Master the Intangibles: Building Readiness Through the Basics

By Command Sgt. Maj. Jacinto Garza, U.S. Army Materiel Command

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — In today’s Army, we track readiness through data, reports and metrics, but the truth is that numbers alone never tell the full story. What truly defines a formation’s ability to perform — whether in garrison or in combat — are the intangibles. Good order, discipline, cohesion, pride and trust shape how Soldiers respond under pressure, how they adapt when conditions shift and how they conduct their mission when it matters most. If we master these intangibles, we will achieve the tangible readiness the Army seeks.

Senior Army Leaders have been clear about this. Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer has emphasized that the force must return to fundamentals, noting that when we get the basics right, everything else becomes more manageable.

“In every case, brilliance at the basics sets the foundation to tackle complex problems,” said Weimer in one of his first messages to the force when he initially assumed the role of the 17th Sergeant Major of the Army. This guidance aligns with what I have seen throughout my career: the intangibles grow from executing simple and repeatable habits over time.

Good Order Good order is the first of these habits. It is the structure that keeps a formation steady — not through rigidity, but through rhythm and predictability. Drill Sergeants keep a strict routine to guide young recruits. Basic Combat Training days are broken into 10-minute chunks of time to keep everyone on task: an early alarm; dressed and ready; conduct formation; warmup, conduct physical training and recovery drills; march to breakfast; cycle 60 Soldiers through the dining facility… all of this is structured and routine. Leaders do this because it sets the tone: simple and repeatable habits. Soldiers notice when leaders maintain structure in their own lives — that consistency creates an environment where expectations are clear.

Good order shows itself in motor pools where equipment is stored correctly, in battle rhythms that make sense and in formations that begin on time and end with purpose. When good order slips, it is obvious. I once opened a Conex storage container to perform a routine inspection and had equipment spill out because nothing had been recovered properly. That moment wasn’t about supply; it was about a formation whose foundation needed attention.

Discipline Discipline is the steady application of standards. It is not about punishment; it is about responsibility and follow‑through. Discipline means knowing the standard, understanding the standard, and most importantly, enforcing the standard. It shows up in accurate administrative readiness, proper maintenance, clean weapons, and leaders who correct issues immediately rather than eventually. A reminder of this is the 2003 attack on the 507th Maintenance Company in An Nasiriyah, Iraq.

“Most of the Soldiers in this group report that they experienced weapons malfunctions,” the Army said in its official report. “These malfunctions may have resulted from inadequate individual maintenance in a desert environment.”

Discipline is built through repetition and reinforced by leaders who refuse to walk past deficiencies. The Sergeant Major of the Army has reminded us that standards are not optional, and he is right. Discipline is the connective tissue of the profession, and without it, nothing else holds.

Cohesion Cohesion is the strength that comes from people who understand one another and work towards a shared purpose. Cohesion is built through relationships, communication and genuine investment in Soldiers’ lives. War and sports are often compared; two opposing teams battling it out to determine a winner. Sports teams may win with an all-star lineup, but it takes cohesion to ensure components are working together. Take the “Cardiac Pack” from North Carolina State, for example, who won the 1983 NCAA men’s basketball tournament — a tournament with names including Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Hakeem Olajuwon.

“We weren’t the biggest or the fastest, but we were the closest,” said Thurl Bailey, 12-year NBA veteran with no all-star, MVP or championship titles; the most successful professional career out of this team.

Cohesion grows when leaders and their Soldiers know each other beyond rank and MOS. It is not about everyone thinking the same way; it is about trusting that the person next to you will do their part.

Pride Pride is often misunderstood, but in the Army, it is tied to service rather than ego. It is the sense of satisfaction that comes from doing meaningful work well. I often think of Martin Luther King Jr.’s reminder that “anyone can be great because anyone can serve.” Pride shows itself in Soldiers who take ownership of their craft, in units that maintain their equipment with care and in leaders who uphold the Army’s values and traditions. Healthy pride fuels the warrior ethos; ego-driven pride undermines it.

“Pride becomes a virtue only when it avoids excess.” – Aristotle.

The duality of pride that exists in all of us is a delicate balance: healthy pride strengthens a team, while ego-driven pride undermines everything the Army stands for. Soldiers need enough pride to uphold high standards, protect their dignity, and take ownership of their actions, but too much pride — the kind rooted in ego, insecurity, or the hunger for recognition — shifts focus away from mission and team. When pride becomes self‑centered, it rejects correction, resists discipline and elevates personal feelings above duty. Pride must be balanced to ensure that service, humility, and purpose builds confidence and becomes a source of strength rather than a path to downfall.

Trust Trust is the final intangible, and it is the most important because nothing else functions without it. Trust is built through competence, character and consistency. You cannot get anything done without trust. It grows when leaders demonstrate they know their job, when Soldiers act with honesty and reliability, and when standards are enforced fairly.

Additionally, trust is essential for mission command, especially as we look toward current and future conflicts. That environment demands trusting up, down and across formations. Senior Army Leaders, including former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State Colin Powell, have described trust as the currency of mission command, and they are exactly right. Leaders must earn it through actions, not words.

“Leadership is solving problems. The day Soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care,” Powell said.

The Army’s focus on data and metrics can only take us so far; real readiness is built on the less visible qualities that shape how Soldiers act when it counts. Good order, discipline, cohesion, pride and trust — reinforced through consistent, fundamental habits — are what enable a formation to be leaner and more lethal. Army Senior Leaders have underscored this truth by calling the force back to the basics, reminding us that “brilliance at the basics” is the foundation for solving complex problems. When we invest in the intangibles, the measurable outcomes naturally follow. Mastering the intangibles will drive tangible readiness to include proficiency at the range, fitness scores, as well as vehicle and weapon system readiness rates. When the intangibles strengthen, readiness strengthens. These qualities cannot be bought or mandated. They must be cultivated deliberately and consistently. And when they are, a formation is prepared for whatever comes next.

Master the intangibles!

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