A new Army field manual homes in on what it means to be a soldier dedicated to the profession of arms.

Released by the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center, FM 1: The Army: A Primer to Our Profession of Arms, has 10 chapters that are purposely written in a non-doctrinal style and designed to be easily understood. Just 74 pages in length, the book is meant to be read cover to cover and is peppered with historical vignettes that support the concepts and ideas contained in the manual, according to an Army news release.

With a foreword by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, the new one-of-a-kind publication is focused on what it means to be a member of the profession of arms, as well as the obligations soldiers have to each other, to civilian leadership and to their fellow citizens.

“This book is written for our Army,” George writes in the foreword. “It explains our profession, our purpose, and what it means to be an American Soldier. You will notice this book is not written like other military doctrine; it touches on values and concepts through stories and in non-prescriptive terms. It requires judgment in application.”

While primarily designed for new lieutenants and sergeants, leaders at all levels can use FM 1 to guide discussions, professional development and reflection, according to Rich Creed, director of the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate.  

“At higher levels of professional military education, you may have a block of time to discuss the material from different perspectives,” Creed said in the Army news release. “Rather than learning the material in the book, you might think through, ‘How am I taking the material in FM 1 and making it real in my unit?’ Or ‘How is FM 1 serving as the foundation for how I coach, counsel and mentor?’”

Strengthening the profession of arms has been one of George’s top priorities since he became Army chief of staff in September 2023. As the manual took shape, George made the decision to publish a “shorter, standalone publication” that would meet his intent, rather than including it within Army Doctrine Publication 1: The Army, which is written for more experienced and external audiences, according to the release.

George also has driven The Harding Project, an effort to revitalize scholarship and professional writing across the Army.

As a part of the Harding Project, the Association of the U.S. Army has partnered with Army University Press to host the LTG (Ret) James M. Dubik Writing Fellows Program—a voluntary, non-resident writing fellowship to encourage discourse that contributes to a community of military and national security professionals. AUSA’s Harding Papers series exclusively publishes the work and scholarship of the Dubik Writing Fellows.

Read FM 1 here.