Those Crazy Troopers

Friends

It has been my experience that regardless of the stress and strain of the mission, military troopers will always do something to remind me that it is okay to laugh. Even in battle, having fun is not off-limits. I found these pictures and thought some of them were worth sharing.

At my previous assignment at the Army's National Training Center, teammates were constantly taking pictures of each other that could be used at our monthly "Dogbone" ceremony. Regardless of rank (and as the senior trainer I was the top target), teammates would play back (with embellishment) some of the humorous situations encountered during the just-completed training mission. Good times!

Sometimes, the most stressful situations need a little humor to diffuse the tension, to let people know that they are going to be okay. If the troopers in the pictures above, who are facing life and death situations, can still have fun, what does that say to the rest of us, who are NOT in such perilous scenarios? What are you doing to ensure that people's personalities can come out, that fun and work can co-exist? Are you letting your "troopers" get crazy every once in a while? I hope so. That's Leader Business.