What would happen if a platoon sergeant didn’t make sure he was accountable for everyone in his platoon? If he didn’t make sure that he knew where each individual was where he or she was supposed to be? It could start as one person not being where he is supposed to be and not getting in trouble and then suddenly it ends up as two and then four and then eventually everyone is not where they are supposed to be. All because of one person thinking they could get away with not doing the right thing then suddenly who can be there to win the war. There are many more problems that can arise if someone is not accounted for. 110
If there is not a daily accountability for everyone in a platoon, or even greater a company, then the platoon sergeants cannot make sure that someone is dying somewhere in a ditch or that someone hasn’t been kidnapped. There are always those fanatics out there that do not have respect for the military and wish to do them harm even in our own country. So we have to have accountability to make sure that a person has not decided to do harm to one of our brothers in arms. If we are accountable for our platoon then we can realize that someone is missing and find out where they are. It could end up saving someone’s life. 117
Even greater than in our own country, is when we get deployed. If we get used to the idea of being accountable for everyone in our platoon, then when we are deployed we can make sure that everyone is accounted for. If we do not stay accountable for everyone, then if a convoy gets back, we may not realize that someone is missing. They could end up a prisoner of war because of our neglect, and if we had stayed accountable then we could have realized they are missing before they were captured, and went and found them. When we are deployed we may have to assume that everyone is hostile so that we can stay alert and watch them so we do not end up losing a soldier. But if we stay accountable then we can avoid that and try to make sure...