Military Review English Edition September-October 2013 | Page 16

Many believe vertical organizations—like the Army’s chain of command—limit development of social capital.26 While similar organizations lose social capital because of the coercion of a boss to employee environment, the Army’s emphasis on trust and mission command constrains this loss. Army leaders build trust through collective experiences requiring a team to overcome challenges together—leadership included.27 If, as Colin Powell said, leaders know they must “accomplish the mission and look after the troops,” trust grows.28 After a decade of war, soldiers do trust their leaders to accomplish the mission and look after them. In fact, 62 percent consider their leaders effective.29 Beyond trust of leaders, mission command and its decentralized operations require a commander to trust subordinates to “perform with responsible initiative in complex, fast-changing, chaotic circumstances.”30 This trust arises through decentralized training in similar environments where soldiers will see the trust placed in them by their leadership. Without this trust, the Army Profession is too vertical and fails to grow.

The Army does not just desire trust within units; it also incorporates families.
The Army does not just desire trust within units; it also incorporates families. The norms of reciprocity are important in Army communities. With bases in smaller towns and isolation, compounded by the nature of the profession and combat, a strong support structure is required for families. Social trust grows between the family and the leadership of the unit through the family readiness groups, which provide “an avenue of mutual support and assistance.” This formal organization facilitates the development of social capital between all levels of a unit through reciprocity and uniting different families through a common bond.31 Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs further bridge families and soldiers from different units.32 A recent study demonstrated that use of MWR programs increased the desire to stay in the Army and satisfaction with Army life.33 These programs enhance trust
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because the Army becomes more than a paycheck; it is a family, community, and way of life. With trust within the walls of Army bases, it is imperative for the profession to bridge with surrounding communities and the American people at large. Trust is “what binds us together—those that wear the uniform and those of you that serve in your communities,” stated Dempsey at the National League of Cities Congressional Cities Conference.34 The American people place trust within the Army to support and defend the Constitution.35 The military trusts their communities to support them and elect officials who decide on their use judiciously. However, building this trust goes beyond justly fighting and winning the nation’s wars; it requires a common understanding of each other through outreach. From the Hopkinsville, Ky., Kiwanis Club recognizing Fort Campbell soldiers to links on the Fort Drum homepage to community activities, bridging between the Army and the surrounding community occurs in a variety of ways.36 37 The formation of this social trust as the foundation of the Army Profession fosters the activity needed to create resilient and cohesive units.38 Esprit de corps. Training and equipment only get a unit so far. The stresses of war, missing home, and fatigue wears “on even the most experienced Army professional” over time and requires a support network on top of the intrinsic motivation to continue performing.39 As evidenced in the book Black Hearts, the burden of fighting for so long can cause too much strain despite the U.S. Army being among the “most-tested and best-behaved fighting forces in history.”40 ADRP 1 emphasizes esprit de corps as a way to further resilience across all levels of the organization. Esprit de corps or “shared sense of purpose, strong bonds of loyalty and pride,” and resolve is necessary to accomplish missions and arises from the basic components of social capital. Like trust, esprit de corps occurs at every level. Individually, esprit de corps happens through pride, shared values, and an attachment to the Army Profession. For esprit de corps to grow throughout the entire Army Profession, each individual must hold onto their morale. On a unit level, esprit de corps grows with each layer up the organizational chart. A small unit has a common sense of mission, shared experiences, and a set of norms that lead to pride in the organization and Army. The embodiment of this
September-October 2013 ? MILITARY REVIEW