The Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) has four to twenty years experience being a leader and is the backbone of the U.S. Army; meanwhile, the Second Lieutenant is fresh out of college with no experience being a leader. The Lieutenant will hold higher rank, have generally higher pay grade, as well as be put in charge of protecting the lives of the NCO’s plus the junior enlisted. A 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army is known as a "Butter Bar", a reference to the gold bar rank insignia worn on the uniform. “A commissioned officer in the U.S. Army holds a commission from the President of the United States and can command those under him, both officers and enlisted personnel. A non-commissioned officer cannot …show more content…
Cross did not leave his own personal problems, relationships, or his humanity back home; consequently, his squad suffered for that. The importance of having structure helps soldiers fallow the SOP for the current mission. Every soldier serving in the U.S. Army must live the Army values by example; never do anything for pleasure, profit or personal safety that would disgrace the uniform. Military training instills a deep work ethic that once understood can last a life time; hence, why military personal in college generally do well. I proudly served on active duty in the U.S. Army from 2000-2004. The Army immediately lets the personal know they are in charge. Newly trained soldiers must understand the Army values and apply them as part of their everyday life. If I didn’t serve in the Army, I wouldn’t be here today in college pursuing my higher education. The Army has shown me how to lead along with being able to follow orders and perform those orders to the best of my ability at all times. In fact, I was told in basic training that I would need glasses and wouldn’t be able to qualify with my weapon without them. Now, at twenty one years old and never wore glasses a day in my life I rejected the idea. When training with a weapon simulator I was unable to hit the 250 meter target at center mass. At the end of the day the rest of the personal has received a “Go” and I’m the only one that is a “No Go” at all stations. The Drill Sergeant ordered me to shoot using my left hand and not my right hand at the shoot group station. It worked, I was able to achieve a tight shoot group; three separate shoots within the size of a quarter. Come qualify day out of about four hundred personal I shoot the highest and the only person to earn a sharp shooter qualification badge. At gradation I received a plaque for high basic rifle marksmanship (BRM). The testimony to my story is the ability to adapt, improvise, and overcome (AIO) to achieve my objective of passing basic