Robert F. Foley

In the final analysis, leaders instill the values, courtesies, consideration, and standards that establish and sustain a positive command climate. Soldiers and civilian employees take pride in the camaraderie of a professional, upbeat organization in which they can feel good about who they are, where they are, and where they are headed in life.

Robert Franklin Foley (born May 30, 1941) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who served in the Vietnam War. He received the Medal of Honor for leading his unit in an assault on a strong enemy position on November 5, 1966 during Operation Attleboro.

My philosophy has been straightforward- I paid little attention to where my officers went to college or what awards they have received in the past. Instead, I focused on what they could do today, tomorrow, and the next day in leading their soldiers and enhancing unit readiness. I am convinced that my superiors have, for the most part, exercised a similar outlook.

The most dangerous threat in combat is not the enemy- it's complacency. Stop everything when you hear the terms "routine mission" or "all is going well." Continuous threat analysis is vital.

Quotes

Standing Tall (2022)

Standing Tall: Leadership Lessons in the Life of a Soldier. Philadelphia, Casemate. All quotes are from the 2022 hardcover edition.

• The most dangerous threat in combat is not the enemy- it's complacency. Stop everything when you hear the terms "routine mission" or "all is going well." Continuous threat analysis is vital. A patrol that leaves at the same time at night, using the same path, and returns on the same route at the same time subjects the patrol and the parent unit to ambush and infiltration. The same is true for commercial enterprises that are competing in the marketplace every day- embracing new ideas and securing proprietary technology is key to corporate longevity.
  • p. x

• Before my introduction, the master of ceremonies asked all graduates to stand. The colonel then told all those who graduated in the top 10 percent of their class to be seated- expecting me to sit. But I remained standing. He then asked all who graduated in the top 25 percent and then top 50 percent of their class to be seated. I continued to stand. After going to the top 75 percent of the class, I was the only one left standing. Finding himself in an awkward position the colonel decided that a protocol along the lines of discipline instead of academics would be more appropriate for the commandant of cadets. He again directed the graduates to stand and asked all who had never walked the area to take a seat. (Walking the area was punishment for misconduct violations and conducted in dress gray uniform with rifle in front of the central area guard room.) The great majority of the graduates sat down- but not me. He then went to less than 25 hours, fully expecting me to sit, but I remained on my feet. Visibly sweating, he then decided to clear up the predicament by jumping to less than 75 hours on the area. I was the only one in the banquet hall left standing. With no credibility left as the commandant of cadets, I was introduced to a standing ovation.
  • p. 129-130

• I have been asked if the Medal of Honor helped me advance throughout my career. When U.S. Army centralized selection boards meet to consider a soldier's qualifications for schools, commands, and promotion, awards and decorations are certainly considered. My philosophy has been straightforward- I paid little attention to where my officers went to college or what awards they have received in the past. Instead, I focused on what they could do today, tomorrow, and the next day in leading their soldiers and enhancing unit readiness. I am convinced that my superiors have, for the most part, exercised a similar outlook.
  • p. 165

• On the other hand, there have been incidents in the past where Medal of Honor recipients expected special treatment. On one occasion, I received a phone call from the Fort Benning garrison commander requesting my advice about a newly arrived Medal of Honor recipient who complained that he was not being saluted as he wore his award around post and wanted to know when his welcome parade would be scheduled. I took very little time to straighten this soldier out. I see no evidence of expectations from today's recipients, but I have witnessed disdain from a few leaders with preconceived notions about the self-aggrandizing nature of Medal of Honor recipients. For example, one time a general officer and senior rater of my officer efficiency report said to me, "The blue ribbon you wear is an albatross around your neck." I am convinced that I have earned respect from others not due to past awards but because of who I am and the leadership attributes I possess that can help accomplish the mission and make a difference in leading soldiers.
  • p. 165

• But a positive command environment doesn't just magically show up. It is created by the people in the organization reaching out to their fellow soldiers or employees who pursue excellence in all that they do every day. In the final analysis, leaders instill the values, courtesies, consideration, and standards that establish and sustain a positive command climate. Soldiers and civilian employees take pride in the camaraderie of a professional, upbeat organization in which they can feel good about who they are, where they are, and where they are headed in life.
  • p. 183

Quotes about Foley

• Lieutenant General Robert F. Foley graduated in 1963 from the U.S. Military Academy. He was a company commander during the War in Vietnam, a battalion and brigade commander with the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany, assistant division commander, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea, West Point's commandant of cadets, and commanding general, Fifth U.S. Army. His awards include the Medal of Honor, the Farleigh-Dickinson University Pinnacle Award, and the U.S. Military Academy Distinguished Graduate Award. General Foley and his wife, Julie, reside in Alexandria, VA and have two sons, a daughter and seven grandchildren.
  • About the author section on the back dust jacket flap of Standing Tall: Leadership Lessons in the Life of a Soldier (2022), Philadelphia: Casemate