What Insights are Derived from the “Charge of the Light Brigade” Case study in Regard to the NCO Common Core Competencies (NCO C3) of Leadership and Communications?
SFC Cristian I. Hidalgo
Department of the Army, Fort Bliss
Master Leader Course Class 001-26
MSG Jonnathan Clayton
October 9, 2025
What Insights are Derived from the “Charge of the Light Brigade” Case study in Regard to the NCO Common Core Competencies (NCO C3) of Leadership and Communications?
The U.S Army Noncommissioned Officer Common Core Competencies (NCO C3s) serve as guiding principles for developing leaders capable of thriving in dynamic and uncertain environments. Two of the most vital competencies are Leadership and Communications which both directly affect mission success and troop welfare. If leaders had effectively applied the NCO C3s of Leadership and Communication during the Charge of the Light Brigade, they might have succeeded in the mission or aborted it entirely, saving lives. This paper analyzes how the absence of disciplined initiative, clear intent and effective two-way communication can lead to disaster and why modern NCOs must master these competencies to ensure operational effectiveness.
The NCO C3 of Leadership
Leadership is one of the Army’s foundational competencies. According to ADP 6-22: Army leadership and the Profession, leadership involves influencing others by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to conduct the mission and improve the organization (Department of the Army [DA], 2019a). NCOs lead by example, build trust, and exercise sound judgment, especially under certain or ambiguous conditions. Effective leaders understand not only what others are asking, but why they are asking it. They act ethically and take initiative when orders are vague or when they lack situational awareness. These traits are central to mission command and critical to operational success.
Case Study Example
During the charge of the Light Brigade, British commanders received an unclear order from Lord Raglan to stop Russian forces from removing captured guns. However, the message was vague and did not account for the limited battlefield visibility of subordinate commanders Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan. They did not clarify the order or ensure understanding. Lucan and Cardigan, driven by personal rivalry and lacking situational context, interpreted the order. They directed their cavalry to charge directly into a fortified Russian artillery line, leading to a catastrophic miscalculation that led to sever casualties (Master Leader Course [MLC], 2025). This command decision was not the result of enemy action or equipment failure; it was the result of leadership failure.
Insights Derived from the Example
The actions of Lucan and Cardigan directly contradict modern Army leadership doctrine. FM 6-0: Commander and Staff Organizations and Operations stresses the importance of disciplined initiative, encouraging leaders to make decisions aligned with the commander’s intent when direct guidance is insufficient (DA, 2022). These leaders lacked the judgment to question or refine clearly flawed order. Equally damaging was their inability to overcome personal animosity. As outlined in TC 7-22.7: The NCO Guide, trust and cohesion are essential to building effective teams and conducting the mission (DA, 2025). Their rivalry prevented meaningful collaboration and created a dysfunctional command climate at the worst possible moment. Modern NCOs must learn from
this. Leadership needs more than obedience; it demands ethical decision making, moral courage, and commitment to the team’s success, even when faced with unclear directives or personal conflicts.
The NCO C3 of Communication
Communication is a cornerstone of leadership and mission command. As defined in ADP 6-0, Communication is the exchange of information to create shared understanding and enable decision making (DA, 2019b). Effective communication involves feedback, clarity, and confirmation. NCOs manage verification that subordinates understand tasks, adapting messages to fit operational conditions, and ensuring information flows both up and down the chain of command. NCOs must ensure that others understand every order, not just in words, but with intent.
Case Study Example
The Charge of the Light Brigade was a fundamental breakdown in communication due to an unclear written order, which assumed everyone had the same understanding of the situation. The messenger of the order neither clarified the commander’s intent nor ensured understanding. Worse, he made a vague hand gesture that contributed to the confusion about the intended target. Lucan and Cardigan received no clarification and did not seek it. Instead, they executed the order based on their incorrect interpretation, sending seven hundred cavalrymen into a valley filled with enemy artillery. More than one hundred men died, and many others wounded, all due to a preventable miscommunication (MLC, 2025).
Insights Derived from the Example
This event highlights the consequences of not showing shared understanding. TC 7-22.7 teaches that leaders must promote an environment where subordinates feel empowered to ask questions and verify information (DA, 2025). In this case, no feedback loop existed. No one requested confirmation. Assumptions replaced communication, and people lost their lives. Modern NCOs must understand that communication is a two-way process. Leaders should deliver orders clearly and confirm through questions, feedback, and contextual understanding. As emphasized in ADP 6-0, NCOs must ensure that messages are adapted to the conditions of the battlefield and the perspective of those receiving them (DA, 2019b). Misunderstanding due to poor communication is avoidable if leaders uphold their responsibility to verify understanding.
Conclusion
The Charge of the Light Brigade is a case study in military failure rooted not in enemy superiority but in breakdowns of leadership and communication. The British cavalry’s fatal charge was the direct result of unclear orders, personal rivalries, and a lack of initiative and verification. If the leaders had properly applied the NCO Common Core Competencies of Leadership and Communication, they might have avoided the tragic outcome. For today’s NCOs, this case reinforces that blindly following orders is not enough. Leaders must think critically, act ethically, and ensure their teams understand not just what to do but why. The Army’s doctrine provides the tools. It is the NCOs responsibility to apply them.
References
Department of the Army. (2019a). Army Leadership and the Profession (ADP 6-22). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN42975-ADP_6-22-002-WEB-8.pdf
Department of the Army. (2019b). Mission Command (ADP 6-0). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN34403-ADP_6-0-000-WEB-3.pdf
Department of the Army. (2022). Commander and Staff Organization and Operations (FM 6-0). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN35404-FM_6-0-000-WEB-1.pdf
Department of the Army. (2025). The Noncommissioned Officer Guide (TC 7-22.7). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN44634-TC_7-22.7-000-WEB-2.pdf
Master Leader Course. (2025). The Charge of the Light Brigade. https://ncolcoe.llc.army.mil/bbcswebdav/pid-1921442-dt-content-rid-30851162_1/courses/400_1-250-C6_2026_001_00_N/EXSUM%20CASE%20STUDIES/Charge%20of%20the%20Light%20Brigade%20FY23%20-%20Leadership%20-%20Communications%20-%20Practice%20Case_v1.pdf
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