The Army White Paper: The Profession Of Arms

As the Army transitions from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, the organization is well served to take a long look in the mirror. After ten plus years of deployments, our combat tested warriors are sure to possess more than enough valuable knowledge to reinforce and improve upon our status as a profession. A TRADOC published paper explains “to be a professional is to understand, embrace, and competently practice the expertise of the profession.” I believe the profession of arms exists and there are many components that reinforce this argument. Among these components, initial entry training and institutional learning, shared values, and a monopoly on our mission are three of the most important tenants. All Soldiers must graduate

As Human Resource Professionals our core competencies our very profession places us at the very heart of the profession of arms. HR Soldiers impact Soldiers careers every day.

The purpose and intent of the Army Profession of Arms is to continually strive to

“We are the American Army, we are American Soldiers, and the uniqueness shapes our soul, both institutionally and individually!” (p. 06). A Profession is having effectiveness outweigh efficiency in the work that you do. To be an American Profession of Arms you must first be comprised of professionals, professionals who are both ethical as well as leaders. With these professionals, we create a profession based on expertise and skill. Our profession as Soldiers, relies on upholding the army values and the culture we create to guide and enforce the right things to do.

ROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCES SERGEANT IN THE PROFESSION OF ARMS What it means to be a profession is purposely written in the Army Soldier's creed, culture values, ethics, and credibility. In the Role of the Human Resources Sergeant those attributes are used in order to maintain the stability and effectiveness of the Profession of Arms. In other words it allows them to be able to maintain the survival of the profession. Over the past decade, or era, of persistent conflict and campaigns, the Army has been continuously working and providing the defenseless society a strong security.

As the Profession of Arms, we have the unique trust of the American public. As

Our role as Human Resource (HR) Sergeants entails being always ready with the knowledge to get the most out of operational effectiveness of the total force by anticipating, manning, and sustaining military operations. Human Resource Sergeants accomplish this by building, generating, and sustaining the force by providing decision-making leaders with the required tools and information pertaining to Soldiers at all levels.

The Human Resource Sergeant is the lynch pin that holds the Adjutant Generals Corps together. This is accomplished by enacting three major points. The Human Resource Sergeant: 1. Trains the next generation of Human Resource professionals in junior enlisted, 2. Ensures Soldiers do not have

The ability to lead while still progressing and acquiring more knowledge is one of the greatest privileges of the United States’ Army. Professionalism in the army is sponsored by the learning and development that enables those within to be adaptive while mastering the profession. In this particular field, becoming proficient in a Human Resources Sergeant’s role requires the professional to master every skill needed throughout his or her career. “The Profession of Arms” article outlines these skills in detail as key attributes to becoming successful in a career as

The Army needs strong leaders and knowledgeable soldiers. “Effectiveness, rather than pure efficiency, is the key to the work of professionals.” (pg.2) Effectiveness is a simple concepts that explains how a human resource NCO will be proficient as an Army Professional.

In order to understand how the Human resource Sergeant fits a role in the Profession of Arms, we must understand what a Profession is. The definition of a Profession is job that requires special education, training, or skill, often gained through lengthy years of study and practice. Deeper than that it is uniquely expert work that values effectiveness over efficiency. We as Soldiers spend years honing our craft either formally in our Noncommissioned Officer Education System or in our organic training within our Units. It is through this constant training over time that mold us into the subject matter experts of our work. Professions earn trust through their Ethic (moral values) allowing them to work with less external oversight, trusted to self-correct on its own accord. We have proven time and again that we have the

The Profession of Arms This paper will address what it means to me to be a NCO in the profession of Human Resources (HR) in today’s Army. As we can see the world is consistently changing and so have our duties as professional Soldiers. Being in the HR field gives me the knowledge, tools, and the capabilities to know how to find any answer. It gives me the opportunity to serve my community, chain of command, and also my peers. Educational requirements such as Structured Self Development as well as the Advanced Leaders Course gives us the opportunity to grow in our professions and become more resourceful.

The Human Resource Sergeant plays an important role in all attributes of ensuring that the Army is a profession. Army leaders, no matter the level, need to display a solid understanding of what it takes to earn that status of profession, moving past being a professional. By the time the title Human Resource Sergeant is given a lot of mentoring and grooming has taken place. Knowledge has been passed on from leader to leader.

As stewards of our profession, commanders ensure that military expertise continues to develop and be passed on to aspiring professionals through operational development. It is during this developmental phase that Professional Soldiers put their knowledge and skills to the test. Operational Army units certify and recertify their Professional Soldiers through repetitive and realistic training events including the Combat Life Saver Course, platoon live fires, and exercises at the National Training Center. In the course of these challenging and realistic experiences, the Army’s operational units develop Soldiers and leaders prepared to maintain high standards, discipline, and operational readiness. Operational development and adaptability will continue to drive changes in Army doctrine, organization, leadership, and education as we enter the post-war era. Without this kind of development, the Army could not maintain a well-disciplined professional fighting force.

The Army is a profession because it requires a collaboration of highly training Soldiers who possess specialized skills that combine to operate in complex situations in more complex environments. General Martin Dempsey stated that “The Profession of Arms requires expert knowledge, and that expertise is manifested as unique skills in the individual professional and by Army units.” For the purpose of this paper the operational definition of the term profession is: a type of job that requires special education training, or skill. In order to meet and maintain the demands of this definition, The Army has established the Army Development Model which consists of institutions, operational training, and self-development to create highly skilled service members.