Cody Carroll MGMT 535- A Story of Organizational Culture

     In the Army, there are many values and rituals that my organization does to build bonds between superiors and subordinates and esprit de corps. A ritual that takes place every year in every different unit, is a military ball. That is an event where every Soldier will get dressed up in their military dress uniform and bring a date to an event. At these events, there may be dancing, dinner, drinks, bonding, and competition between different units.

    Pre Covid-19, my organization had a military ball in the local city. We all stayed in the hotel and brought our spouses/dates and our families. It started by having a formal presentation by our unit's commander, which led to an award ceremony and a dinner. After the dinner, all the sub units or companies competed in specific sporting events. After all the food and games, everyone was able to change into comfortable civilian attire and indulge in adult drinks, games, music, and conversation.

    These events are great, especially when we have new Soldiers and families in our unit. It gives everyone a chance to meet each other and build a stronger team. These events are very important to have yearly to give the Soldiers a break from work and feel like they are important in the organization. Even though the Soldiers have a great time, the events are designed for the Soldier's family to ensure they know that family comes first and that they will be taken care of.