The Importance Of The Profession Of Arms - Essay Example

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROFESSION OF ARMS The profession of arms is a soldier’s means of living as well as style of living. It requires dedication and resilience on the part of a soldier in order to train and maintain readiness in order to service to standard. This profession has existed from the very beginning of American history, and one of the earliest examples of the importance of this profession is Roger’s Rangers, today known simply as the US Army Rangers. In the 18th Century, Roger’s Rangers had a simple set of standing orders, ranging from the hours of march, an order saying “don’t forget nothing”, and rifle maintenance.

These 19 rules were written by Major Robert Rogers himself in 1759, and show that discipline is critical to the profession of arms. Soldiers themselves are critical to defending society and resolving conflicts swiftly and with precision. Today, the Rangers have their own creed that reflects their high level of training, readiness, and discipline that allow them to be elite soldiers in the service of the American people. The profession of arms is crucial to American society because it allows the greater population to exist in peace while certain volunteers learn the science and art of warfare in order fight with superior effectiveness and minimal loss of life.

A untrained, amateur soldier faces much more danger and lower chances of success than one who is professional prepared, and thus there exists a niche of American citizens who spend their lives as soldiers rather than a need for the whole of society to participate directly in war. On the whole, soldiers in the Rangers or any other military unit have historically been dedicated to their profession of fighting wars and protecting the American way of life so others are safe from danger, and without this profession our nation would have crumbled long ago by leaving its populace exposed to danger and conflict.

REFERENCES United States (2000). Ranger Handbook. Ft. Benning, GA: Ranger Training Brigade.