Introduction
The Vietnam War can be considered to be one of the most complex wars that America has ever involved itself in. The premise of this assertion stems from the fact that it was never in actual sense declared a “war." On the out-front, it is signified a unified resistance by South Vietnamese and American forces against an extremist North that aimed to introduce communism into the nation. The Vietnam War encompassed a combination of various planning tools of war with the most prominent of these being logistics, tactics and strategies. Each person involved in the war had an orientation to one of these tools and consequently, each one would have a relatively different account of the war. The important thing to note however is that each of the mentioned styles employed played a key role in how the war played itself out. In a military setting, or in the armed forces, tacticians, strategic thinkers and logisticians all play a key role in the progression of activities (Mandeles, 2007).
On both a professional as well as a personal level, I think that the best title that would suit me would be that of a strategic thinker. Unlike tactics, which normally deal with short-term goals, strategy deals with the bigger picture (Curley, 2012). For instance, a strategy in the military may involve creating a weakness in the enemy’s line by sending a small troop as a form of diversion and, therefore, creating an opportunity to attack and conquer the enemy (Sunzi, 2007).
As a potential nurse in the military, the primary objective would be to provide support and care to every single military personnel who is wounded at the war front. However, the entire set up of care cannot simply revolve around providing care to just those who are brought into the facility directly from the war front. I would look for the bigger picture such as how to plan for the most common type of injuries for the military officers such that plans for their care can be made even before they arrive at the facility. In regards to this, a particular set of resources and tools that are needed to take care of certain injuries would always be ready and set so that whenever an officer incurs any injury in the battlefield and requires care, all the necessary tools will be at the disposal of the care provider. This would help to save many lives.
My everyday life and work are also testaments to the fact that I am a strategic thinker. I always see the bigger picture in things, and I have no qualms sacrificing short-term benefits for the long-term benefits. Even at home, I am more concerned about the long-term needs of my family and make adequate plans for them. In school, I also employ my strategic thinking skills. For instance, I understand that I have a better chance of passing my finals if I study small content on a daily basis from the start of the semester rather than waiting for the work to pile up and making a rush reading of cramming sessions at the end of the semester. By the time the final semester exams arrive, I will have equipped myself with adequate knowledge to pass the exam.
Conclusion
This course has presented many useful lessons to us as students. The most crucial or vitals of these is the need to plan for everything. Whether the goal is short-term or long-term, everything must be adequately planned for. Military operations require adequate planning and the following of these plans to the wire. Lack of planning or even a small deviation from plans can have colossal implications including death. The same principle is also applicable to our everyday lives where we are required to plan for everything that we do and abiding by that plan as much as possible. In conclusion, my work and daily life are proof of the fact that I am a strategic thinker. I have a tendency of seeing the bigger picture in things, and even when something looks desirable and pleasing in the short term, I always think a greater good that is acquirable from it in the future. I believe that it is wiser to sacrifice present success for even greater success in the future and I am always willing to take any risk to guarantee this greater success.
References
Curley, R. (2012). The science of war: Strategies, tactics, and logistics. New York: Britannica Educational Pub.
Sunzi (2007). The art of war: Sun Zi's military methods. New York: Columbia University Press.
Mandeles, M. D. (2007). Military transformation past and present: Historical lessons for the 21st century. Westport, Conn: Praeger Security International.
