I got this off of armyranger.com, Somebody named Bell posted this.
I agree with most of what CSM Purdy is saying. There is a lot of old Ranger/Army mentality in him that needs to make way for innovation but for the most part he is dead on, IMO. (I hate D&C) I wish most higher command was like him, the Army would be an Army. There is too much political BS that goes on.
This in from CSM Don Purdy
LEAD BY EXAMPLE
First of all as you well know I have a different perspective on what senior CSM's should be doing Leading by example starts at the top. I believe they should be chief trainers, not politicians who are interested in working at higher levels, but totally dedicated to training soldiers for war. There is only one-way this is accomplished, and that is to lead by example. The SMA has the perfect opportunity to do this on a grand scale At this time I would like to point out that this is not a bad mouthing session of the SMA, or previous SMA's. They received their marching orders, and followed them to a tee. The SMA's boss the Chief of Staff of the Army should support him in every effort to continually visit, and train with soldiers. The SMA should have to be Airborne qualified so he can execute parachute operations, and perform Jump Master duties with airborne units. The following is my concept of Lead by Example.
First of all I would never serve under a Commander who does not support me traveling to units and training with them. My words to the Army would be drive on, do nothing special, and I need a basic load of ammunition if you're conducting live fires. I will be spending 3 days in the field with you. I am not coming to tell you how to fry eggs, but hopefully be of assistance. When the head of the horse trains with troops, and lives in the dirt with them he can speak, and all will listen. When the head of the horse flounders the body suffers. The philosophy of I have done all that, or I am to old is horse doo, doo. If that's the case then you have no business in the Army. I also would be deployable as in going to war with the main effort. If unit x is jumping into country x to execute a live mission then I should be the first man out the door locked and loaded. If you can't face fear, then why should your subordinate soldiers, or other senior trainers? I would be another rifleman with a squad not the squad leader. This inspires soldiers, and you can be of great assistance. Oh you say you are doing the unit CSM's job. ABSOLUTELY NOT. Hopefully I would be invited out of respect. My mission would be to support all trainers, not do their mission for them. They are perfectly capable of that with the right leadership. Doing the above gives you the ability to inform your commander of the real deal. When you leave that unit you make damn sure the Commander, and CSM knows exactly what will be said to your boss. If you ever eat cheese on a Commander or NCO you have lost total credibility.
Moral courage is an absolute requirement for leaders. This can be painful. You may be telling your Commander what he doesn't want to hear. If he is a good leader he will listen. You had better have a recommendation. Remember as SMA the soldiers belong to you. Commanders’ command. They make the final decisions. This also takes moral courage. Yes men bring nothing but discredit upon units. They are self- servers who aspire to themselves, and soldiers suffer for it. When training with units I would ensure that the leadership is given due credit. For example make sure you let the soldiers of that unit know that their leaders are competent. This is reinforced with the relief of sub standard leaders Officers, and NCO's. The SMA nor the Chief of Staff should not tolerate sub standard leadership at any level. The Chief of staff should put an order out immediately that informs Commanders at all levels that they are to relieve subordinates immediately if they are sub standard performers whether they are Officers or NCO's. He should immediately get rid of all paper work requirements to do this. You are promoted with special trust and confidence. If this is the case why do leaders have to write books about sub standard performers to eliminate them from the service? Your word is either good or it isn't. Let's stop covering our Asses with paper. Let the cry- babies cry all the way to the gate. Right now we bend over backwards for perverts, and bums while everyone else suffers. I would STRONGLY recommend getting rid of sensitivity training. If a soldier is fat or goes down town, and punches some dirt bag its see you around. If you're a pervert, and brag about it we will have sensitivity classes to protect you. If you have a chip on your shoulder, and want to be a victim we will help you with that. We will pit you against each other. The Army of One. ME, ME, ME screw everybody else. Political correctness is sickening. The word supervisor needs to be eliminated! We are leaders! Let's have an Army of Warriors! OOOOH that would scare people. You bet it would. It would scare away the self-servers who have no interest in serving their country. The Army is not supposed to be an experiment for the liberal cause. WAKE UP!
Basic training needs to be segregated. Co-ed basic doesn't work. We have already proven that. Men and women are different, and when you put them all together in these situations things are going to happen. I am in no way defending the disobeying of current regulations. All I am saying is lets not complicate things for everyone. I would also recommend that if we are going to use the term equal then let's make it equal. The same standards for everyone. Right now equal means one standard for women, and another for men. I know the liberal answer for this is we have the same standards for men, and we have the same standards for women. If that is the case then segregate the two. I am now labeled a chauvinist pig, and probably a homo phoebe. Isn't it strange liberal leadership has a label for everyone who disagrees with them, but if you do that as a conservative you are mean spirited. (DOUBLE STANDARDS!) GET RID OF DOUBLE STANDARDS! The Army is not around to please everyone. It's not a place for just anybody. OH NO I just said that everyone can not be a soldier. That's right that's what I said. Some bodies feelings might get hurt. Of course our enemies would never hurt any ones feelings would they? Lets quit carrying cards around in our pockets for stress. Lets train people to be SOLDIERS. Let's get their undivided attention, and make them perform to standard, or go back to the block. Let's make D&C a critical task. (15 count manual of arms) It would be a shame if we could march, and shoot. We might have discipline, coordination, and the ability to kill the enemy. Leadership, and good hard realistic training makes good soldiers. It inspires them to reenlist. Hats, gimmicks, and gadgets do not. Prompt obedience is not robotic. You screw around on the battlefield, and you die. Hesitation kills people. If we have leaders who don't know what a legal order is then get rid of their ass. Leaders lead, and followers follow, and learn to be good leaders.
I would recommend getting rid of up or out. Everyone is not going to be a good leader. This was another feel good deal. I can hear it now. Everyone in our Army is a future leader. Bull shit. If that were true we wouldn't have sub standard training, and personnel who are stripe bearers instead of being NCO's. It all goes back to this theory that every body has to feel good. Soldiers feel good when they have lead by example leaders who provide hard realistic training. I would let the boss know that liberalism has destroyed the moral fiber of the Army, and it's ability to properly instill discipline into the soldier. Punishment needs to be firm but fair. When necessary punish the offender. Let the NCO Corp take care of punishment that is none judicial without having to notify, and beg some high level Commander to do it. Right now we are in the zero defect mode. One mistake and you are ruined. That is robotic! Working a soldier in the evening, or weekends to mow grass, clean latrines, inspections or conducting D&C is not inhumane punishment. I believe in some places it probably is considered that. The company 1SG's and the CSM are capable of doing this properly without being micro managed. It's simple call JAG and they will tell you exactly what you can do, and what you can't do. Be smarter than the bears you are dealing with. Punishment is the best form of rehabilitation. For those drug offenders, chronically disobedient personnel kick their ass into the street. I would recommend that BN Commanders be able to do that on one piece of paper. Numbers do not make a good Army. Well-disciplined, and well-trained soldiers make a good Army. I would sooner go to war with 300 well trained, and disciplined soldiers than to go with 600, and half of them are sub standard.
I would definitely recommend revamping the NCO school system. My recommendation would be that in order to become a NCO you would have to be able to train soldiers for war. I would recommend two courses. A junior NCO course, and a senior NCO course. Ninety percent field training, ten percent garrison. Light Infantry is the vehicle. What about the females? Again segregate. They have a separate course run by female NCO's. These courses would be run at Division level. To attend the junior course you would be a SP4 being considered for promotion to Sergeant. During this course you would be a Corporal. You would be placed in leadership positions up to Squad leader level. These courses should be 6 weeks in duration.(7 days a week) if you fail to meet the standard you do not get promoted. That's right you would have to be recommended to attend the course again. In order to attend the senior NCO course you would have to be a SSG being considered by DA for promotion to the senior ranks. You would perform as a PSG, and 1SG. If you fail to meet the Standard you are no longer considered for promotion. Yes I said six weeks. No going to college during these courses. These are courses are dedicated to weeding out the weak who are not capable of being leaders. You perform or you don't. You got it there is no gray area. No SGM academy. When you are considered for SGM you should by that time know how to lead, and train soldiers for war. SGM's don¹t need degrees. They don't need to be worrying about geo politics, or some other politically correct BS. Oh you say this guy doesn¹t care about education. YES I DO, but the mission has priority. Do like I did and get with the education center and arrange for classes in the evening at your unit.
NCO rank needs to be put back on the sleeve where it can be seen. The class A uniform has too much stuff on it. All we need is our rank, name, war ribbons, and unit patch. It should be tailored with a belt. The tropical khaki uniform needs to be brought back into service. We don't need umbrellas for men. We don't need green shirts with ties with your 201 file on them, and call it class B's. We need to roll our sleeves up on the BDU's instead of going through this process that is conducted now. YOU ROLL YOUR SLEEVES DOWN BEFORE YOU GET INTO THE FIELD. We don't need ear plugs hanging off our duty uniform. Place them in your one -quart canteen cover pocket. Leaders inspect your soldiers before training is conducted. Yep I can hear it already "It¹s easier to see them if they are hanging on the persons uniform" It's not a part of the uniform. Yes uniformity is important just as teamwork is, and prompt obedience. Don't start with that robotic garbage. The only robots I know are liberals. They are lock stepped even if it's wrong or against the law. We watched it happen for eight years. Leaders and their followers are not robotic. That's why we have AAR's, and ask for feed back at appropriate times, and no the heat of battle is not time to be questioning orders. That's why we should train for war not peace. Good leaders have a chain of command that works both ways. Good leaders are not politically correct. Good leaders are not testing the waters they are doing what is right even if it hurts. THE SOLDIER COMES FIRST! He is yours you damn well better take care of him. Every parade should have every unit conduct the 15-count manual of arms. D&C is the foundation of discipline! If you can't march you can't be a soldier. I can hear you liberals chomping at the bit. If there is anything you liberals hate is any form of discipline, and having anyone know the difference between right, and wrong. You are comfortable in the gray murky area where you can put band-aids on every thing, control the way people speak, and lets all be equally screwed up. This way you can pass the buck. If you keep everybody stupid you can tell them how to vote. Liberal leaders anywhere in our military is the destruction of all that is good. Deep in your heart you know I am right. Yes Senator Goldwater said that, and he was right.
Referring to enlisted men as an E grade is BS. What would the Officer say if we referred to them as 01,or 05? How many times have you heard have that E-5, or E-6 come and see me? Shame on you NCO's for allowing such disrespect. On the other hand how many times have you heard the term LT? There are no LT's in the Army. They are Lieutenants. This is also disrespectful. There are no tops in the Army. They are 1SG's. Shame on senior NCO's that allow these things to occur. We are responsible for enforcing standards, and discipline. As SMA I would set the example for others to follow. This has a ripple down effect. Respect is earned through doing. Talk is cheap. If I had not lead by example I would not write my feelings on this issue. Those of us that have served realize that we attained our accomplishments because of the leaders above our peers, our subordinates, and us. When you start believing you advanced on your own you have a problem. We advance because of the good soldiers around us. To be a leader you have to have followers. Sorry leaders don't have followers. You can be an E grade or a NCO. Take the example from leaders who train for war. Learn also from the bad ones on what never to be. I have pointed out just a few things that I would recommend for change. There are many more pressing issues that I would make recommendations on such as pay, and benefits. I would like to compliment the SMA on that issue. All have pressed hard on those issues and I am sure on many other issues involving the enlisted soldier. The NCO CORP is the back-bone of the Army. It is the back-bone of the Military. If you are allowing the Officers to perform your duty shame on you and shame on you SGM's for allowing that to happen. The military is the last bastion of moral standards left in our nation. You had better wake up because the liberals have just about completely destroyed those standards. Remember you have one large mission, and that's to train soldiers for war.
This covers a broad spectrum, and it takes your total devotion to God, country, and family. Your leadership instills that moral character of right, and wrong so DO IT RIGHT! This mission is not for the weak, or the faint hearted. No I am not plagiarizing. I put that on the 4th Ranger Training BN sign. Lets be an ARMY of WARRIORS!
CSM Don Purdy USA RET.
He taught me well.
RLTW
Bell
Purdy never gave a shit about opinions. He was only concerned with the status of his troops. He was all military.
Another:
Original Message:
From: Donald Purdy
To: To Whom it May Concern
I would like to give an NCO perspective on this issue of the Army of one. I am a retired CSM with 27 years of service. Most of it in Ranger companies and the Ranger Regiment. I am a Vietnam veteran, and a veteran of special operations. I retired in 1995 but have done mostly contract work at FT Benning involving experimentation on MOUT ops. I got to work around a lot of soldiers, and had to keep up with current trends and tactics. I am currently working in Saudi Arabia training Saudi paratroopers and Rangers.
Some senior NCOs are nothing more than boot lickers who sing the Army of one song to there superior officers everyday. Commanders need to hear the good, bad and the ugly, and then be given good solid recommendations. They need their senior NCOs to be TRAINERS. LEAD by EXAMPLE. DO as the troops do. LEAD FROM THE FRONT. GET IN THE DIRT. This bullshit of "I have done that" is garbage. What you are doing now is what counts. Quit worrying about your next assignment. Focus on your mission now. Your mission is to train soldiers for war, and it's damned hard work. If you do it right you will leave the Army in worse shape physically than when you came in. BE HARD BUT FAIR. You must have MORAL COURAGE.
Training is just a word they can't spell. Chief trainer means chief boot licker. TICKET PUNCHERS.
"Moral courage" means telling your commander what he wants to hear these days. I was condemned by my peers, and superiors for speaking up, and telling it like it was. I was called a relic from the past that should be put in a glass case. I was focused on training for war not peace. Discipline was my watch word, and the soldiers did not decide what punishment was right or wrong where I served as CSM. I was the Chief Trainer. The buck stopped with me. I participated in all training and lead by example. I was told by a Division CSM that I would never serve above BN level because I was to intrusive. That means I scared commanders with the truth. The next thing he asked was why do you train with your soldiers? The question was shocking, but the answer was simple. When I speak everyone listens. That went over his head like a tent. I carried a rifle not a pistol, and I damn well knew how to use that weapon and my soldiers knew how to use their weapons as well.
Combatives is important. Boxing, wrestling, and bayonet fighting are not antiquated. CQB is just what it means, Close Quarter Battle. MOUT, Trench systems, and bunkers must be cleared, and you had better be aggressive and prepared to do bayonet or hand to hand fighting. When others were laughing at my unit for doing this my soldiers were prepared and understood what fix bayonets meant. They were aggressive and well disciplined. Sub standard performers were put out immediately. My First Sergeants were not mail men or chow deliverers they were the Chief Trainers of their companies.
We trained for war not peace. Live fires were a priority, and were not canned. Leaders, and soldiers had to react. Maneuver elements maneuvered, and had to rely on the SBF not to shoot them but only the enemy. Bayonets were fixed and there were dummy targets for the soldiers to engage with those bayonets. Resupply millions were planned and executed. The battlefield had to be policed of casualties, and equipment by any means available, even if it meant driving vehicles cross country, or physically carrying the wounded. Reload drills, dead gunner drills, and crew drills were executed over, and over, and over again. These were executed day and night. NODS went on your face when the sun went down. They weren't hanging around your neck. We executed live fires at night with NODS in the woods, and the live fires were not canned. Raids, ambushes, search and attack were all executed at night up to company size. This took us over one year to get to that level. Mortars could hit their targets. Units could move silently day or night, and didn't get lost. We did no rely on the GPS. WE USED MAPS AND COMPASSES. We lived out of our rucksacks, slept on the ground, in all types of weather from the BN CMDR on down. Frostbite, and heat casualties were not common because we trained to live and fight in the same environment. We did not look like bums. We shaved every day, wore our equipment properly, camouflaged our face, and hands when necessary, soldiers new how to maintain themselves and their equipment in the field, and uniformity was important. Soldiers knew what a cat hole was, and trash was carried in there rucks not thrown on the ground or buried for the hogs to dig up. Uniforms were worn properly. The companies received one hot meal a day and understood how to conduct tactical feeding. Our cooks knew how to function in the environment. The combat trainers did not live in tents. Their perimeter was secure, weapons were clean, noise and light discipline was maintained. Cooks, clerks, and all other support personnel knew how to use their weapons, and were trained on basic Infantry skills. Misfires were damn well rare, and punishment was swift when it did happen. We suffered no live fire deaths because we trained properly, and used good old-fashioned common sense. We never had the soldiers execute missions they were not properly trained for. The NCOS trained the soldiers, the officers commanded.
Our motto was what ever you do, do it right. Rate of sick call in the field was almost zero. Moral was high because of good hard leadership from the front, and realistic tough training. We even executed a day of live fire training during support cycles. You need a strong CSM who understands discipline and training. He can talk it and walk it.
There is no such thing as a good field soldier. You are either a soldier or not a soldier. Everything from appearance to police call is important. This bull shit about my space and my rights is just that BULL SHIT. Barracks are not his or her home its a place for them to live. For saying this I was told I had a mess kit mentality. This individuality BS of "I need my own room" is garbage. We waste more money building these Condos so soldiers can feel good, and not be part of a team its sickening. They should live in fire team bays. It builds cohesion. Key control alone is a nightmare. Of course don't bother the poor soldier just let him live like a pig, and when he gets sick or you find out he or she is a drug dealer then blame it on the NCO Corp even though you the illustrious BN CMDR, BDE CMDR said leave the soldiers alone in there precious rooms. Soldiers are owed a place to sleep, their pay, and the best leadership and training that can be provided.
DISCIPLINE is the key. DRILL AND CEREMONY is the foundation of discipline. When I say fall in I want to hear your heals coming together. When I speak you jump. All ceremonies should be executed with weapons so each unit can execute the 15-count manual of arms. Carrying a card around in your pocket does not develop good morals. Morals are developed through solid leadership not gimmicks and headgear.
You want to be politically correct stay on the block. You want to be different or an individual looking to be a victim stay on the block. If you're a pervert and proud of it stay on the block. You want to be a soldier then become part of a disciplined team. This is not a job it's a profession. You're here to fight our country's war not to be a gut eating self-serving individual. Senior Officers, and NCOs I am telling you right now if things don't change you will have the blood of soldiers on your hands. There is an enemy out there who is determined, and he is not concerned about individual feelings, or time out. If you don't train them hard now, and demand from them now what in the hell do you think the enemy is going to do to them? If they can't take the heat in training how are they going to take it on the battlefield?
Technology my ass, soldiers win wars. Be hard on them now or watch them die, or worse break and run. Be HARD BUT FAIR! Being fair does not mean they dictate punishment or babying them. A Russian General said, "Hard on the training field, easy on the battle field". General Patton said "Leading from the rear is like trying to push spaghetti up hill." You want your soldiers to respect you not love you. When they look at you they should see a competent leader. The best compliment I ever received was from a soldier who was PCSing. I was a PLT Sergeant in the First Ranger BN. He said "Sergeant Purdy I hated to hear you come in, in the morning, and some times I just flat hated you, but I would follow you to hell with gasoline drawers on"
CSM Don Purdy
Retired U.S.A.
Everything he said above is how we lived at Charlie Company when he was there. I never had so much fun in my life.
RLTW
Bell
I agree with most of what CSM Purdy is saying. There is a lot of old Ranger/Army mentality in him that needs to make way for innovation but for the most part he is dead on, IMO. (I hate D&C) I wish most higher command was like him, the Army would be an Army. There is too much political BS that goes on.
