7 Things the New Sergeant Major of the Army Can Do to Restore Trust in the Military
By Chase Spears
August 09, 2023
On Friday Michael Weimer became the 17th Sergeant Major of the Army. He assumed the role in a time of significant strain on the force due to turbulent political factors, a service component seemingly unsure of how to position itself in the post Global War on Terrorism era, and a steady drumbeat of institutional scandals. Being the Sergeant Major of the Army is a tough role on a good day, but that is not the kind of day in which Weimer enters the office. In the final days of my military career, I offer some thoughts on how our newest top Sergeant Major can steward the position to help restore a sense of stability to the force.
First, take input from beyond the echo chamber. In recent years top Army officials have largely disregarded voices from significant portions of the population, claiming a desire to ‘look like America.’ Instead of preserving the trust of all Americans, they merely traded sympathies from one segment of the public to another. One cannot gather an accurate social pulse by excluding the worldview of half the nation. Focus on people and standards, rather than intersectional self-identities.
Second, social media channels are only one avenue for keeping your fingers on force sentiment. An hour on Twitter does not replace an hour walking the motorpool. Too many among us fell for a deception that all soldiers are on Twitter, and thus every military leader should “get on the bus” with them, and engage at whatever level the most junior user would want. This #miltwitter grouping is plagued by military-affiliated social revolutionaries, and has become a place of disrespect and hostility within the ranks, “a circular firing squad in a cone of silence, where everybody is just taking each other out.”
The behavior among this grouping of mostly U.S. Army members degrades military professionalism, and has repeatedly drawn the Army unnecessarily into negative news cycles. Let your online presence be a reflection of your leadership, rather than a place to be pulled from your purpose.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2023/08/09/7_things_the_new_sergeant_major_of_the_army_can_do_to_restore_trust_in_the_military_971735.html
