The Importance of Being Early to Your Assigned Place of Duty

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person’s character. It shows that you have at a minimum a modicum of integrity and self-discipline. Though some of us are occasionally late due to circumstances beyond our control, habitual tardiness shows a lack of respect for other individuals, especially your NCO, and their time. If someone is repeatedly late that usually shows that they almost certainly do not care about what their NCO tells them.

Time is a precious commodity that should not be wasted for any frivolous or unnecessary reason. Should you not use your time wisely, you are not ever going to get it back. It is a really rare resource and you cannot store it, redo that period of time, nor stop the ripples that are the consequences of being late because life is not a video game. Promptness isn’t only a duty, but can be a part of very good manners; it’s favorable to fortune, reputation, influence, and usefulness. Lack of punctuality is really a theft of somebody else’s time and a complete lack of respect for others. You need to be punctual in everything you do. Punctuality goes hand in hand with military discipline. Basic Training recruits are taught to obey promptly and without question, orders from their superiors that are moral, ethical, and legal from day one of Basic Training. Military discipline and its effectiveness is made over a foundation of being able to follow orders. That is why we are supposed be able to work well as a team.

With that being said, being late is becoming a more and more common trend among people of all walks of life, especially in the United States Army. This is completely unacceptable and it violates the Army Values, costs the military more money, and reflects very poorly on the soldier and his/her first line supervisor. There are many methods available to prevent being late as well as proper steps to take once you know you are going to be late and there is nothing else you can do about it.

The Army Values, Leadership, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. When you are late, whether it is a formation, appointment, or a board, it goes against all of these values that are instilled in us as soldiers. All soldiers are supposed to display the ability to be an effective leader and are supposed to be a good role model for those soldiers that are under them at all times. That is impossible if you are consistently late. For example, if you are a Specialist promotable and late to a few formations that is noticed by the privates around you. Once you make Sergeant they are going to remember those times you were late, question your ability as a leader and not give you the respect that you should have.

It is your duty to follow the orders of those appointed above you as long as they are lawful and moral. When you are told to be at a certain location at a certain time then you are expected to be there. If you can’t perform the simple task of arriving on time, like a formation or keeping an appointment, then it shows that you are irresponsible and do not have your priorities set straight.

Respect is the key to a functional Army. Respect must be shown at all times because there is no way you can know who is watching you. Also, from leader to subordinate, respect key to a healthy chain of command. Not arriving to a formation at the appointed time is pure disrespect toward your leaders, and if no respect is shown toward your leader, then it will not be returned to the subordinate.

When you chose to be late it shows that you are more worried about yourself than your unit or your career. So in overall, don’t be late. Yes it is understandable that there are going to be those days where the situation was out of your hands. However, for most of those times, it is not out of your hands. So if anyone is planning on making the Army their career, then start by showing up on early so everyone can know that you are taking your job as a soldier in the U.S. Army seriously.