As an operations officer for an aviation unit, I was responsible for a group of soldiers who didn’t appear to have any common sense. It became exhausting to counsel them in accomplishing their mission without screwing up in one way or another.
In aviation, we always use checklists, from preflight all the way to parking and engine shutdown. It keeps us out of trouble. So I applied the same thought process with my soldiers, produced a little card, which they all were required to memorize and to act upon, challenging each other, and the results were fantastic: The morale improved, discipline improved, the mission accomplishment improved, and everyone was happier, especially me. Here it is:
