Introductory video on Duty. Fulfill your obligations. Doing your duty means more than carrying out your assigned tasks. Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team. The work of the U.S. Army is a complex combination of missions, tasks and responsibilities all in constant motion. Our work entails building one assignment onto another. You fulfill your obligations as a part of your unit every time you resist the temptation to take "shortcuts" that might undermine the integrity of the final product.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
At first, when rumors began circulating that there were possible sexual assaults taking place, no one took action. However, when victims began speaking out, confirming the misconduct, 1LT Ortiz-Barreto reported the case to his commander. With support from his leadership and his unit, 1LT Ortiz-Barreto said he was not afraid to do the right thing.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
John Diem is an Infantry NCO with several deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. In these deployments, he regularly faced heavy fire and was often located far from higher headquarters.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Part 1: SSG Miner talks about the importance of doing the right thing as an Aviation mechanic, and about the trust pilots have in the mechanics to do the right thing. There is a lot of pressure to make sure that aircrafts are up and running. As a result, many people take shortcuts. At one point, SSG Miner comes across another mechanic who DID take a shortcut.
Part 2: SSG Miner talks about why it is so important to do the right thing and give an honest report. He discusses the implications of making a mistake and the burden of reporting and keeping proper records. He says that the job should be done right the first time.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
As a young 1LT, assigned to the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Advisory Team while in Vietnam, LTC (retired) Schwabe witnessed the needless shooting of an enemy Soldier. He knew a war crime had been committed against the Viet Cong Soldier, but because the victim would certainly live, he let the matter drop and did not take action for the crime.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
CSM Julie Guerra was the victim of sexual assault as a Private First Class. Her unit's leadership set a standard which she now uses to train and educate her leaders on how to handle these cases. She is sharing her story to help fellow Army professionals better understand the needs of sexual assault victims, in order to eradicate this crime that undermines trust and tarnishes our Army Profession.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Part 1: CPT Jackson describes being in Iraq and conducting a vehicle recovery when his unit came under enemy fire. He looked over and saw that his Company Commander and First Sergeant had both been hit. He makes the decision to expose himself to enemy fire to provide aid to his First Sergeant. Even after CPT Jackson is hit, he continues to render aid. He looks over and sees SSG Newlin taking charge of coordinating fires and evacuating the wounded. He draws the strength to continue to fight and provide aid to his fellow Soldiers because of this.
Part 2: CPT Jackson pushed through his wounds in order to carry his First Sergeant to safety. He then collapsed from his own wounds. He was confident that SFC Newlin would continue the fight and find the insurgents. As CPT Jackson recovered from his wounds, he drew strength from his First Sergeant's progress.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
In 2003, Jerry Tucker-a squad leader in Iraq-is tasked with a mission to establish security at a compound south of Fallujah. As the mission progressed, 1SG Tucker and his Soldiers encountered a different scenario than intelligence had prepared them for.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
The Army recognizes that social media gives people the ability to communicate with larger audiences faster and in new ways. The Army also understands the risks associated with social media. Three Soldiers posted a video on YouTube that depicted life in the barracks. It was then posted to a popular Facebook page for greater exposure. MSG Katrina Moerk confronted the Soldiers who produced this video as well as those who made unprofessional statements in the comment section of this Facebook post. She is sharing her story because she wants all Army Professionals to know that there are no split personalities in social media.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
SGT Briggs finds himself in a critical shoot/don't shoot, with the lives of his company potentially in the balance. While performing guard duty in one of the perimeter towers, SGT Briggs has been observing a local national waving a white flag and motioning. SGT Briggs attempted to get the man to move to a different location and figure out his intent. Instead, the man jumps over the perimeter wall into the American outpost. Penetrating the perimeter is considered a hostile act, and the Rules of Engagement clearly allow SGT Briggs to take the shot. SGT Briggs has a split second to decide whether this man lives or dies.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
After gaining contact with the enemy, CPT Jamey Gadoury continued to push to attack a C2 node. One of his tank sections engaged a vehicle that they had improperly identified as an insurgent vehicle. They reported that there were a couple of local civilians down in the street as a result of their gunfire. According to policies and procedures, CPT Gadoury realized that he needed to call this report up to his higher headquarters. Considering the impact of making this call and halting the mission, CPT Gadoury reconsidered. If the call was made, he felt it would have derailed the current mission and the high value target and associated items would be lost. He had a decision to make: call this report up and stop the mission or allow that report to stay at his level and the mission to continue.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
PVT Bandy describes her father's decision to join the Army. He told his daughters how he was able to serve as a medic and save people on the battlefield. PVT Bandy notices how her father became a better man in the Army. She talks about dealing with the news of his death in Iraq, but also the pride she had in him. PVT Bandy describes how her father defines Honor. She wanted to be like him and describes how his memory motivates her. One time in particular she was frustrated with being in Basic and was ready to quit. Her Dad's memory gave her the strength to press on. PVT Bandy describes how her father's buddies have honored his memory, too.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
CSM Julie Guerra was the victim of sexual assault as a Private First Class. Her unit's leadership set a standard which she now uses to train and educate her leaders on how to handle these cases. She is sharing her story to help fellow Army professionals better understand the needs of sexual assault victims, in order to eradicate this crime that undermines trust and tarnishes our Army Profession.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Part 1: SGT Purchase discusses his choice to go to the funeral. He and his wife had to work through it and were able to find the financial means for both of them to go. The experience is very moving, as members of the unit came from all over. SGT Purchase's wife was able to understand the deep bonds developed between soldiers who face adversity alongside each other.
Part 2: SGT Purchase describes one of the female Soldiers in his Platoon whom he admired. She rose quickly into a leadership position and set the example for her Soldiers. After re-deployment, members of the unit move to different Army posts and positions. SGT Purchase finds out the female soldier had bone cancer, and later died. He weighs the decision to go to her funeral, realizing that his wife may misunderstand his motives for going and because financially it will be difficult.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
LT Ben Melton found his platoon in a difficult position. During an engagement with insurgents, one of the members of his platoon engaged a local national that was fleeing the area. It appeared to the Soldier taking the shot that the local national had a pistol slipped in his belt. The platoon moved up to find that the local national did not have a weapon and was severely wounded in his shoulder. Despite the risk to his platoon and the medical assets, LT Melton made the decision to immediately provide medical care. While making this decision, LT Melton was fully aware that there would be an investigation resulting from this incident.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Going through some rough times after a divorce, SGT Borja turned to drinking to cope. His battle buddies knew his every move and recognized that something wasn't quite right, which led SGT Borja one step in the right direction to recovery.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Army Professionals should be able to expect predictability and stability from their leaders, but at times, Soldiers are thrown "under the bus" by toxic leaders who do not wish to be held accountable for errors or mistakes.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Part 1: SFC Thompson talks about being asked to drive for a re-supply mission just before she redeployed. She agrees to the task. While on the way to the supported unit, the convoy is ambushed. One of the Turkish trucks is on fire and the driver is standing in the kill zone screaming for help. SFC Thompson is driving precious cargo and is ordered to "push through."
Part 2: SFC Thompson explains why she thought it was right to pick up this man. She asks, "What would I want someone to do for me?" SFC Thompson describes the challenges of doing the right thing even when worn down from a long deployment.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
After raiding a house in Iraq, CPT Dan Baringer faced a significant challenge finding the proponent for enemy activity in a local neighborhood. He suspected a young local national of the insurgent activity but lacked the necessary proof to know for sure. The boy looked fourteen or fifteen years old, but CPT Baringer's intuition told him that there was more to the boy's story than the information being shared with him from other local nationals. His unit's policy for detainees was that they could not hold or process a detainee under the age of sixteen. After calling back to his battalion TOC, CPT Baringer was told that he could bring this person back but, "there were going to be repercussions in the community and back at the unit.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Part 1: SGT Dee talks about the close relationship Soldiers have after a deployment. He describes his reluctance to correct Soldiers that he is close to, but he understands the need to demonstrate the proper Respect. SGT Dee describes what this Respect looks like off duty.
Part 2: SGT Dee explains the reasons it is wrong for a Soldier to come to work while under the influence of alcohol. He describes his actions with the Soldier. It is the responsibility of Soldiers to look out for one another. SGT Dee talks about showing Respect, whether or not we think people "deserve" it.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
On March 12, 2006, five Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 502d Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division abandoned their posts and headed to the village of Yusufiyah, located within their operational sector in Iraq. There the five Soldiers committed a brutal gang-rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl, Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi, and the simultaneous murder of her family. Fueled by alcohol confiscated from Iraqis, coupled with talk of revenge against the Iraqi people, the Soldiers directed their frustrations towards the family whom they rationalized were supporting their enemies, viewing them as scapegoats for the real and imagined suffering they were experiencing.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
1SG Ernie Kurica has an unknown criminal in his ranks, and that Soldier has removed a 9mm pistol from the Company Armsroom. After locking down the Company, questioning suspects, and checking paperwork, 1SG Kurica and his Commander must make a decision: Choose to pursue justice knowing that weapon may never be seen again or pursue recovery of the weapon by offering amnesty, and let the criminal walk.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Part 1: SSG Bell relates that he grabbed the ATV and moved through the kill zone to pick up the ANA Soldiers. They make it safely back, and that night the ANA Commander invites the US Soldiers over for dinner. SSG Bell discusses the mission impact of his decision and how relations between his unit and the Afghan forces improved.
Part 2: SSG Bell describes a mission in Afghanistan when his Company was ambushed. The unit is moving toward an Afghan village together with their Afghan National Army comrades. While moving through a valley, they are ambushed and begin to withdraw. Two Afghan Soldiers are left behind, and one of them is wounded. SSG Bell spots them trying to move back under fire.
View...
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Anonym, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Anonym, Friday, July 12, 2024