Army Values Essay

From his humble beginnings in a backwoods Kentucky farm, to the latter stages of his development as President, Abraham Lincoln is a role model for all of the Army values, among other virtues, which show him to be a true leader. Practice of these values ultimately allowed Lincoln to make history as the sixteenth President of the United States of America. During only two terms, Lincoln worked extensively to reunite the Union and Confederacy, passed the Emancipation Proclamation, and signed many other laws that have improved the infrastructure of the United States. These tasks were all done in adversity, notably taking the form of financial problems during his upbringing, strong opposition from the American public during times at office, and a violent and drawn out Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was born from a farming family, who had struggled through significant property losses during Lincoln's early childhood. This resulted in a period of transience, which would limit Lincoln's early formal education. Lincoln was however self motivated and resilient, and was able to truly self educate himself in basic school subjects. This drive is important for the development of leadership. An effective leader should be able to take care of himself, so that his subordinates can follow his practice from example, and develop greater motivation and resilience. Later in his presidency, Lincoln passed the Morril Land Grant Colleges Act. This law provided federal funding for agricultural colleges in each state, showing his value on education and self reliance. From this foundation, Lincoln joined an Illinois militia group and became a militia captain very early in his volunteer time. During this time, he participated in the Black Hawk War, a conflict among militia groups, and Native Americans led by Black Hawk over territorial disputes in Illinois and Tennessee.