The Courage to Take Command: Leadership Lessons from a Military Trailblazer

CONCLUSION

As you move forward as a leader, you will face setbacks. Some may be due to no fault of your own. After 20 years of leading, I found myself back at ground zero—having to fight to do my job. It occurred in 1996, when I was in Bosnia. During that time, Sergeant Major Gene McKinney, the highest-ranking NCO in the Army, was stripped of his position because he had sexually abused lower-rank women. Major General David Hale was demoted two ranks for improper relationships with three wives of subordinate officers. Brigadier General Larry Smith had tried to grope Major General Claudia Kennedy, and his career ended when the allegations were proved true. Many male officers watched these men crash and burn. They started to treat military women ...