Frat

Department of the Army

Pamphlet 600-35

Personnel-General

Relationships

Between

Soldiers of

Different Rank

Headquarters

Department of the Army

Washington, DC

21 February 2000

PREFACE

Discipline is the soul of the Army. It makes small numbers formidable,

procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.

George Washington

Good order and discipline is imperative to the success of military organizations. It is the

bedrock upon which unit cohesion is built. Unit cohesion is the result of soldiers believing that their unit treats them fairly and that the order and discipline is indeed good. Soldiers of all ranks must feel they belong to the "family." We want to build the bond between soldiers, which will enable them to fight, win, and survive on the battlefield.

Building the "family" requires treating one another with dignity and respect. Positive personal relationships are marks of good, solid interaction between soldiers of different

rank. The Army needs professional, caring interactions because they build vertical

bonds which tie leaders and followers. The leader must be counted on to use good

judgment, experience, and discretion to draw the line between relationships that are

"destructive" and those that are "constructive."

Unit cohesion is hampered anytime relationships between the unit’s members compromise the chain of command. If soldiers believe that the chain of command is partial, unfair, uses rank for personal gain, or is exploitive or coercive in nature, discipline breaks

down and cohesion is destroyed. Damage to the unit occurs when the chain of command is compromised and even when soldiers simply believe it has been compromised.

Real or imagined, the unit and the Army pay the price when relationships between its

soldiers are, or are perceived to be, unprofessional.

Soldiers of all ranks meet and associate with each other in many settings, both on and

off duty. These meetings and associations foster the trust and confidence...