A Message to Garcia Guy
Once upon ago in the U.S. of A, being called and known to be "A message to Garcia Guy" was a silent honor in both military and business communities.
In all U.S. military circles an effective dynamic or trust between subordinate and commander is the corner stone to the most key element to making the U.S military the effective institution it is... Honor self-reliance and initiative. Initiative? It’s doing the right thing without being told. Next to doing the right thing with out being told, is to do it when you are told, once.
I remember when I first went to basic training my D.I. always demanded a "no excuse sir(!) policy when applying whatever he would task us, his young charges in doing. Once the D.I. knew we were ready to take responsibility for our actions then he might inquire further insights to a particular situation.
By my and the other recruits reply of "no excuse, sir(!)" to whatever our D.I. would order, he knew we were taking responsibility and ready to see what kind of ‘message to Garcia "types we might be.
When I went to Basic I did not know why this was to be. However as I gained experience and became a leader I realized what this process of forced humility was all about. Everyone in the military goes through Basic and everyone thinks its purpose is to break them. But it's purpose is really to teach us humility when we are young.
Everyone in the military goes through basic training and everyone thinks its purpose is to break them. But it's purpose is really teaching Humility amongst us when we are young.
One of the few great traditions agreed by leaders churned out by everyone... from the boy scouts, services academies and good old common sense D.I.’s to many a grunt like me was the embodiment if not the specific message of such truly U.S. warrior character of the original " message to Garcia Guy", the late Col. Andrew Rowan USA ret (1857-1943).
Rowan was a man to whom "NO EXCUSE, SIR(!)" would be as integral to him as was his fame for the action for which his choice of beyond common initiative would find him a cherished icon amongst generations of U.S. leaders in both the military and civilian enterprises (though sadly, nearly lost to us, today).
Let me explain: a character possessing honor self reliance and initiative, requires an ability of one to have self humility. Humility, which though better as a natural gift from birth, can often be a learned milestone in ones career as a warrior. It is often times painful and something we learn from and try to communicate; something that often happens in the most simplest of military basics and necessary to be a effective leader.
When a superior gives an order to a subordinate and that order or task is not completed the only response the subordinate should give is "NO EXCUSE, SIR!" No matter how trivial or great the key to insure it does not happen again by the subordinate or his peers is for their Superior to effectuate self humiliation - the often times painful process of seeing what went wrong and fixing it .. However sometimes, a greater self humiliation or punishment is appropriate.
For the superior, as a leader, the administration of such humiliation to the subordinate is to learn from their mistake is (believe it or not) often more painful than the punishment or humiliation being taken. Yet it is the key to insure that under fire US troops are not like republican guards – fleeing.
We are taught by NCOs to learn that the failure to act on behalf of the collective in return for ones self is against almost all prescribed anecdotes for affecting the respect necessary for warriors to follow the high standards which the U.S. Military is known for.
Having an excuse as a subordinate is self justification and is a emotional defense mechanism that within responsible paramilitary outfits only causes harm as it hides and masks the truth. Humility has us face the truth and allows us to learn and advance beyond our mistakes.
In the military we use the "NO EXCUSE, SIR(!)" policy to prevent the arrogance or self justification to enforce HUMILITY ON TO THE INDIVIDUAL TO LEARN AD ADVANCE, instead of looking for excuses to justify ones actions. In all boot camps forced humility is affected upon recruits to try and break one down so a soldier finds and grasps self humility.
Any good leader knows when failure occurs he knows this is nothing you can do about what already happened so he becomes concerned with preventing future failures and mistakes. He does so by focusing on solutions.
Did you learn your lesson? Or are you all about excuses?
An excuse only compounds problems.
Today we in Special Forces have bequeathed speed and flexibility into the backbone as now traditions of military commands. However we ourselves, who are ever and ever demanding a better warrior, often forget how crucial being men who retain comprehension and effectuation of the ‘No excuse sir(!)’ mindset is what does lead us to becoming ‘message to Garcia guys’ – whether inbreed, self taught or learned by example. Though sometimes, we too get lazy. We too believe the guy who is our pal will always be there for us because of the high standards SO Forces put on camaraderie of warriors. –
Those who can-do "carry a message to Garcia guys" - Men like Colonel Andrew Rowan and his modern incarnates, volunteer daily as privates airmen and seamen and will always get a high praise as a replacement to their lower pay.
It’s up to you to get this, understand it and when you do, pass it on to a friend. Read the enclosed links when you can and ask yourself "AM I a "no excuse sir(!) [Message to] Garcia Guy?"
If so the good ole’ U.S. of A and her Department of Defense and Law Enforcement outfits are delighted in your service.
Thank you and hearty "Hoohah’s",
Dave
About a Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard
How I Carried the Message to Garcia by COL Andrew Rowan
About the Man Who Delivered the Message to Garcia
Garcia Doesn't Get The Message, These Days
In all U.S. military circles an effective dynamic or trust between subordinate and commander is the corner stone to the most key element to making the U.S military the effective institution it is... Honor self-reliance and initiative. Initiative? It’s doing the right thing without being told. Next to doing the right thing with out being told, is to do it when you are told, once.
I remember when I first went to basic training my D.I. always demanded a "no excuse sir(!) policy when applying whatever he would task us, his young charges in doing. Once the D.I. knew we were ready to take responsibility for our actions then he might inquire further insights to a particular situation.
By my and the other recruits reply of "no excuse, sir(!)" to whatever our D.I. would order, he knew we were taking responsibility and ready to see what kind of ‘message to Garcia "types we might be.
When I went to Basic I did not know why this was to be. However as I gained experience and became a leader I realized what this process of forced humility was all about. Everyone in the military goes through Basic and everyone thinks its purpose is to break them. But it's purpose is really to teach us humility when we are young.
Everyone in the military goes through basic training and everyone thinks its purpose is to break them. But it's purpose is really teaching Humility amongst us when we are young.
One of the few great traditions agreed by leaders churned out by everyone... from the boy scouts, services academies and good old common sense D.I.’s to many a grunt like me was the embodiment if not the specific message of such truly U.S. warrior character of the original " message to Garcia Guy", the late Col. Andrew Rowan USA ret (1857-1943).
Rowan was a man to whom "NO EXCUSE, SIR(!)" would be as integral to him as was his fame for the action for which his choice of beyond common initiative would find him a cherished icon amongst generations of U.S. leaders in both the military and civilian enterprises (though sadly, nearly lost to us, today).
Let me explain: a character possessing honor self reliance and initiative, requires an ability of one to have self humility. Humility, which though better as a natural gift from birth, can often be a learned milestone in ones career as a warrior. It is often times painful and something we learn from and try to communicate; something that often happens in the most simplest of military basics and necessary to be a effective leader.
When a superior gives an order to a subordinate and that order or task is not completed the only response the subordinate should give is "NO EXCUSE, SIR!" No matter how trivial or great the key to insure it does not happen again by the subordinate or his peers is for their Superior to effectuate self humiliation - the often times painful process of seeing what went wrong and fixing it .. However sometimes, a greater self humiliation or punishment is appropriate.
For the superior, as a leader, the administration of such humiliation to the subordinate is to learn from their mistake is (believe it or not) often more painful than the punishment or humiliation being taken. Yet it is the key to insure that under fire US troops are not like republican guards – fleeing.
We are taught by NCOs to learn that the failure to act on behalf of the collective in return for ones self is against almost all prescribed anecdotes for affecting the respect necessary for warriors to follow the high standards which the U.S. Military is known for.
Having an excuse as a subordinate is self justification and is a emotional defense mechanism that within responsible paramilitary outfits only causes harm as it hides and masks the truth. Humility has us face the truth and allows us to learn and advance beyond our mistakes.
In the military we use the "NO EXCUSE, SIR(!)" policy to prevent the arrogance or self justification to enforce HUMILITY ON TO THE INDIVIDUAL TO LEARN AD ADVANCE, instead of looking for excuses to justify ones actions. In all boot camps forced humility is affected upon recruits to try and break one down so a soldier finds and grasps self humility.
Any good leader knows when failure occurs he knows this is nothing you can do about what already happened so he becomes concerned with preventing future failures and mistakes. He does so by focusing on solutions.
Did you learn your lesson? Or are you all about excuses?
An excuse only compounds problems.
Today we in Special Forces have bequeathed speed and flexibility into the backbone as now traditions of military commands. However we ourselves, who are ever and ever demanding a better warrior, often forget how crucial being men who retain comprehension and effectuation of the ‘No excuse sir(!)’ mindset is what does lead us to becoming ‘message to Garcia guys’ – whether inbreed, self taught or learned by example. Though sometimes, we too get lazy. We too believe the guy who is our pal will always be there for us because of the high standards SO Forces put on camaraderie of warriors. –
Those who can-do "carry a message to Garcia guys" - Men like Colonel Andrew Rowan and his modern incarnates, volunteer daily as privates airmen and seamen and will always get a high praise as a replacement to their lower pay.
It’s up to you to get this, understand it and when you do, pass it on to a friend. Read the enclosed links when you can and ask yourself "AM I a "no excuse sir(!) [Message to] Garcia Guy?"
If so the good ole’ U.S. of A and her Department of Defense and Law Enforcement outfits are delighted in your service.
Thank you and hearty "Hoohah’s",
Dave
About a Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard
How I Carried the Message to Garcia by COL Andrew Rowan
About the Man Who Delivered the Message to Garcia
Garcia Doesn't Get The Message, These Days
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