Instant Alert: 5 fictional military leaders we’d actually follow into combat

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   5 fictional military leaders we'd actually follow into combat by James Clark on Jun 29, 2016, 9:27 AM Here are five military leaders from war movies who could actually lead troops into, and out of, combat. There’s no shortage of bad leadership in war movies. It’s not even that the leaders are always bad or incompetent, though some are — like Jeremy Renner’s character in “The Hurt Locker,” who seems to have a death wish that he wants to share with his entire team. Other leaders from action flicks and war movies, like Bruce Willis’ character in “Tears of the Sun,” just aren’t real; they’re not believable or relatable in slightest. His character is just a walking, but not talking, action figure. However, there are quite a few characters who hit pretty close to the mark. Here are five leaders from war movies who we’d actually follow into combat: SEE ALSO: 5 military leaders that were also huge party monsters Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Highway The consummate infantry leader, Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Highway, played by Clint Eastwood in “Heartbreak Ridge,” is the baddest leader around. He knows it, you know it, and his men know it, too — he makes sure of that. While his training methods are a bit unorthodox — pretty sure he didn’t do an ORM before firing live rounds at his Marines — it does appear to work. When the Marines land in Grenada, it’s not the first time they’ve taken fire. Capt. John Miller Tom Hanks’ character in “Saving Private Ryan” is a quiet, humble, and self-assured commander. Battle-tested, yet compassionate, he leads from the front, from the beaches of Normandy, to far behind enemy lines. Miller wouldn’t ask his men to do anything he wouldn’t or hasn’t done himself. That’s a leader. Staff Sgt. Sykes There’s a staff noncommissioned officer like him in every unit, and tons more in an infantry battalion. Tough, stern, smart, and sarcastic as heck, Jamie Foxx’s character from “Jarhead” can be both endearing and terrifying at the exact same time. When not playing silly games, Sykes is training his Marines for combat, or leading them into it. He even delivers a few off-the-cuff counselings and motivational speeches to the Marines when they need it, along with a few well-deserved chewings. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011