WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE WANT & NEED
Posted by Tim Bryce on January 17, 2019
BRYCE ON LIFE
– What parents do not give too much of these days.
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Not long ago, there was a ten part series on PBS entitled, “Carrier,” which provided a rare glimpse into life aboard an American aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz. There are approximately 5,000 people aboard this floating four acres of military weaponry, and although the ship and technology were interesting, it is the ship’s crew who were the real stars of the show.
Crewmen, both male and female, from all levels of the ship’s military hierarchy were profiled. Many were interviewed as to what their background was and why they joined the Navy. To me personally, I found the interviews with the younger members of the crew (ages 18-22) to be particularly enlightening. Many came from middle class broken homes where the other members of the family were socially dysfunctional, suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction, and consequently becoming pimps, prostitutes, thieves, and wife/child beaters.
Time and again, crewmen spoke of how the Navy gave them structure and a purpose in life. They found such things as discipline, organization, and accountability, to be some very powerful and beneficial concepts. They also thrived in an environment of teamwork where it was necessary to put aside differences and work towards the common good. As a result, they felt less like aloof individuals and more like a real family with a sense of belonging. They would frequently use the expression, “Work hard – play hard,” representing their philosophy towards teamwork. With this foundation in place, the crewmen found confidence in themselves, assumed responsibility for their actions, and confidently responded to challenges. Instead of drifting through life aimlessly, the Navy gave them the ability to chart a course in their personal lives, something their parents failed to instill in them. In other words, the military forced them to grow up by teaching them the meaning of adulthood.
Some time ago I discussed the need in business for “Parenting Management,” that due to a decline in parenting skills at home, teachers, coaches, and managers were being forced to play surrogate mothers and fathers. We may not like it, but unfortunately it has become a fact of life as many misfit parents have abdicated their responsibilities. Not surprising, I found “Carrier” to be an endorsement of my thesis that we have to do much more in the business world to help young people grow up and take their proper place in society. Since their biological parents have dropped the ball, it now defaults to the manager.
In a nutshell, the lessons from “Carrier” are simple; with rare exception, young people both want and need direction, organization, discipline, and accountability. Although they would never admit such going into the Navy, these simple parental skills are what the young crewmen actually respond positively to. By being treated as responsible professionals, they developed self-esteem, which led to pride in workmanship and a very tight ship.
In the final chapter of the show, the producers interviewed a young crewman who told a story of going back and visiting his recruiter following Boot Camp. “What did you get me into?” he asked the recruiter who, in turn, raised his hand and said “Where would you be right now if you weren’t in the Navy?” The crewman blurted out he would be hanging out with his friends getting high (“Did I just say that?” he said). He glanced back into the eyes of the recruiter who simply said, “You see?” And, of course, the crewman did.
Maybe there is something to the concept of having all young people serve in the military for a few years following high school.
First published: May 15, 2008. Updated 2019.
Keep the Faith!
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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com
For Tim’s columns, see: timbryce.com
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THE BRYCE IS RIGHT! 
Tim Bryce said
A T.M. of Boston, Massachusetts wrote…
“It was the military that convinced me that my parents and the nuns were right, I was smart. All of your high points in your article pretty much apply to me. Blue-collar hardworking parents. One of eight children across a 23-year span. My twin and I were in the middle. Dad drove truck. Never asked him to drive me anywhere. Mom was a clerk at Sears. Dad had a 6th grade education in Scotland. When his parents left him with Aunt Martha and Uncle Tom in a basement apartment in Boston, Martha and Tom never sent Dad to school. Mom was a high school graduate from South Boston. They tried their best with the resources they had.
As I tell my scouts, no one gives more responsibility to a young person than the military. A 19-year old driving a 3-million dollar tank. A 26-year old captaining a hundred million dollar ship! Literally having the lives of others in your hands! The sense of commitment is unrivaled. When the orders for Vietnam arrived, there was no whining. Get ready. Be ready. My orders were for August 1975. The US pulled out in April 1975. God had other plans. I went in with a high school diploma and came out with a degree in electronics and a degree in business. Both of which I use in my business to this day!
I don’t want to see the draft come back. I worked with draftees. They feel like paid-slaves. For obvious reasons, the level of commitment is very different than volunteers. However, making four years in the military worth doing through GI-Bill and other assistance has great value.
Setting the bar high absolutely works with teenagers and young people in their 20s and 30s. Set the bar low and that’s what they’ll do also. As you so well stated, “with rare exception, young people both want and need direction, organization, discipline, and accountability.” They need adults who will take the time and responsibility to provide that guidance.”
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