FORT BENNING, Ga., (Feb. 18, 2015) -- Retired Gen. William Wallace visited Fort Benning Feb. 11 to speak during the latest iteration of the combat leader speaker program.
Wallace served 39 years in the Army from 1969 to 2008, and served 20 years in various commands, including time as the commander of Training and Doctrine Command, the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, V Corps during the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003, 4th Infantry Division and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment.
"The obligations that go along with command are daunting," Wallace said. "You have to be a leader, you have to have a vision and you've got to be able to take easy ideas and put them into action. ... The fact of the matter is it doesn't matter who is in charge at the general officer level. The folks who make stuff happen are the folks who are in direct contact with the environment, the enemy, the population, etc. That is you and the Soldiers that you lead."
He encouraged the Soldiers in attendance to maintain close contact with their subordinate leaders, no matter how senior their command is.
"Maneuver commanders in particular have to have a sense for the environment in which you operate," Wallace said. "I've found that the only way to get a sense for what is going on is to get out on the ground and talk to people to find out what they are feeling. The fact of the matter is the Soldiers in your platoon or company are in direct contact with the enemy and the environment, and they sense and understand subtle changes that are going on well before your staff has a chance to analyze it.
"The more senior you get in your command, the more important it is to get out of your command post and make that contact with lower-level officers, NCOs and leaders to find out what they think is going on. That, coupled with the data your staff is providing you, begins to put together a very complex mosaic of what is going on in your area of responsibility."
He also addressed the uncertainty the Army faces as it transitions from an Army at war.
"I know that there is a lot of uncertainty in the Army and probably some uncertainty in your minds," Wallace said. "I can't put that uncertainty to rest to any great degree, ... but part of my message to you is that the Army is in a state of transition today and there's a lot of uncertainty, but it's always been that way, at least in my recollection. ... The Army has been in transition, I suspect, since 1776."
Wallace said despite the uncertain future, there will always be a need for leaders with character.
"If you look at the history of our Army, it's kind of a roller coaster ride," he said. "The only thing that smooths out the roller coaster and dampens all the bumps along the road are caring, involved leaders of character that understand circumstances change, but also understand there's a very dangerous operational environment out there we have to at least think about, if not do something about. Things change and you have to be able to not only accommodate change, but most importantly, be a part of that change."
Social Sharing