Teammates,

Thank you for the questions and answers. Every leader is different. Those with personal experience can definitely break down barriers as you(@cplenge) mentioned. Can an officer lead? My belief is absolutely, but truly every leader is different. Every Soldier is different. If a leader has personal concerns they must care enough about themselves to seek assistance. If a leader thinks they can lead without getting help from others from time to time, I believe they are greatly mistaken. From the earliest days of Army history, General Washington on bended knee, from the founding of our various branches, medical corps, chaplain corps, and quartermaster corps we have found a need where the leader needed help in some fashion. A specialist, a doctor, a subject matter expert. Taking a knee and facing out is not an assignment or a job where we collect ourselves and our shattered relationships, it is better stated as “self care”. It is a “daily” requirement where leaders must retrospectively examine, am I taking time to keep myself physically, mentally, and spiritually fit? I don’t believe that a leader should ignore any medical or health issues they have. Medical, personal, and mental concerns can compound and that is when a leader will truly struggle. It isn’t the leadership challenges that will truly get a leader. It is in the inner struggle, when ignored, that will devour a leader’s soul. All my truly personal thoughts and two bits of input. But my question is how can we ask our Soldiers to seek help with things if we don’t?