A full responsibility of a regiment is assumed by a commander, sergeant major, who takes the possession of the Regimental Color. The commander, Sergeant major, represents the leaders who have made it. He, therefore, should use his diverse experience that he possesses in guiding his or her subordinates.
He should enforce the best standards because the standards later lead to tactical proficiency and discipline that succeeds in battle. In addition, his leadership standards and training determine how the behavior of the soldier will be. Many have been outlining their express desire to be commanders of a regiment, but they do not know the responsibilities they need to assume. Given a chance, I would do many things if I were the squadron commander sergeant major of the day.
The first thing as a commander I would do is to overestimate the enemy. Back in history, many armies have failed in the past because of underestimating their enemy. The Eighth Cavalry Regiment of the United States lost many soldiers because of underestimating the Chinese. According to Twomey (2010), many miscalculations were still made by the United States even after the first offensive of Chinese when they destroyed the South Korean division in late October and in early November.
Second, I would train and encourage my soldiers to be strong and ready to fight in the battle line. The Eighth cavalry regiments comprised soldiers who were very weak (Appleman, 2009). These soldiers had no courage of attacking their enemies because they did not want to die. Because of this, the Chinese Communist Force had taken this as their fatal weakness and used it to fight them.
Third, I would train my regiment to fight at night and to operate in any weather. This is because it is easier to attack an enemy at night. At night, it is not easy for the enemy to realize whether their opponent is heavily armed or not. For example, because the eighth cavalry regiment was not able to fight at night, they only specialized in day fighting. The Chinese communist force had taken an advantage of them, and this is why they won. Also, they believed that the cavalry could not be able to transport the enormous amount of equipment that they possessed if they did not have good weather. That is how they got their strategy wrong and indeed lost the war.
Fourth, I would familiarize my soldiers with all kind weapons and encourage them not be demoralized whenever they lose any war. The eight cavalry regiments were frightened when fighting with the Chinese. They were afraid of Chinese’s grenades and the big knives. In addition, whenever they were defeated the cavalry lacked an orderly formation again. They became completely dazed and demoralized. A regiment should always be ready to fight anytime. Ambushes are common, but soldiers can still overcome such challenges if they are prepared psychologically.
Lastly, I would train my regiment on how to deal with diseases when in war zones. Soldiers are likely to be sick due to the harsh condition that is experienced in the war zone. The new environment is also likely to increase the chances of a disease. In Northern Louisiana, the eight cavalry regiment registered 86 deaths of soldiers from diseases (McGhee, 2008). If the soldiers were knowledgeable on how to treat some diseases, few or no soldiers could have ended up dead. This, therefore, depicts a commander sergeant major as a person who needs a lot of commitment and discipline to the success of his regiment and to avoid the weaknesses the eighth cavalry regiment possessed. Strategy is the best way to win a war, and that cannot be achieved without preparing both physically and psychologically. The eighth Calvary regiment made many inexcusable mistakes that could have been avoided with better preparation and anticipation. If I get the chance to lead a regiment, I would do all I can to ensure that similar mistakes are avoided.
References
Appleman, Roy E. (2009). Disaster in Korea: The Chinese Confront Macarthur. Texas A & M Univ Pr.
McGhee, J. E. (2008). Guide to Missouri Confederate Units, 1861-1865. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press.
Twomey, C. P. (2010). The military lens: Doctrinal difference and deterrence failure in Sino- American relations. Ithaca, N.Y: Cornell University Press.
