Australian Army Journal

OPINION
Army’s Spirit
Warrant Officer David Ashley
The oath to serve your country did not include a contract for the normal
luxuries and comforts enjoyed within our society. On the contrary it implied
hardship, loyalty and devotion to duty regardless of rank.
Brigadier George Mansford (Retd)
As Regimental Sergeant Major – Army (RSM-A), I have a unique leadership
responsibility, one which I take very seriously. I am providing this article to the
Australian Army Journal because I believe that there is a fundamental area of
Army service that is often overlooked in discussions about culture — the role of
Army’s spirit.
During my 36 years of service I have seen many changes to Army. However,
I have also come to realise that there are enduring aspects of Army life —
most notably Army’s spirit which forms the bedrock of how we operate and look
upon ourselves. For me, Army’s spirit is a combination of our stated values —
courage, initiative, respect and teamwork — along with four enduring aspects:
pride, faith, mateship and opportunity. Together, these contribute to our people’s
Australian Army Journal
Culture edition 2013, Volume X, Number 3 Page 203