Photo By Erin Sherwood | Gen. Douglas MacArthur award winner Capt. Anna Jones (then a 1st Lt.) poses for a...... read more read more
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There are many leaders in the U.S. Army, but few leaders receive the prestigious Gen. Douglas MacArthur Award for exceptional leadership. The MacArthur Leadership Award program was introduced in 1987 to recognize 28 company-grade and junior warrant officers annually who demonstrate MacArthur's ideals of “Duty, Honor, Country,” and have a proven record of extraordinary performance, leadership, and achievement.
Capt. Anna Jones, a talent manager and armor officer at the Army Human Resources Command, is one of the recipients of the award. Her story as an Army leader has been a challenging but deeply rewarding journey.
Jones worked for a while in the civilian sector before deciding to join the Army. While she enjoyed her work, she explained that she wanted “more of a challenge, and a better connection with my profession. I wanted to feel a stronger sense of purpose.”
She got selected to attend Army Officer Candidate School in 2015, which was an exciting moment for her. This was also a time when the Army was undergoing significant changes to its policies.
“I was in the last few weeks of my corporate job when I got a little alert on my phone that said, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is going to open up all combat arms to women,” said Jones. “That's when I realized, hey, maybe I could work in armor.”
During OCS, Jones was further inspired to become an armor officer after she went out to the gunnery range. “Just getting in that turret and shooting a tank really solidified my decision to be armor."
She also loved the challenges that came along with the job. “You must think very quickly on your feet, you must multitask, you must take in so many different inputs into consideration. I was very attracted by how complex it was, and dynamic, and the opportunities within the job."
Jones's different assignments throughout her time in the Army have allowed her to grow as a junior officer. When asked about what she feels are the most important skills leaders should focus on developing, she emphasizes “humility, and the ability to work with a team. Also, interpersonal skills, and being able to take feedback. Really ask and seek constructive criticism from your leaders to understand what you're doing.”
As a leader, she has had her share of challenges when it comes to both individual Soldiers and managing her team effectively as a whole. “There are a lot of different ways to communicate with Soldiers and to motivate them to do different tasks. I don't think there's really a one size fits all approach. It's not just developing Soldiers tactical acumen, but also just their personal and professional development,” she said.
She recalls a specific Soldier in her command that was struggling. The Soldier needed some assistance, and she set out to help him get on track. “(This Soldier) was a mess when he first came to our unit, just disorganized, all over the place. When I spoke with him about the situation, he told me he had basically raised himself and never had a parent or mentor to help him learn life skills. The command and I prepared a time management class with him in mind, and he took it to heart and really turned his life around. Now he’s married, doing great, and he still reaches out to me periodically to tell me about his progress with his Army career."
When reflecting on those she would like to thank for her success, Jones doesn't hesitate to mention her spouse. “I'm appreciative of her support to go along with this journey. We all ask for buy-in for our Soldiers, but also buy-in from family is critical, because it's not easy. She has been really understanding and is always there to support me,” she said.
When asked about her goals for the future, she says “I hope to go back out to the line, and then do well as a field-grade officer. I do really look forward to either being an operations officer or an executive officer in a battalion-size element.”
Jones is thankful for her experiences in the U.S. Army. “I have had the opportunity to work with some great leaders. I love my mission, and I love what I do. I look forward to what the Army has in store for me.”
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.06.2024 11:26 |
| Story ID: | 480254 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Armor Branch Talent Manager Wins Gen. Douglas MacArthur Award for Exceptional Leadership, by Erin Sherwood, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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