11 quotes
As visible symbols, soldiers often receive praise or condemnation, and both reactions feel curiously undeserved.
My Share Of The Task (2013)
No outcome was preordained, but nothing would come easily. Few things of value do.
My Share Of The Task (2013)
There are few secrets to leadership. It is mostly just hard work.
My Share Of The Task (2013)
People are born; leaders are made.
My Share Of The Task (2013)
Colorful, charismatic characters often fascinate people, even soldiers. But over time, effectiveness is what counts. Those who lead most successfully do so while looking out for their followers' welfare.
My Share Of The Task (2013)
"Never shall I fail my comrades... I will shoulder more than my share of the task, whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some."
My Share Of The Task (2013)
When I entered West Point, some Americans still believed the Vietnam War might end honorably. By the time I graduated, South Vietnam did not exist. As cadets, we watched the war teeter and implode, and the historical sweep was not lost on us.
My Share Of The Task (2013)
Leaders are not necessarily popular. For soldiers, the choice between popularity and effectiveness is ultimately no choice at all. Soldiers want to win; their survival depends on it. They will accept, and even take pride in, the quirks and shortcomings of a leader if they believe he can produce success.
My Share Of The Task (2013)
Self-discipline manifests itself in countless ways. In a leader I see it as doing those things that should be done, even when they are unpleasant, inconvenient, or dangerous; and refraining from those that shouldn't, even when they are pleasant, easy, or safe.
My Share Of The Task (2013)
It was a lot to ask of Annie, but I never had to. There was no cautious conversation in which I broke the news to her, or asked her permission- I didn't need to. I knew that for as long as I wore the uniform, whatever I had to do, Annie would support me.
My Share Of The Task (2013)
Better pay, better recruiting, and a difficult economy all helped improve the quality of the force. While I'd struggled as a young lieutenant in the 82nd to persuade soldiers to reenlist for a second or third tour of duty, by the early 1980s we held boards to select which soldiers in the battalion would be allowed to reenlist. The conditions were set for a renaissance.
My Share Of The Task (2013)