Why Is Punctuality Important In The Military

Punctuality is defined as “the habit of making appointed times.” Within the law enforcement profession, punctuality is a trait that is very valuable. Equal in value is the ability to be prepared in everything you do, large or small. In the following essay I will discuss the importance of punctuality, the importance of being properly prepared and how it relates to your personal and professional life. I will also discuss the ramifications a failure in either of these areas will have on my Academy classmates and my future co-workers at the Agawam Police Department.

When I think of someone that is very punctual, I immediately think of those in military and para-military organizations. As a soldier there have been more than a few occasions
It sounds cliché; yet, the ability to be properly prepared may save lives or prevent injury to innocent civilians. During my deployment to Kosovo, my preparedness was put to the test. My squad was just completing a 12-hour dismounted patrol in the mountains. We were now moving to our link-up point with the vehicles that would take us back to Camp Bondsteel. The last leg of our movement was approximately 4 miles on a road that ran all the way into Serbia. During our movement, we wandered through a U.S. Checkpoint, talked with the NCO in charge and continued along our way. Approximately ½ a mile beyond the checkpoint, my squad was divided on both sides of the road with me in front, a tractor/ small truck type vehicle approached from our rear. As it moved pass each of my soldiers, they began to yell for the driver to stop. I did not understand what was going on, but I also knew not to question my team leaders (they were good, and made me look good). I raised my rifle at the driver just as he was passing by me. Luckily he saw it and slammed on the brakes. As the rear of the truck came into my view, I thanked God that he did not stop so abruptly that his sensitive cargo fell to the ground. In the cargo bed of the vehicle were to 105mm artillery rounds, both with fuses still attached. Of course this was the one mission that my unit did not authorize an interpreter, so there I was, stuck on the side of a mountain with a poor farmer, 2 Unexploded Ordinances (UXO), no interpreter, and I was about to find out that it could still get worse. We pulled the driver from the vehicle and talked to him in broken French. Luckily, he was well known in the area for being very Pro-America, so we did not think of him as a threat. He told us that he found the rounds on his land and was headed to take them to a scrap metal vendor. I sent two of my soldiers to the far side of the vehicle to cordon off the road. I