Importance Of Accountability Essay

The Importance of Accountability is one of the basic principles that the U. S. Army engrains into its soldiers. From the moment they step out of the bus in basic training, a simple rule is told to soldiers so that they can be successful in their military careers. This rule is, “Be at the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform.” This is all for the purpose of accountability, which is extremely important because no mission can start without it. Any mission with which the unit is tasked - from the very small to the gigantic - starts with accountability. From preventive maintenance checks and services on Monday mornings, to cleaning the battery, to mowing the lawn, they all begin with taking accountability of the soldiers who are participating in the tasks. Accountability is defined as, “Obligation of an individual, firm, or institution to account for its activities, accept responsibility for
them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner.” The Army is an institution that is very much like a human body, and the soldiers are the veins in that body. In order for the body to operate at maximum efficiency it needs all its veins to be pumping at full capacity.
Accountability is also important for other reasons.
Every soldier in the unit, after they complete their day’s work goes to do their personal activities. Some live off- post, some in the barracks, others elsewhere on post. Regardless of where the soldier lives, they are always at risk. These risks could be anything: they could be robbed at a gas station, beat up at a club, their house could catch fire, or they could get into a car accident. The dangers are endless, but that does not change the fact that each soldier is the responsibility of the First Sargent and Commander in the unit and they are representatives of the Army. This is the reason behind accountability formations in the morning. Every soldier must report that they are safe and ready to continue working without any issues. It is so important that Personnel Data System reports are sent up daily reporting the whereabouts of every soldier, and every unit does the same procedures daily. It is a soldier’s responsibility to be present at and punctual to these formations for the above
reasons.
The importance and imperativeness of Accountability extends not only to showing up on time for formations, but also in our actions throughout the day. We are held responsible and accountable for every action or inaction we take in our jobs. For example, doing a bad job on a task affects not only one soldier, but everyone else involved. This basic rule teaches soldiers to take responsibility for their actions so that when they are down range and their actions can mean life or death in any given situation, they will be adequately prepared and know what is expected of them.
In addition to being responsible for what we do in the tasks that we’re given, we are also responsible for doing the right thing even when nobody is around to correct our mistakes. We must always do the right thing, whether or not anyone is going to reprimand us. For instance, a soldier might think there is no harm in Facebooking while they are supposed to be working, but a disciplined individual would recognize that this is inappropriate behavior, even if it is not corrected by anyone else. Another solider might think it’s acceptable to slip out and take a nap in the bathroom because nobody is watching. Again, this soldier should know what is expected of them and that part of accountability is doing the right thing even when it interferes with what we want to do.
Finally, to be unsuccessful in attending accountability formation shows that the soldier is irresponsible and/or has let his standards drop. These habits must be curbed to prevent the soldier from continuing on and making further mistakes and putting others, as well as himself, at risk in the future. Everybody slips up now and then, but it is important that those around us correct the bad habits we exhibit. We are soldiers, and we are professionals. If we can’t achieve perfect Accountability and responsibility for our actions when we are not at war, then what happens when we are? This reality is often forgotten by soldiers, because it is inconvenient. We are not, however, supposed to do what is convenient, we are supposed to do what is right.