Strengthening the Army Profession: Audie Murphy’s Legacy

By Master Sgt. Angel I. Alemanmondragon

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

May 22, 2026

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As I prepared for my permanent change of station (PCS) and taking up my responsibilities as first sergeant, I thought about one of the Army Chief of Staff’s priorities.

I asked myself what more I can do to strengthen the Army profession. And with limited time remaining in direct leadership positions, how can I ensure the leaders of tomorrow do the same?

When a fellow NCO asked me if I wanted to attempt to earn the Sergeant Audie Murphy Award (SAMA), I didn’t immediately see it as the answer I had been looking for. I was unfamiliar with the award, so I said, “Sure,” simply accepting it as a challenge.

As I prepared for the events, studying for the board, and learning about what the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club (SAMC) does, I experienced a moment of clarity — this is exactly what developing NCOs and strengthening the Army profession is all about.

This article explains how the SAMC has been, and continues to be, an effective approach to improving the Army profession. I hope to convince SAMA recipients to actively participate in their respective clubs, promote them to their units, and develop and nominate outstanding NCOs for the award.

For those who are not award recipients or members of a club, look to those who are, form your own opinion, and then consider the benefits of becoming a member.

The Sergeant Audie Murphy Club

The SAMC is a prestigious organization that recognizes outstanding leadership, professionalism, and dedication to duty. It honors Audie Murphy, the most decorated World War II Soldier who earned a battlefield commission and was awarded every medal for valor in the U.S. Army, including the Medal of Honor.

The club was established in 1986, and members include NCOs who demonstrate exemplary leadership qualities like those that characterized Murphy. While the club is a private organization, the award, which must be earned to be a member, is governed by U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Regulation 600-80-1 or U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Regulation 600-14.

To earn the award and become a club member, NCOs must undergo a rigorous selection process which includes physical fitness tests, oral boards, written exams, and volunteering with Soldiers and civilians to better the community, both on and off post.

Every Army installation has an SAMC that conducts activities to improve leadership, strengthen Army effectiveness, and inspire future generations of NCOs. This is done by recognizing excellence in leadership, mentorship and role modeling, developing leaders, community and professional networking, and promoting the Army values.

The following are activities and objectives conducted by clubs across the Army:

 

The Sergeant Audie Murphy Award

The SAMA is described as “a means of recognizing those NCOs who have contributed significantly to the development of a professional NCO Corps and combat ready Army. Awardees exemplify leadership, characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development and welfare of soldiers, and concerns for families of soldiers” (FR, 2024).

Army units recognize outstanding performance and accomplishments through Department of the Army (DA) regulatory guidance. The SAMC provides additional recognition for outstanding leadership by presenting qualified NCOs with the SAMA as directed by FORSCOM and TRADOC regulation.

Audie Murphy

There are many books, documentaries, movies, and other publications describing what made Murphy worthy of having this award and club named after him.

As previously mentioned, during World War II, Murphy received many awards for acts of valor.

When he earned the Medal of Honor on January 26, 1945, near Holtzwihr, France, in the Colmar Pocket, 2nd Lt. Audie Murphy commanded B Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

His command was attacked by six German tanks and waves of infantrymen. He ordered his men to withdraw to prepared positions in nearby woods, while he singlehandedly remained forward at his command post and called for artillery support by telephone.

With enemy tanks abreast of his position, Murphy climbed on a burning tank destroyer and engaged the enemy with its.50 caliber machine gun. He was alone and exposed to enemy fire from three sides, but he killed dozens of Germans and eventually forced them to retreat.

During his time as an NCO, serving from corporal to staff sergeant, Murphy earned every other award possible for selfless acts of bravery and leadership: he low-crawled to a tank position and destroyed it; he charged a machine gun nest at the top of a hill, killing and capturing dozens of Germans; he rescued his battalion commander and a group of officers after they were ambushed on a leaders’ reconnaissance mission; and many other acts, some for which he was never recognized.

Murphy’s life before the military was character-building to say the least. His life after the war as a movie star and songwriter serves as inspiration and I encourage everyone to learn more, regardless of your desire to earn the award or join the SAMC.

What Does It Mean to Strengthen the Army Profession?

The Army profession is characterized by trust, honorable service, military expertise, stewardship, and esprit de corps. It is defined as a “trusted vocation of Soldiers and Army civilians whose collective expertise is the ethical design, generation, support, and application of land power; serving under civilian authority; and entrusted to defend the Constitution and the rights and interests of the American people” (DA, 2019).

To strengthen the Army profession, we must improve on the five characteristics listed above. But I suggest we also focus on the following three: enforcing standards and discipline, Soldier development, and military writing.

Enforcing Standards and Discipline

To be an Army professional means to be trusted by the people you serve and the people with whom you serve.

Standards refer to measures of performance, regulatory guidance, and the laws governing organizations — all professions have them.

Discipline refers to both the will to comply with standards and the actions taken by leaders when subordinates fail to comply.

It’s easy to see how failing to enforce standards and discipline can erode the characteristics that define the Army profession.

Picture the following: An NCO calls out a Soldier for wearing torn and stained boots, who doesn’t meet grooming standards and doesn’t wear his dog tags. The Soldier asks the NCO why it’s a big deal now and tells the NCO he doesn’t have the means to correct the issues. The NCO leaves it at that and chooses not to correct the deficiencies.

The Soldier doesn’t maintain proper military appearance or behave as someone who can be trusted to perform his military duty. He doesn’t display pride in his appearance, and rather than correct the issues, he justifies them.

The NCO described here is no better. Why call out a Soldier’s deficiency if, at the first sign of pushback, he gives up. This opens the door to potentially bigger problems, specifically, more Soldiers who know they can get away with failing to meet standards and NCOs who allow it to happen until something more serious occurs.

Though this is a hypothetical example, the truth is, it happens all the time — and the result could lead to serious injuries (or worse), poor individual and unit performance, low morale, and a counterproductive environment.

As stewards of the profession, NCOs must not only set the example but also enforce it when Soldiers fall short. This is how they develop the habits of discipline and create Soldiers they can trust to carry out their duties and serve honorably.

Let’s go back to the earlier example. Addressing the Soldier’s excuse for his appearance requires the NCO to show personal courage, as will many other scenarios, but it’s their responsibility to lean in and find a quick solution to correct the Soldier.

There’s a reason the Sergeant Major of the Army emphasized the Army Blue Book’s release last year. The Blue Book supports the Army’s history, heritage, lineage, and standards and discipline while simultaneously reinforcing trust at different levels of command and strengthening the Army profession.

Standards and discipline, Army values and beliefs, and the Army culture and traditions serve as the basis of everything we do.

Lastly, adopting a “bad things happen” approach is not good when it comes to combat. Soldiers who lack the discipline to maintain a professional appearance are more likely to lack discipline in areas that ensure the safety and survival of themselves and their teammates.

Soldier Development

You cannot call yourself a professional if you lack the expertise to carry out your military duties, fail to seek development, or, as the leader, you don’t seek to develop others.

The Army is trusted to carry out missions ethically, effectively, and efficiently. To do this, Soldiers need to understand their role’s moral and legal requirements, the culture and politics of the operational environment, and their job’s technical and tactical aspects.

There are many ways to address developmental needs across Army learning domains (institutional, operational, self-development) and methods of providing feedback (counseling, coaching, mentoring).

In the institutional domain, leaders and educators are responsible for providing foundational learning experiences that will allow Soldiers to thrive as they arrive at or return to their assigned units.

It’s in this setting that the best possible example of what right looks like needs to be introduced — whether it’s basic training, advanced individual training (AIT), NCO Academies (NCOA), or technical and tactical schools.

The knowledge they acquire, the habits they build, and perspectives they gain will define what they remember about the unit — and will likely shape their future behavior.

Take a Soldier who just graduated basic training as an infantryman: at some point during his training, because he was highly fit and “likable,” the drill sergeants decided not to hold him accountable when he failed to perform drill and ceremony properly.

This is a drill sergeant failure and the first step in creating a Soldier with bad habits that will need to be corrected by the receiving unit.

Both leaders and subordinates must understand that what is learned in school isn’t meant to make them experts. That happens at the unit level, by applying lessons learned in training and in simulated environments.

Every day provides opportunities to develop Soldiers; you can’t just wait for scheduled LPD or training events.

Leaders must be present and observant, because their own experience will help them recognize opportunities to provide formal or informal feedback.

Say, for example, a company commander scheduled an LPD focused on the maintenance program at the end of the month. The Monday morning before the LPD, during maintenance operations, the first sergeant and executive officer notice Soldiers aren’t using technical manuals and are filling out forms incorrectly.

Since this is one of the LPDs topics of discussion, do they ignore it?

It might be easy to say, “We’re talking about this in two days anyway,” but they’re there now and observed something with real-world implications. This is an opportunity to gather the platoon leaders, platoon sergeants, or squad leaders and go over the pitfalls of what their Soldiers are doing or not doing.

Perhaps the most underrated and least understood domain is self-development. Many soldiers might define it as professional military education (PME), going to a desired technical school, or even pursuing a civilian education. They wouldn’t be wrong, but this thinking limits how much you can do to better yourself as a professional.

There is also the idea that self-development must be recognized — if it doesn’t fit into the NCO Evaluation Report (NCOER), it doesn’t need to be done. Again, this creates limitations.

I read books, doctrine, articles, and many other professional publications; I listen to military and business podcasts; I watch historical movies, documentaries, interviews, national and international news. None of these activities can be tracked or recognized, but they make me a better Soldier and leader.

To drive my point, it would be nice to attend the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) course in the future, but if it doesn’t happen, I have plenty of options to learn what I need to know about C-UAS through other means to make me an asset to the unit.

Army professionals must always seek to develop their competence, confidence, and character; it’s what drives internal and external trust in organizations and happens across all education domains.

Communication and Military Writing

The Harding Project is a Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA) initiative designed to revitalize professional military writing through branch journals and other Army publications as well as modernizing their access.

This program provides more opportunities for strengthening the profession than you might think. It creates an avenue for sharing experiences and lessons, improving communication skills, and creating a database of information Soldiers can easily access through any digital device.

As human beings, we have the rare ability to learn from one another — whether it’s a success story or a cautionary tale, it’s important to share it with the biggest possible audience.

Branch journals, the NCO Journal, the Military Review, and the Sergeant Major of the Army’s Muddy Boots are all great sources to publish something from which others can benefit. Regardless of the topic, someone out there will read what you write and learn from it, so we must encourage Soldiers to get into these journals.

When I first learned about the CSA’s four priorities, these publications were the sources I used to learn more about them. Muddy Boots, for example, offers articles written by our most senior command sergeants major. These articles address the CSA’s priorities and offer the authors’ reflections on the past, perspectives on the future, lessons learned, and areas to improve. Writers share their wisdom and knowledge.

Get to know your Soldiers, find an article you believe will interest them based on their developmental needs or ambitions, show them the way and they will take it from there.

Counseling, NCO evaluation reports, memorandums, briefings, and orders are just a few of the Army’s writing requirements. Writing is a critical communication skill, and it correlates to how well we communicate verbally. The way we articulate our thoughts and ideas on paper offers a measure of our professionalism, much like our appearance or our performance of a task.

Written communication is important, and like verbal skills, it can have negative effects if not done right.

Take a staff sergeant writing a team leader’s NCOER. The final product shapes the team leader’s perspective of himself, the staff sergeant, and the organization; it allows the staff sergeant’s leader to assess his/her writing and leadership abilities; and, most importantly, it guides discussions regarding past performance and future potential.

Leaders are only as good as their ability to communicate their orders and intent. NCOs who cannot articulate their thoughts to their intended audience will regrettably fail when the time comes to carry out a mission or task.

The SAMA’s written and board requirements present a unique and challenging way to enhance and assess NCOs’ written and oral communication skills.

Candidates must stand in multiple boards where they are questioned by a panel of six CSMs, and in the final selection board, the president is the corps CSM. How you communicate your answers is a measure of your cognitive skills and candidates need to spend an appropriate amount of time preparing.

By the end of the final selection process, NCOs will have repeatedly spoken to an audience of senior NCOs. This alone will make them more confident and competent speakers and briefers.

The short-answer essay questions exam, like the oral board, tests their knowledge and ability to communicate in writing. Preparing for this exam can provide a more solid understanding of doctrinal terms because the questions, as in the board, are situational.

You must explain how you’d rate two high-performing NCOs on their evaluations, or how you’d handle a discipline challenge. The written essay is a continuing assessment of candidates’ abilities to translate ideas into well-written explanations.

The corps CSM provides a selection of topics, the candidates choose one and then write an informed, opinion essay based on facts and historical data. Topics could include current events (e.g., Ukraine-Russia conflict), military doctrine and philosophy (e.g., leadership styles), or even current or future tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPS) (e.g., drones in combat).

This task not only assesses NCOs’ writing and research skills, it offers a glimpse of their character based on their opinions. A well-written essay compels readers to be open to the writer’s point of view, just as a well-written NCOER or award compels and potentially influences readers to take the writer’s recommendations into consideration when making decisions.

How Does the SAMC Strengthen the Army Profession?

Receiving the SAMA and being a member of SAMC is not something someone can just recommend — it’s a rigorous process that starts with the NCO’s decision to pursue that prestigious honor.

Corporals through master sergeants/first sergeants must regularly attend club meetings, volunteer, and build relationship with existing members who sponsor the candidates. They must understand and abide by regulatory guidance, policy, and doctrine, and have a base knowledge of enforcing standards and discipline.

Sponsors must identify candidates as leaders who develop and strengthen the seven Army values and are willing to carry that influence beyond their units.

Promotion boards and events are based on Soldiers’ potential in the next rank.

SAMC and SAMA events are about past performance, current abilities and knowledge, and NCOs’ potential to contribute to the club and the Army.

From writing a personal biography to taking a short essay-answer exam and writing an essay on a topic selected by the corps command sergeant major, writing and communication are areas in which they must excel.

"Be, Know, Do"

The “Be, Know, Do” framework has been used for more than a decade to evaluate NCO effectiveness. It’s applicable to more than just the Leader Requirements Model (LRM).

Knowing the standards, setting an example, and intervening when necessary is the simple “how to” of what it means to enforce standards and discipline. If this is an area with which you’re uncomfortable, you’ll need to get comfortable with it, otherwise you may find yourself falling short when trying for the SAMA.

Over time, leaders may become complacent — what they thought was important then, may not feel so important later. Maybe a young sergeant or staff sergeant called out a Soldier for littering or failing to offer the greeting of the day, but doesn’t bother to do so later. Or maybe the “standard” for what a clean weapon or uniform looks like was lowered.

Competing for the SAMA will challenge that complacency. And if not, it will surely remind applicants that the “little things” are important and that standards are not subject to opinion.

If your appearance at a board in Army Service Uniform (ASU) fails to meet the guidance in Department of the Army (DA) Pamphlet (PAM) 670-1, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, you’ll be informed of your deficiency and then dismissed. If you fail to present yourself to the board properly, salute the president correctly, or execute marching movements, again, you will be verbally counseled by the president and dismissed.

Preparing to compete for the award was an opportunity to reacquaint myself with DA regulations, and the timing was perfect since I was also preparing to assume the first sergeant role.

Preparing for and attending SAMA events reminded me that these regulations are the foundation of professional Soldiers. There’s no doubt in my mind that this refresher would do the same for any NCO. The experience will forever influence the example you set and the decisions you make when enforcing standards.

In his book, “To Hell and Back,” Murphy described how he witnessed many acts of indiscipline leading to loss of life — from failing to maintain gear to not following orders or electing not to follow standard operating procedures (SOP).

The habits we build in a garrison or in training environments apply directly during combat operations, and NCOs have a direct influence on what those habits are.

It’s simple — enforcing standards and discipline creates positives habits; failure to enforce them creates negative ones. The idea that standards and discipline strengthen the Army profession is a core pillar of what makes the SAMA and SAMC a topic NCOs should promote to other NCOs, whether peers, subordinates, or leaders.

Developing Soldiers

The SAMA was created to develop, inspire, and motivate the best leaders possible. I’ve attended many military schools in the Army, and I can honestly say that the time I spent preparing for the SAMA-related events was the most developmentally profound process I’ve experienced.

Developing yourself and others doesn’t stop when you receive the award. You accept the responsibility of contributing to the efforts of the club and developing and encouraging more NCOs to join the club. One of its main objectives is to strengthen the NCO corps and this is done through monthly club-hosted LPDs presented by various senior NCOs from units across the installation.

The one caveat I offer is that the club operates in a manner that minimizes impact to unit missions. A lot of what members do happens “outside of duty hours,” including the occasional lunch with other members.

The process that leads to the final selection board is extensive. NCOs who commit will come out better on the other side, whether they’re recommended for the award or not.

Before NCOs can stand in front of the corps command sergeant major, they must be validated, at a minimum, by their brigade command sergeant major. This validation usually includes a board, essay, written exam, weapons qualification, an Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), and the ability to execute a series of warrior tasks and battle drills.

SAMA holders who sponsor candidates must commit to coaching, counseling, and mentoring the NCOs. Candidates must be intimately familiar with Murphy’s biography, World War II and unit history, and be able to answer situationally based questions referencing a wide variety of Army publications.

NCOs are assessed on their critical and creative thinking skills, their ability to solve problems, and their understanding of Army doctrine. This process not only allows Soldier and NCO development but creates opportunities for SAMA holders and club members to mentor them.

SAMC activities are both humbling and character developing. Active members volunteer to help those in need and support installation command programs and initiatives, and their ethical views and moral values may evolve to more closely align with those of the Army.

The SAMC creates opportunities for NCOs to develop skills like empathy, active listening, and decision-making. As an example, establishing trust and building relationships with Soldiers who cannot afford flights home and getting them to volunteer in the community and in return, paying for their flights.

The first SAMC meeting I attended was an interesting experience. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I left that meeting even more willing to become a member. It was on a Wednesday during lunch and there was free pizza — that alone was a major selling point.

Every minute of the 90 I was there had purpose, and you could tell the president and club members weren’t there to waste anyone’s time. The meeting kicked off with a 40-minute leadership talk from a CSM guest speaker who explained the importance of the NCO common core competencies, the six foundational areas taught across all levels of PME.

Then the meeting shifted to discussing past, current, and future operations. I was surprised to learn how much this organization accomplishes as a voluntary force that doesn’t detract from members’ unit responsibilities. Lastly, members voted on proposed club changes.

SAMC’s extensive engagement with the community and installation command requires expert communication, disciplined initiative, and the ability to act on intent and orders, because remember, the face-to-face meetings are minimal.

Final Remarks

Audie Murphy, during his service in World War II, never once acted to ensure his personal safety; he never sought to gain recognition or reward; and he always placed his Soldiers’ well-being and morale above his own.

While in France, he once went to a Soldier replacement depot and requested 10 Soldiers. He was aware of their fear and told them he would do his best to keep them safe, that they needed to follow his lead, and that it was okay to be scared, but they needed to do something about it.

If that isn’t servant leadership, I don’t know what is. Murphy demonstrated a command presence while showing empathy and that is exactly what the Army needs from its NCOS: leaders who care about Soldiers and their families but also ensure the mission is accomplished.

We’re currently in a state of armed conflict, so it’s important we don’t become complacent. We’re in a constant state of competition with world powers which could very easily threaten our way of life.

Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan understood the importance of maintaining a disciplined appearance. Dropping security or taking off your helmet in the middle of a patrol was an invitation for a potential ambush or sniper attack.

The same applies now. We’re being watched by Iran, China, Russia, North Korea, and other adversaries. Failure to adhere to standards and discipline creates vulnerabilities and, more importantly, violates the trust of the country we serve.

Finding new ways to enhance NCO and Soldier communication skills and improving old ones will complement the Army priorities: warfighting, continuous transformation, and delivering combat-ready formations.

NCOs who compete for the Sergeant Audie Murphy Award and those who engage in the club greatly contribute to attaining those priorities and strengthening the Army profession.

“You Lead from the Front”

References

Department of the Army. (2019). Army Leadership and the Profession (ADP 6-22). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN42975-ADP_6-22-002-WEB-8.pdf

Department of the Army. (2017). Army Training and LeaderDevelopment(AR 350-1). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN44161-AR_350-1-001-WEB-2.pdf

Department of the Army. (2025). The NoncommissionedOfficer Guide (TC 7-22.7). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN44634-TC_7-22.7-000-WEB-2.pdf

FORSCOM Regulation. (2024). Sergeant Audie Murphy Award (FR 600-80-1). https://home.army.mil/riley/2415/6095/2950/NEW_RAR_5_MAR_2019_FINAL-FORSCOM_Reg_600-80-1_Sergeant-Audie-Murphy-Aw....pdf

Murphy, A. (1949). To hell and back.Henry Holt and Company.

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