Paper Example on Modern Rangers: Ethics and Leadership

Introduction

Leadership and ethical decision making of a Ranger at times are put to the test on the war front. During training, a ranger is equipped with skills to use on the battlefield. Simulations are representing an enemy and the battleground test the preparedness of a soldier. For example, if a scenario where a Ranger captures a prisoner on the battlefield he is expected to follow the rules. A new ranger at times may be off the books, on face to face with the enemy. The Ranger show perceptiveness despite the prisoner being detained. Throughout the night the Ranger has a more aggressive approach and a more conscious state. Despite other people not treating the prisoners well, a fellow Ranger made it a priority. The Ranger was demonstrating excellent leadership skills like to follow golden rules and secondly, he knows his acts will have consequences later. The new ranger in the unit became less humane to the detainees; he gets reprimanded by his fellow team member, telling him he would pursue further action if he continues. The Ranger set an example to the rest of his team also winning the heart of prisoner. He got a medal by the nomination of a fellow member who wrote the commendation and submitted to the commander. The specially trained ranger show excellent leadership skills.

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Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP)

After a Soldier attends Basic Combat Training (BCT) and One Station Unit Training (OSUT), they volunteer for Airborne School and for RASP. This course is comprised of an eight-week program that is composed of two phases: phase 1 and phase 2. During the first phase of RASP, Soldiers are required to know the Ranger "Blue Book", the Ranger Creed, Ranger history, and meet the physical standards of the Ranger Regiment, as well as demonstrate the intestinal fortitude to be a Ranger. Phase 2 on the other hand, means that candidates will learn different advance skills such as marksmanship, Ranger First Responder (RFR), demolition, Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System (FRIES), mobility, and small unit tactics. The instructors observe and assess the candidates throughout the course. However, all minor and major infractions are addressed in a very important part of RASP, the peer process.

Peer Process

The peer process is a decisive event that gets conducted at the end of RASP 1. All candidates must rate themselves from top to bottom. This enables the candidates to do a peer review of each other's performance throughout the course. This is a great tool for selecting the right Soldiers because the candidates that have demonstrated "pirate" behavior will get a low peer rating. This includes candidates that have cut corners, cheated, or made selfish acts throughout the course. Although the instructors drop candidates for any non-ethical behavior, this enables the instructors to know who stayed under the radar while committing such acts.

Board Process

At the end of RASP, the instructors have gathered all peer reviews and notes on all candidates in the course. Then they select a few individuals to interview due to spot reports or low rating on their reviews. The board addresses and counsels the candidates on the actions they took throughout the course. The board then decides if the candidate is mentally fit to serve in the 75th Ranger Regiment. The board process is an effective counseling tool whether a Soldier gets dropped from the course or earn their tan beret. A lot of personality traits and qualities get addressed in the board, thus enabling the selection of candidates that have met all standards to get assigned to the Ranger Regiment.

Ranger School

The ranger course came into being during the Korean war and at this time it was known as the ranger training command with the purpose of developing combat skills among the soldiers and entrusted men and the soldiers could perform the small unit leadership in a setup of physical stress, tactical environment and mental whereby they could make decision in different situation as an way of preparation for tactics meant to provide them with leadership techniques. The ranger training battalion in this case leadership is emphasized since the skills are important in the army. The Army's premier leadership school is a requirement for all NCOs in the Ranger Regiment. During this course, the students are challenged by conducting duties and responsibilities in a leadership role. They operate in a platoon size element in various environments with little to no sleep and limited food. While under this fatigue state of mind, the students will carry out these graded roles while performing long infiltrations. Rangers that graduate this course come back to the Ranger Regiment with a new understanding of their limits and abilities. Despite, the high attrition rate and reputation of Ranger School, very little is taught about ethics and problem solving on the battlefield.

Most of the knowledge and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) taught in Ranger School are focused on battle drills. A battle drill is a collective action that is rapidly executed without applying a deliberate decision-making process. For this reason, every Ranger platoon is given a mission and Ranger School students apply battle drills when faced with a given scenario. Leadership is developed because these drills are focused on aggressiveness, violence of action, welfare of the Soldiers, and tactical knowledge. However, candidates are not challenged with modern and realistic ethical dilemmas that challenges their moral flexibility. A Ranger School graduate is sought to be a premier leader in the Army, but with little to no training in ethical decision-making process.

Training & Garrison

During the training cycle, training events challenge team size to battalion size elements on modern day tactical challenges. Although these training events have adapted to the insurgency environment, they are conducted in a realistic and safe manner. All training events are followed by an after-action review (AAR), in which higher leaders or observers provide feedback to fire teams and squads on their course of action and results. This is an effective tool that may occasionally address a decision that a Squad Leader made that may be considered unethical. An example of such scenario consists of an accidental civilian casualty that could have been avoided. During the AAR, the observers and higher leaders provide their mentorship and discuss other courses of action that needed to be considered. Despite the proficiency in all the tactical and basic skills areas, the proactive approach to ethical development lacks initiative. By the time a small element leader makes an unethical decision that stains the reputation of the Regiment, it becomes more of a reactive type of training.

Leader Professional Development (LPD)

Organizational leaders and company level leaders have taken initiative to conduct LDPs with small element leaders. This is a very effective interaction with higher leadership because it opens a communication platform between the lower enlisted and senior leaders. Discussions about what sets our unit apart, areas we need to improve on, and the importance of making well informed decisions are among some of the topics. This empowers all small element leaders to trust the organization and embody the goals and objectives of the Regiment. However, these sessions occur very rarely and found to be tedious since they tend to take place at the end of the duty day. Nonetheless, LPDs is perhaps the most effective and direct way to address the ethics and leadership amongst the ranger organization.

Charter Fulfillment

Fulfilling our charters in the Ranger Regiment is perhaps one of the most influential tasks we give back to the Army. One of the charters, Sullivan's Charter, written by General Sullivan who was the 33rd Chief of Staff of the Army, states that "when a Ranger is reassigned at the completion of his tour, he will imbue his new unit with the Regiment's dauntless spirit and high standards" (Blue Book, 2018). For this reason, all Rangers must fulfill this charter and spend twelve months minimum outside of the Ranger Regiment and it needs to be done before the promotion of First Sergeant. There are two jobs within the Ranger Regiment that are considered "Charter time", which is being a Liaison and recruit and train for RASP, and the other is being a RASP instructor. Charter fulfillment is perhaps the most tedious assignment for all Rangers, since they are not in the business for anything else but a break from the line. Despite this unsettling task for all Rangers, we fail to realize the impact that the Ranger Regiment has on the Army and the wealth of experience we are withholding from our Army. The Ranger Regiment is a breeding ground for leadership, knowledge, and combat experience, and our loyalty falls short to our organization and not our Army. Although conventional units may leave a bad taste in Ranger's mouths, this is perhaps the best thing we can do in our military careers. Although the regiment uses the Army's standard transfer and procedures of elimination to perform tasks, it has retained the practice to point out and eliminate less performing Rangers, especially leaders. Platoon leaders and Rangers commanders must have successfully served as commanders or platoon leaders in other Rangers units before assuming duties in the regiment. All Rangers must have self-discipline and mental toughness. Rangers within the Regiment take it for granted that fellow Rangers will have intrinsic motivation and a relentless pursuit of excellence in all deployments, thus earning a Rangers Tab. It is imperative for all the Rangers with the desire to remain in the Regiment to complete the Ranger course and also good moral values. A Ranger lacking good leadership skill and ethics has a high possibility of failing the Rangers course, which is embarrassing resulting to resignation out of the regiment. The highly hostile and stressful environment produces shapes a Ranger. This is evident in the standards for corporate training conducted across the corps. Exercises and training events are realistic and demanding, and replicate the stress of combat. This climate spills over into the socialization process within the regiment. Ranger candidates must complete the demands of a three-week Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP). This stressful socialization process will continue until the new ranger completes the Ranger course and earns his Ranger Tab. Even when an experienced Ranger returns to the regiment, he must complete the standard accession requirements in the two-week Ranger Assessment and Selection Program. If the Ranger RASP, he is not assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment and is open for worldwide reassignment.

Challenges of the Operational Environment

The Ranger Regiment has been continuously deployed since the beginning of the GWOT. For this reason, the smallest element leaders have a plethora of combat experience. The Ranger Regiment has taken on a diverse set of jobs overseas. The days of gaining and holding tactical ground is over and the war has shifted to where the enemy can be anywhere within the population. Dick Couch addresses a very true and important reality about the war we fight; we are fighting an insurgency type of war. This holds to be very true, specially when we introduce the analogy that Dick Couch (2010) calls the Three Block War concept. Within three blocks, Soldiers are handing out MREs on one block, patrolling to maintain an easy pace on the second block, and be engaged in an intense firefight on the third. While our primary focus is bringing the fight to the enemy, this depiction holds to be very true from what the Ranger Regiment encounters overseas. These objectives can be difficult to grasp by the Squad Leaders and Team Leaders who are motiv...