Importance of Your General Orders, and the Accomplishment of the Mission

Following Orders Essay

By: SPC Berg, Markus

Why is it important to follow orders and instructions? From a military standpoint the difference can mean life or death for a soldier. On the civilian side it can mean the loss of your job, loss of position, or loss of pay. There are many factors that play into each individual scenario. No two events are ever the same and the outcome can range from a verbal reprimand to the death of the individual.

Orders are meant to be obeyed both explicitly and implicitly. There can be and should be no deviation from the prescribed order. In peacetime or during times of war we as soldiers do not have either the option or the privilege to take the orders issued to us into our own hands. The only time this is permissible is during a time of absence of orders. However, even during these rare instances the soldier is still held accountable for his individual conduct under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and during times of wrongful imprisonment or as a POW under the Code of Conduct. Orders were not meant to be broken; they are given for the soldier’s protection and proper guidance.

A soldier’s guideline must consist of his three general orders:

1. I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.

When a soldier is posted on watch it is his sole responsibility to guard everything and everyone during the entire duration of his watch. If he falls asleep or arbitrarily leaves his post he is subject to full punitive measures as allowed under the UCMJ. This soldier has not only failed his immediate mission but has jeopardized the safety of all personnel and equipment under his watch.

2. I will obey my special orders and perform all of my duties in a military manner.

Sadly, this order is one of the ones that is thrown away and discarded by many in today’s “New Army”. The reason for this is that common courtesy and respect for leadership...