for Essays Guru Responses M1D2

1. Critical Thinking is absolutely encouraged and even stressed in the military but make no mistake, there are times and situations that will warrant the Junior Soldiers full attention and all that critical thinking training will go out of the window. As a leader you always want to leave your imprint on the subordinate and hopes that he/she takes and retains all the training you taught them but in the heat of battle, I have to give orders and I need the young Soldier to execute with haste.

Everyone in the military should be practicing Critical Thinking. The military is an easy organization to be in when you first join. Just do as you're told, be on time, be in the right uniform and pass your pt test. Critical Thinking for younger Soldiers needs to be applied when there is no supervision so they don't make stupid decisions like drinking and driving.

The worst scenario to be in where everyone uses critical thinking is in a life threating situation where there is one person in charge. Any interuptions could cause delay and time is essential to saving lives.

The best scenario to use critical thinking is when the boss isn't around and faced with a decision that he would usually make for the young Soldier but the Soldier recognizes the issues, analyzes it and makes the correct choice or decision.

2. Critical thinking is taught in military education programs. However, beyond formal training, it is not  a priority.  It is interesting to point out though that Service members use critical thinking on a daily basis, more often than civilian peers as the world we live in grows more complex each day.  Military life moves at a fast pace and you must be able to quickly ascertain a situation and implement change as needed.  Service members work with others from all types of backgrounds and you must be open to new ideas and input from others or you will not succeed.  

Critical thinking is imperative in developing the ability to adapt and is a concept the military is beginning to see the value in at all levels from officers to enlisted.  In an issue of Army Magazine (2015) commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command General David G. Perkins stated “We are actually changing aspects of basic training so they have to start applying critical thinking skills between the bus and the drill sergeant… [and we] encourage critical thinking so that people who find themselves in new situations can adapt” (p. 35).

The best case scenario if everyone used their own critical thinking skills would be a streamlined, faster approach to a decision.  The worst case scenario would be a situation that could never be defined or resolved as the process would forever continue.  A critical approach must be taken to reach a decision and according to Beth Black, author of A to Z of Critical Thinking (2012) a distinct part of critical thinking is “making an informed and balanced judgment” (p. 147). The critical thinking thought process involves reaching an end or coming to a conclusion and ultimately should be a help, not a hindrance.

References

Benitz, J., Dow, J., Dunn, L., Maze, R., Rathbun, L., & Spincic, T. B. (2015). Minimizing Risk Is Army's 2015 Goal. (cover story). Army Magazine, 65(1), 32-38. 

Black, B. (2012). A to Z of Critical Thinking. London: Continuum.