"Because I said so," is a familiar phrase to many of us.
It was the standard reason our parents had for obedience. Of course, it didn't really answer our "why," but it deflected any further inquiries. So, we just followed orders.
Following those parental orders prepared more than a few of us for life in the military. In my case, it prepared me for life in the U.S. Army.
"...Theirs not to reason why; theirs but to do and die," wrote Alfred Lord Tennyson in his epic poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade." A more modern adaptation might be Bill Murray shouting, "Don't ask questions Dogface," while trying to motivate his fellow "mutts" in the classic Army spoof "Stripes."
Most of the time, we don't have to ask because we were told the "why" when we were learning the "what."
Take for example, the Army rule of Soldiers walking to the left and rear of their superiors. Recently, a local reporter asked me for the source of this directive.
I knew saying, "That's what they told me in basic training," was insufficient, so I did some digging.
The Soldier's Guide, produced by the U.S. Army in 2007, states in paragraph 4-16, "Military courtesy shows respect and reflects consistent self-discipline and proper military courtesy as an indicator of unit discipline as well. Soldiers demonstrate courtesy in the way we address officers or NCOs of superior rank." One of the items on the list was, "Walk on the left of an officer or NCO of a superior rank." That sounded a little too much like "because I said so," to me, so I dug a little deeper.
In the Revolutionary War Drill Manual, authored by Baron Frederick William Von Steuben, inspector general for Gen. George Washington's Continental Army, page 7 states superior officers are posted to the right of unit formations, covered on the left by a NCO. The orders were delivered to the officer, who passed them to the NCO and then to the troops.
Now, this passage doesn't deal with that "one step behind" thing, but it does explain why we guide right in formations. However, that's another story. By the way, regardless of what my children may believe, I didn't get that information from my personal copy of the original manual.
Master Sgt. Antony Joseph, managing editor of The NCO Journal, takes it a bit further. After starting his explanation with the "back in basic training" answer, he said the 15-inch step to the rear was to give the subordinate free reign in employing his weapon. This certainly has practical applications.
Finally, Web site Answers.com gives us a more ancient attribution. Evidently, back in the day, shields were held on the left arm and swords or spears were deployed with the right. The person on the far end had no shield protecting his right; therefore, the bravest and strongest soldier was placed at "The Right of the Line." Eventually, the right became the place of the highest honor.
So, there is motive to what often seems to be madness. Just remember, I told you so.
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