Decision Making: 'Take the Radio!' Moment

摘要

During a recent class involving students' training for a captain's position, we viewed the 2002 movie We Were Soldiers and then discussed the variety of leadership styles shown in the movie. We discussed a particularly important point in the film, where a company is cut off from the rest of the platoon. The company sergeant makes a critical decision to chase a Vietnamese scout just as the platoon is arriving in enemy territory by helicopter. As the company chases the scout into unknown terrain, the company's radio operator (and the only link to the rest of the platoon) is shot and killed. In the heat of the moment, the sergeant makes a decision that is irreversible and ultimately costly. He yells back to the company, "Take the radio!" and continues his pursuit of the scout. The company comes under heavy fire and is completely surrounded by Vietnamese soldiers. The rest of their platoon must wait a day before they are able to rescue the few remaining members.