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
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