Duty, Responsibility, and Authority
FM 7-21.13 Chapter 3 Section 1
Duties, Responsibility, and Authority
Duty:
Duty is defined as “Obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one’s position (as in life or in a group).”- Merriam Webster. To others, it may mean a moral or legal obligation. Such as having a legal duty to obey lawful orders of those appointed over a soldier. According to the Army field manual noted above, junior enlisted soldiers perform all their duties to standard as well as to the best if their ability. Every operation is successful as a result of individual tasks being performed to standard. Likewise, NCO’s also have a duty to take care of their soldiers.
We, as professionals, do not simply perform at the bare minimum. We strive daily to accomplish every task assigned to us to the very best of our abilities. We should be able to say “I have given my all each and every day.” This means that we as soldiers should also be able perform any given tasks collectively as a team. Sharing the workload is a prime example of performing as a team.
There are three different types of duties. Specified Duties, Directed duties, and implied duties. Specified duties are directly related to a soldier’s job, as well as position. Directives from publications, such as Army regulations, Dept. of the Army general orders, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, applicable soldiers’ manuals, Army Training and Evaluation Program or Mission Training Plan Pubs, and Military Occupational Specialty job descriptions, are what actually specify the duties required. The say what a soldier must do and the standard for doing it.
Directed duties are not specifically noted as a part of a Military Occupational Specialty, position within a job or any other directive. Any higher ranking person may give them by mouth or written on paper. An example of directed duties are being assigned as a sergeant of the guard, or being placed on charge of quarters, being the staff duty officer or staff duty runner,
Duties, Responsibility, and Authority
Duty:
Duty is defined as “Obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one’s position (as in life or in a group).”- Merriam Webster. To others, it may mean a moral or legal obligation. Such as having a legal duty to obey lawful orders of those appointed over a soldier. According to the Army field manual noted above, junior enlisted soldiers perform all their duties to standard as well as to the best if their ability. Every operation is successful as a result of individual tasks being performed to standard. Likewise, NCO’s also have a duty to take care of their soldiers.
We, as professionals, do not simply perform at the bare minimum. We strive daily to accomplish every task assigned to us to the very best of our abilities. We should be able to say “I have given my all each and every day.” This means that we as soldiers should also be able perform any given tasks collectively as a team. Sharing the workload is a prime example of performing as a team.
There are three different types of duties. Specified Duties, Directed duties, and implied duties. Specified duties are directly related to a soldier’s job, as well as position. Directives from publications, such as Army regulations, Dept. of the Army general orders, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, applicable soldiers’ manuals, Army Training and Evaluation Program or Mission Training Plan Pubs, and Military Occupational Specialty job descriptions, are what actually specify the duties required. The say what a soldier must do and the standard for doing it.
Directed duties are not specifically noted as a part of a Military Occupational Specialty, position within a job or any other directive. Any higher ranking person may give them by mouth or written on paper. An example of directed duties are being assigned as a sergeant of the guard, or being placed on charge of quarters, being the staff duty officer or staff duty runner,