Sergeant Morales was a squad leader for three years in an engineer battalion of a U.S. Army division. He was the proverbial “98-pound weakling” and had not completed high school—only the GED program. Of Puerto Rican descent, he had only a limited command of English. Despite his physical limitations, lack of formal education, and minority-group status, he strove for and achieved the highest caliber of leadership.

Sergeant Morales began his day by coming from his home to the barracks as his squad was awakening. They participated together in PT and work details as well as unit training. Sergeant Morales pitched right in with the disliked drudgery-type details. He led by example, particularly when it meant getting his hands dirty. In his pre-Army life, Sergeant Morales had some experience as a barber. At the end of the month, when money was scarce in his squad, he arranged for his Soldiers’ hair to be cut. He kept a pocket notebook with one page for each member of his squad devoted to personal data: background, education, family, MOS, problems, and so on. At least once a month, everyone in the squad and their spouses got together, socialized, and discussed problems at his quarters. During his 3-year tenure, no one in his squad went AWOL, which he attributed to knowing his Soldiers, keeping them informed, and watching out for their interests. His squad consistently placed first in company Army training tests. All of Sergeant Morales’s accomplishments were achieved despite the fact that his squad received misfits from other units for rehabilitation.

While in the division, Sergeant Morales completed high school and the equivalent of two years of college. Sergeant Morales had a lot in his favor but no special advantages. He just worked at his job to the best of his ability. Sergeant Morales was an exemplary leader in whom his Soldiers believed.