Students from Fort Leavenworth had a message Wednesday for Reserve Officers Training Corps students at Missouri Western State University.

“Leadership is about solving problems,” said Maj. Mike Ivy, a student at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. “Shooting isn’t always the right answer.”

Leaders have to know how the troops in their unit are dealing with day-to-day life in a war zone. The Meals Ready to Eat program, today’s substitute for C-rations, offers a beef enchilada dinner that Mr. Ivy used to relieve some tension in his unit. Mr. Ivy said he told all 178 soldiers who worked with him during his last tour in Iraq that the Army made a mistake.

“I said that all the beef enchilada dinners were supposed to be mine,” Mr. Ivy said.

Before it was over, soldiers were betting on whether he was going to eat none, one or more dinners each day. Today, he said he stays far away from those dinners.

In today’s Army, leaders have to be able to adapt, and as future leaders ROTC students need to be able to adapt to change, said Maj. Matt Anastasi. When a student gets orders to active duty, he or she can’t be disgruntled about where they’re being sent. Find the positive in a new duty assignment, even if it wasn’t a first choice, he said.

They also have to know their own limitations and strive to improve

themselves, said Maj. Tyrone Martin, another student from the fort. Mr. Martin emphasized the need to know the culture the unit is working with and the need to avoid offending local populations.

Maj. Daniel Ricketts told freshmen students such as Mark Hollingshead, a 2008 Benton High School graduate, that a leader has to be in constant communication with those who are on your team.

“The Army started transitioning eight to 10 years ago to deal with everything from humanitarian aid to high-intensity conflict,” Mr. Ricketts said.

The Army will probably be in Iraq longer than some think is necessary, said Maj. Loween Lobuton, a staff college student.

“We need to remember that it took several 100 years and we’re still working and improving,” said Maj. Daniel Manley, a staff college student. It takes time to build a nation, Mr. Manley said.

Cody Hatheway, a 2007 Central High School graduate, serves in the Army Reserve as an enlisted man and is debating whether he should become an officer. The talk about leadership, the need to adapt and the Army’s changing role gave the young man plenty to think about, he said.

Marshall White can be reached

at marshall@npgco.com.