Accountability is the act of taking responsibility for that which falls under your domain—in other words, it’s doing what you say you’re going to do. Accountability is the cornerstone of integrity, which is the result of consistent honesty and responsibility in your actions. In the military, it is absolutely imperative that you do what you say you’re going to do and that you agree to be held accountable for those orders that are directed specifically to you or those in your command. A breakdown in leadership and responsibility has the potential to be catastrophic in the military.
Why is accountability important to the Army? Accountability is a very important part of an enlisted and a NCO's job. The enlisted soldier is responsible for all items issued to issued to him weather it be a weapon, NVG's, clothes, a vehicle, or some TA-50, a field manual, medication (morphine, Demerol, or any narcotics), BII, or ones self. The NCO's responsibility is to make sure that the soldier is accountable for the items and has eyes on these items when need, so that he can report it to his higher command. Accountability also includes the most important piece of equipment the soldier him or herself. Anything can and will happen especially in combat, that's why the team member should make sure that the team or squad leader know where the soldier and his or her equipment is at all times. The Army spends a lot of money on equipment and belongings for the soldiers, so the Army expects to know where its equipment is.
No matter what someone is always responsible for equipment in the Army. It goes to the highest officer to the lowest enlisted personal in the chain of command and back up again. Like in combat a the soldier knows that at a given and safe time he or she should get to the rally point, predestined by his or her chain of command, that way he or she and his or her equipment can be accounted for. Accountability is used in many different ways, for example knowing if something...