I have spent a lot of time reflecting on value in the last two years. What value do I offer to my marriage, job, my kids? I tried to understand and even talked to a psychologist about the effects other people’s behaviour and attitudes have affected my value – my sense of worth.
I then created a list of traits and responsibilities I see as defining my rank and position as a team leader. So, when I recently posted, I lost my team and a position that had defined me for the last four years. I sought out a discussion with someone I look up to. I asked them about what they saw my value is in my current job and what does it do for my career? I was given some ideas to ponder. The verdict I came to was that my value is my experience and the wealth of knowledge to influence more than Army. This is the power I own, my value is not just to Army but to Defence. I have learnt to walk the walk and talk the talk. I comprehend concepts and strategic plans that no one in my corps can own.
For those of you who do not know me, I was a problem LT. I never imagined I would be standing here serving three years in the army, little lone 19 years. So when the HOC recently released her RAAEC value proposition question, I immediately began thinking about the values I had been pondering and also about the commercial concept of a value proposition statement assignment I completed last year in a digital transformation subject.
A value proposition is usually formulated around a product business model canvas. Most companies adopt a value proposition canvas’ because they want a better language to collaborate and consolidate their mission. They want language to explain how they are creating value for their company and customers.
For most corps, the value proposition is in the deployable role. What does one do in wartime? For RAAEC, that is something that has been pondered and discussed many times over, and it has almost led to our extinction on a number of occasions.
My contribution is to enable the value proposition of joint capability. I wholeheartedly believe RAAEC is here to serve Army, its people and its learning system. However, if we are to apply the true principles of value proposition and create a common language in which we can collaborate, we must also capitalise on our capability within the enterprise. This is something one cannot understand till you have experienced a posting or two… or four like myself.
The joint environment is nothing like most of you know. It is a mash of cultures and procedures, indoctrination, and believing one’s service is superior. It is undermanned, with a commitment to support 4 needy customers who are all prying with their priority list. All of this comes from collectively hundreds of years of being told they are the priority.
The joint environment is not something to be feared or dismissed. It has the blessings and value acknowledgment of the chiefs. However, the value of RAAEC within the joint space is to educate and in turn self-study the other services. It isn’t a time to develop fundamental skills, but to learn to fulfil critical thinking and value change to the whole of Defence, which automatically flows into the Army Learning System, which makes a better Army.
I once read it takes skill to kill with a rifle. It takes something else to outmanoeuvre and out-think your adversaries. To do that you need to know your capabilities and limitations and those of your enemy. That means - study and immersion.
Services train the skill. They produce the force to enable the foundational capability.
However, as Sun Tzu wrote in chapter three attack stratagem, of the art of war. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you shall not fear the results of a 100 battles, for the mind remains the most capable and lethal of weapons.
This is joint. This is what we do. We think beyond the skill. We build the academic, the critical thinker for 100 battles, not just the next. We build the Defence Learning Environment and architecture for the whole of Defence to utilise.
My opinion is that the value proposition of RAAEC in the joint space is to provide timely, detailed advice and contribute to whole of Defence education strategic missions greater than Army. RAAEC is part of what builds the stamina to fight the daily battles and contribute to wars fought not only by Army but the greater Defence capability. Joint provides the scaffold to ensure the collaborative language to RAAEC’s value proposition can have its greatest effect, that it can influence beyond Army but all enabling Groups and Services.
Our enemy does not see us as an army, a navy or air force. They see us as Australia. Understanding the cohesion, cooperation and like-mindedness needed to outmanoeuvre and outthink our adversaries is fundamental - our value.
RAAEC's value is to enable Defence learners to grow and mature into a stalwart capable and confident fighting forces that holds the intellectual edge to out manoeuvre and to be feared by any adversary.
This is not just on the land battle as you have been taught, but in the sea, the air, the space and the cyber.
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