Military Review English Edition March-April 2016 | Page 118

results in order to contribute to the larger whole, uneffectively deal with the level of complexity apparent
derstanding the intricacies of what landpower is, crein the current and future security environments. The
ating contextual multiplicity, and mastering its tenets.
level of commitment on the part of the Army and its
Without a shared understanding of complexity within
Civilian Corps to master the specialized knowledge
the security environment from a cultural context of the inherent in creating and optimizing dominant landArmy Profession by all
power is daunting but
cohorts—moral, ethical,
achievable. Producing
and optimal outcomes
The level of commitment on
Army civilians who
are compromised.21
emulate this committhe part of the Army and
This realization drove
ment is critical.
the Army to invest in
Any focus on
its Civilian Corps to master
changing and melding
discounting Army
the cultures of Army
civilians as members of
the specialized knowledge
civilians and soldiers
the Army Profession
inherent
in
creating
and
who embrace commitbecause they use readily
ment as a prerequisite for
available skill sets that
optimizing
dominant
optimized performance
embody technical
within the landpower
knowledge available
landpower is daunting but
environment.22 In order
in the public sector
to generate a shared
achievable. Producing Army
misses the point of what
understanding of culture
the Army Profession’s
civilians who emulate this
and the commitment
specialized knowledge
necessary to operationis and how the Army
commitment is critical.
alize change, the Army
uses that knowledge
must professionalize all
to optimize its unique
its cohorts.
service. The Army is not developing budget analysts
or training developers or human resource specialists;
Commitment
instead, the Army is developing committed landpower
Commitment is one of the three certification
experts certified in competencies that ensure it can
mandates for professional membership. We can better perform the unique service society demands. It just so
appreciate the concept of commitment and its value
happens those experts also develop budgets, educate
by contrasting it with compliance. Compliant employ- Army professionals, and create training programs.
ees exemplify the nonprofessional. (Note the term
The Army is creating a level of commitment within
is nonprofessional vice unprofessional.) Compliance
its Army civilians that will generate great personal
can be all that is necessary to perform a task in the
sacrifice whether one takes up a weapon or a key board.
day-to-day workings of a civilian’s job. The measure of And, the Army is developing professionals of character
success is completion or production. Contextual and
who warrant the trust our nation has granted across
cultural understanding never enter into the process as all cohorts and specialties. The test of membership
there is no need. Compliant employees do not need to for the Army civilian is realized by certifying compesee their contributions as part of a larger whole or as
tence in the specialized knowledge of landpower that
the perpetuation of a professional culture. There is no
includes acquiring complete cultural understanding
connection to optimizing landpower or even underand acceptance, demonstrating character in the constanding what it is because there is no commitment to duct of our professional and personal behavior guided
do so. As long as the compliant employees complete
by the Army Values, and exemplifying the level of
x or produce y, they have met the objective—task
commitment commensurate with the sacrifices of our
completion. The Army Profession concluded that
uniformed partners. It is true there are gaps in the
compliance was not acceptable if the Army was to
current policies, strategies, and professionalization
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March-April 2016  MILITARY REVIEW