Patrick Brooks
Leadership Qualities Derived from Service in the Armed Forces
First of all, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for what you do. I would like to also give honor to God for returning my unit safe from Afghanistan. I am the father of Sean Michael Brooks, who will hopefully be the scholarship recipient. Per your essay guidelines, I will explain why I think my son is deserving of this scholarship.
My name is CSM Patrick Brooks and I'm stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I am blessed for the opportunity to be serving our country. However, I'm also proud of what my son, Sean, has grown up to be. Since 2002, I've spent only one full year at home with my family. My time away includes the Seargeants Major Academy, a tour to Korea, and deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. While being away most of Sean's high school years, he has kept focused and been a remarkable student. My wife deserves a great deal of credit for that.
The leadership qualities that I've derived from my service in the Armed Forces are valuable. I do believe in the fact that some are born leaders and those few move up the military ladder smoothly. On the other hand, leaders are developed through a gradual process. This is possible only in clearly understood, hierarchical organizations. The prime example, of course, is the military or the Catholic Church. As you move up the ladder more responsibility is placed on you, which develops your skills to lead. Some components that make up a leader are ideas, vision and motivation. The military has certainly given me the opportunity to develop in these areas. I believe that ideas are the most important component of leadership. They may come from the leader; they may come from the organization; or they may come from external sources. They may be new or old, but understanding their significance, their relevance and their potential application are critical. Ideas are essential. Vision is an amorphous thing. Most who study leadership believe that it is very important. It may originate in the leader, or it can be collectively established. Vision should usually be simple to articulate and to translate into goals. Finally, motivation is something that is made possible by innate human qualities, such as charisma, eloquence and energy.
I believe the components that I've previously mentioned were the foundation of my success in the military. Another quality that I hold high is selfless service. Selfless service doesn't mean that you can't have a strong ego, high self-esteem or even healthy ambition. Rather, selfless service means that you don't make decisions or take actions that help your image or your career, hurt others or sabotage the mission. A selfish superior will claim credit for work that his subordinates do; the selfless leader gives credit to those who earned it. The Army can't function except as a team, and for a team to work, the individual has to give up self-interest for the good of the whole. Selfless service is a value that Sean demonstrates well. Besides being a good student, Sean has performed volunteer service at Fort Bragg's Hospital. He is also the vice president of DECA at Seventy-First High School, NC. Sean is a hard worker and an active member of the church.
The Army has also taught me self-development. It's a process used to enhance previously acquired skills, knowledge and experience. Its goal is to increase your readiness and potential for positions of greater responsibility. Civilian and military education has been a part of my self-development. Army leaders never stop learning. This trait has been passed on to Sean. Attending college has always been a goal of Sean. Goal oriented self-development actions have broadened Sean's personal skills and knowledge. By determining his individual needs, he has become more independent. I believe my physical attributes have been passed on to Sean as well. Physical attributes include health fitness, physical fitness, and military and professional development. People who are physically fit feel more competent and confident. That attitude reassures and inspires others. Physically fit individuals can handle stress better, work longer and harder, and recover faster than those who are not fit. These payoffs are valuable in both peace and war.
Once again, I want to thank you for what you do. Regardless of the outcome of this application, I'm extremely proud of my son. He has supported me through all of my deployments and time away from home.
