Introduction
The NCO 1700: Valley Forge is an important case study that examines the history of leadership in the military. This case study looks into the development of leadership techniques and styles from the time of the Revolutionary War to present day. It provides insight into the evolution of military leadership and the changes that have occurred since the time of Valley Forge. By evaluating the NCO 1700: Valley Forge, one can gain a better understanding of the principles and strategies of effective leadership.
NCO 1700: Valley Forge Case Study
Aspects of leadership can be analyzed and evaluated by focusing on the NCO 1700: Valley Forge. The American Army was fundamentally altered by the 12,000 NCOs who spent the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge under the command of General George Washington (Starr, 2020). A shortage of food, footwear, blankets, medical supplies, cleanliness, diseases, and overcrowding led to difficult living circumstances for the Continental Army. Additionally, these deficiencies contributed to the soldiers’ despair and low morale. General George Washington called on Congress for aid and eventually brought order to the camp at Valley Forge (Kumar & Roy, 2022). Numerous soldiers were eventually dismissed from active duty due to the shortfalls above.
The history of the NCO 1700: Valley Forge shows how many soldiers who had been injured in prior conflicts ultimately succumbed not to their wounds but to the exposure. Throughout the winter, 2,500 soldiers died from cold, hunger, and exposure (Kumar & Roy, 2022). Inadequate camp planning and sanitation contributed to the spreading of disease and other difficulties for the troops at Valley Forge (Kumar & Roy, 2022). Generally, the environment appeared unattractive since men defecated wherever pleased, and carcasses were often butchered and left to rot without ever being moved.
NCO 1700: Valley Forge Case Study Analysis
Illness and mortality plagued the Continental Army, leaving General George Washington with the option to disperse or dissolve the force. In addition, General George Washington would have enlisted the aid of the appropriate government agencies to safeguard the well-being of his troops in the face of the severe conditions they faced at Valley Forge (Kumar & Roy, 2022). General George Washington should not have disbanded the Continental Army because of the importance of the organization’s goal. Every soldier has an obligation to their country to fight to the death if necessary (Kumar & Roy, 2022). Therefore, the Continental Army’s patriotic duty was to fight through illness and inadequate sanitation to free America from the British.
Having enough medical supplies and doctors on hand and following public health and planning protocols when putting up the military camp could help alleviate the issues of illness and disease, as well as the poor camp layout and sanitary design. The Department of Defense needs to boost the recruitment of highly skilled individuals into the Army to address the abovementioned issues. The military needs more specialized professionals, so I propose expanding recruitment efforts in that sector (Kumar & Roy, 2022). To address issues within the force that call for skilled labor, officials should devise means of integrating specialized employees. In light of the circumstances, all armed forces must employ medical professionals and provide them with the tools they need to do their jobs (Starr, 2020). In addition, the Senate should always ensure the Department of Defense has enough money to prevent its troops from facing the same problems the Continental Army did during its winter encampment at Valley Forge in 1777–1778.
Conclusion
The NCO 1700: Valley Forge case study provides an invaluable insight into the history of leadership in the military. It looks into the development of leadership styles from the time of the Revolutionary War to present day. By evaluating this case study, one can gain a better understanding of the principles and strategies of effective leadership that have been used throughout history. These strategies can be applied in the modern-day leadership-requiring aspects.
References
Kumar, A., & Roy, K. (Eds.). (2022). Warfare and Society in British India, 1757–1947. Taylor & Francis.
Starr, K. (2020). Continental Achievement: Roman Catholics in the United States-Revolution and the Early Republic. Ignatius Press.