Warrior ethos

In 2003, the Army codified the "Warrior Ethos" into the Soldier's Creed.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

This concept of a warrior ethos is not new but a reaffirmation of a way of life since the dawn of humankind. The Spartans in ancient Greece and the native American culture lived the warrior ethos.

What is a warrior? To be a warrior, one must be practiced in warfare. However, there is a much larger requirement. A soldier, rebel, mercenary, and terrorist are all practiced in warfare as well. A warrior is also implies a code of honor emphasizing loyalty and courage. In addition, a warrior must be willing to sacrifice themselves for the 'greater good'. For Sparta and the Native American cultures the warrior ethos was vital to the survival of their families, their nation, and their way of life. The warrior places the emphasis on others not upon himself.

Is the US military today a warrior culture? Current Army recruitment emphasizes what you can gain personally from service in the military (education, job skills, etc) but the warrior culture emphasizes what the warrior gives back to society not what he gets from society. In addition, war for the US is an instrument of foreign policy not a way of life for the population. The common phrase, "the military is at war; America is at the mall," illustrates the differences between the spartan and Native American cultures versus our modern society.

Other facet of the warrior ethos is the image of a warrior in our (Army's) collective mind. The tall, muscular, airborne, ranger, special forces, 'snake-eater' could be classified as the dictionary image of a warrior in today's modern military. However, compare that to the roly-poly Nintendo generation soldier deployed to Iraq who when faced with a car (most likely vehicle borne IED) speeding towards his checkpoint calmly unloads round after round into the radiator and windshield of the vehicle disabling it and preventing it's detonation. (story related by MAJ Rick Garcia). That soldier is the true warrior despite his physical appearance.

As an aside, our nation has become enamored of political correctness. One instance of this trend is the banning of Native American imagery for sports teams. I was at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign from 2005-2008. During my time at Illinois, the NCAA deemed the Illini mascot, Chief Illiniwek, as 'hostile and abusive' and banned the team from NCAA tournament competition until its removal. The term Illiniwek stems from the Illiniwek Confederation who historically inhabited much of present-day Illinois. The term Illiniwek means a complete human being; strong and agile with an indomitable spirit. What better tribute than to have our student athletes attempt to emulate the warrior ethos of the Native American people. Political correctness has gone too far!!