Sad, largely lost in the hubbub of the holidays and the
noise of the budget mess in Washington, is news of the death of General
Schwarzkopf. As a young officer I worked for then Major General Schwarzkopf in
the 24th Infantry Division (Mech) in Ft. Stewart, Ga., part of what was at the time
called the Rapid Deployment Force.
From my view in the cheap seats, "the Bear" was
everything he was advertised to be after Desert Storm, a soldier's soldier who
prepared his troops for victory. He did this with genuine concern for his
troops and their families’ well-being. As young soldiers in the 80's we knew that
if we were to go to war, we would win decisively and with minimal casualties.
And seven years later, that's exactly what General Schwarzkopf did in Desert
Storm.
How did this care for subordinates manifest itself?
General Schwarzkopf fostered a commitment to excellence,
from the discipline of the post to the manner in which the 24th trained. A leader can do no higher service to his or
her subordinates than to provide a climate that demands a level of excellence
and preparation to help to ensure mission success. Our division motto was “First to Fight” and
it was embraced by the entire division.
There was a confident swagger at all levels that suggested we knew we
would be, would be prepared to be, the first into the fray.
High morale was maintained.
I was shocked to find that weekend training was banned, and if soldiers
did have to train on weekends, the got comp time. Comp time, in the Army!? Yet with keen
attention to discipline and detail at all levels, we trained hard, worked hard,
and maintained hard. As a result the 24th
ID was the tip of the spear into Kuwait and an integral part of the overall
success of Desert Storm.
The pine forests and swamps of southeast Georgia did not
make Ft. Stewart the garden spot of military posts for soldiers or
families. However our family quarters
were well maintained and support services responsive, medical and dental care
was first rate, and soldier’s barracks were clean and modern. It was not a bad place to live and work.
General Schwarzkopf’s leadership permeated down and throughout
the 24th ID. I was personally influenced
by several great leaders there, many of whom went on to much bigger jobs, but
the climate came from the top. Many of
us were forged as leaders, and as men and women, by the experience of serving
under the leadership of “the Bear”.
Cheers to a true American hero.
