learned throughout his career.
“Life is a series of failures. What you take away and how you grow from your failures is what is important. We all learn our lessons based on failure,” Puster said.
Puster commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at College of William and Mary, enabling him to relate to the cadets current status.
Reflecting on his development process, Puster shared that they will be personally and professionally tested and challenged.
“You need to think about what type of leader you want to be. Whether you want to be an ethical leader, a type of leader that you always wished you had,” Puster said. “You will be in charge of Soldiers soon, and you are charged with being the standard bearer.”
Puster learned from the cadre that the cadets are taught full-spectrum operations throughout their summer training. He compared the growth in the future leaders’ development to his own experiences.
“This training is setting the foundation for your careers. Our [The Army’s] focus has changed over the years. Use this time to absorb as much information, knowledge, and experience as possible to make you better leaders,” Puster said.
Puster’s unit trains and assesses Army Reserve units in Army Force Generation. He emphasizes the Army Profession and leadership development in all of the training they oversee.
“One of the things we are emphasizing in the Army right now is the three Cs: character, commitment, and competency. Simply put, character is the idea of doing the right thing, commitment is doing your duty, and competency is being the best at all you do. This concept will help you develop yourself as a leader,” Puster said.
Referencing President John F. Kennedy’s famous quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” he spoke to the cadets about opportunities the Army can provide but more importantly what they can provide for the Army.
“This is the most honorable profession you can go into. No other profession asks its members to fight and potentially die for the cause they have,” Puster said. “It’s a higher calling each of you is answering and it requires you to be dedicated. You all represent the future. Use this experience and training to make you stronger, better, and smarter so you’re prepared when you become leaders in the Army.”