As of September, 2012 I have been serving in the U.S. Army as an officer in the State of Hawaii.  It has proved to be a great test of putting learned leadership to the test.  The trials I have endured in training to become a Lieutenant were accurately honed in the nearly year long Officer Leader Training the Army offers for prior enlisted Soldiers.  The lessons learned have been practiced in a realistic training environment.  I am the first here to attest that you must take what you learn in books and put them into real practice.  Only a well-rounded leader can be valuable in times of duress.  Take what you learn from years of study and place that into a situational environment where you can put your skills to the test.  The best leadership is learned by doing.