Are you READY?

R: be RESPECTFUL of others

WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL! Inclusion of all unit members builds esprit de corps on any team. How we treat each other and our subordinates sets the tone for our formations. Do not tolerate inappropriate treatment of others, comments or jokes, or demeaning and degrading actions or practices inside your formations. Help build our Team of Teams.

The best teams are the ones that maximize the differences and unique skills that each member brings to the organization. Harassment, sexual assault and hazing are fratricide in our formations. We must set the tone and hold our Troopers accountable. We come from all over the United States, and we must realize that not everyone grew up with the same values, so we must model and reinforce our unit and Army values to continue to build our team.

We must not tolerate discrimination, sexual harassment, or sexual assault. We will stand next to those Americans who have volunteered to serve! Are you RESPECTFUL . do you treat others as you want to be treated? Are you READY?

E: be EXPERTS

WE NEED TO BE EXPERTS! On Oct. 3, 2009, 53 Ivy Soldiers of Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, awoke to an attack by 300 Taliban fighters on their combat outpost. The enemy had infiltrated and occupied the high ground on all four sides of the outpost. On that day, 53 Ivy Soldiers fought for their lives, they fought for each other and they fought to survive. Through coordinated efforts of the leaders and Soldiers on the ground, the resolve of AH-64 pilots from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bostick and numerous sorties of Air Force aircraft, the team repelled the attack killing more than 150 Taliban fighters. Ivy Soldiers Staff Sgt. Clint Romesha and Staff Sgt. Ty Carter demonstrated their expertise that day. Close-quarters marksmanship, distance engagements with sniper rifles, calling for fire, and rendering aid to wounded comrades, these two NCOs helped turn the tide and prevent the outpost from being overrun.

Like Romesha and Carter, we must be disciplined to train to master the skills of our profession. Do you want to be in a fighting position with someone that shoots 26 out of 40 or do you want a battle buddy who has trained at his or her craft to be an EXPERT, who can hit every target that they aim at as if it was second nature? We all have to work to be EXPERTS, and we all must challenge our teammates to do the same.

EXPERTS aren't born, they're made through repetition and disciplined work. People don't become doctors or professional athletes through luck, they work to master those professions and we must do the same.

Every Soldier should be fit, an EXPERT with their weapon and most importantly an EXPERT in their specialty. The READY Range is available Tuesday to Thursday of each week for Soldiers to continue to work on mastering the skills of marksmanship.

Is okay good enough for you, or will you make yourself an EXPERT? Will you expect the same from your teammates, when your life may depend on their expertise? Are you an EXPERT? Are you READY?

A: be an ATHLETE

WE NEED TO BE WARRIOR ATHLETES! Since 1917 Ivy Soldiers have been placed in the most demanding physical situations from the beaches of Normandy, to the sweltering jungles of Vietnam, to the mountainous terrain of the Hindu Kush, and every time they accomplished their mission. Today we are expected to move just as far and just as fast under even heavier loads to close with and destroy the enemies of our country. There’s no doubt that being a Soldier is among the most physically demanding professions and we must be READY to execute.

Becoming a Warrior ATHLETE can’t be done overnight, and we must use every day to improve ourselves. We have to train hard, but we must also train smart and take advantage of all of the advances in fitness and nutrition we have available on Fort Carson. We are blessed to train “at altitude” — athletes from around the world pay to train here in Colorado and we get this awesome environment for free! To perform at our peak we also have to fuel our fitness with proper nutrition. Hot dogs and energy drinks are not served at the Olympic Training Center and the consequences of losing in our profession are significantly higher. The division is working to turn our dining facilities (DFACs) into Warrior Restaurants, where you can get the balanced nutrients needed to fuel peak performance. But in the end, it’s up to YOU! Strive every day to make yourself physically better with rigorous exercise and smart nutritional choices.

Hold your teammates accountable because ultimately your life may depend on their fitness. You have a choice every day. Will you be better today than you were yesterday? Are you an ATHLETE? Are you READY?

D: be Disciplined and enforce Army standards

WE NEED TO BE DISCIPLINED! Discipline is the bedrock of our profession. Disciplined Soldiers create disciplined units. Units that are commonly referred to as the best are typically the ones that are dedicated to being EXPERTS in the execution of the basic tasks. Their disciplined approach is replicated by Soldiers who possess the DISCIPLINE to take the often harder path. The courage to choose the right path, even - and quite often when - it's harder, more uncomfortable, less popular and at times dangerous, is the bedrock of the best units. For leaders this also means a DISCIPLINED approach to training management. We must efficiently plan and resource our training, ensure that our leaders are certified to conduct the training and most importantly provide predictability to our Troopers.

A simple quote summarizes: "It's one thing to know the path; it's another thing to walk the path." Good units know the path; great units choose to walk that path. They do it by holding themselves accountable and placing their trust in each other. They train to be EXPERTS and know that those on their left and right will be there for them.

Do you have the DISCIPLINE to train to be an EXPERT, an ATHLETE, and a RESPECTFUL teammate? Will you hold your teammates accountable to make sure that they are also DISCIPLINED? Are you DISCIPLINED? Are you READY?

Y: It's up to YOU. Take initiative — make a difference and be accountable.

Our 100-year history is filled with stories of brave Ivy Soldiers who, when facing a critical juncture in the heat of battle, chose to be there for their comrades. Twenty of our 25 Medal of Honor recipients were junior officers, captain and below, or staff sergeant and below. On the day their comrades needed them, they were READY because they had prepared every day in training. They seized the initiative to turn the tide in battle. Their individual efforts made the difference.

YOU make the difference! Being READY is a call to all of us: Soldiers, Family members, community leaders and community members. It is demonstrated in the choices we make, the efforts we support and the responsibilities we embrace.

Are YOU willing to walk the difficult path or merely acknowledge it? Seize every opportunity to make yourself, your team, your unit and your Family better. Are you READY?