I believe professional reading is necessary to excel at any profession, and that what can be considered as professional reading in this age is broader in scope than what many may believe.  What I think turns off most cadets from professional reading is that they believe it is strictly limited to reading lists, ADPs, FMs etc.  While I am not negating the importance and vitality of these sources, as a generation raised by the internet we have many other avenues to access professional reading.

Through the internet we have an unbelievable bank of knowledge and history at our finger tips to learn from, and adapt into our leadership styles.  We can watch animations in order to visually see Battle Drill I in action.  Through documentaries we have the ability to reflect on wars of the past, and what is currently happening today, in order to greater mold our own strategies.  This blog forum itself I believe constitutes as professional reading, as we have the ability to interact with other leaders who have experience in a bevy of fields and ranks, or are going through the same programs as we are.  By combining the vital information from sources like ADPs and FMs, with the experiences of other leaders and interactive media, we are able to excel at and retain professional reading more effectively than previous generations.

As someone in the science field where everything is rapidly changing, professional reading is a vital part of proficiency. I make it a priority to be up to date with what is going on in my research lab through reading previous reports that are applicable to our current experiments, and discussing the science behind them with the graduate students who are conducting the studies.  I apply this same method to my work in ROTC.  When I am in charge of a certain aspect, whether that be PRT or Aid and Litter etc., I make sure to familiarize myself with the literature within the specific FMs.  As well as consult with cadets, and cadre who have experience running certain parts of the program. From this method of study and execution, I have found that the literature provides a  basis of information of what you need to know, combined with adapting the experiences of those before you (and METT- TC) to your current situation, is what makes a strong foundation for leadership.