My Personal Values

I was raised in a very religious household with very traditional values.  I grew up watching John Wayne, Gunsmoke, and other western and military movies that, while not necessarily accurate portrayals of war, strongly emphasized the ideal of the courageous, honorable man/soldier/cowboy.  As “cheesy” as those movies were, they greatly influenced my personal core values, which are an amalgam of the various military core values: honor, courage, devotion, respect, and service. 

Merriam Webster defines Honor as “high moral standards of behavior; a keen sense of ethical conduct.”  Without honor, true leadership is impossible.  My Captain (O-6) mentioned his theory on life during my check-in with him: “Only three things matter when you are at the end of your life – your relationship with God, your relationship with your family, and the honor with which you have lived your life.”  Living a life with honor is not easy.  My honor guides me through tough choices, often leading me into the difficult path; when I fail, my honor condemns me for my compromise.  Every day I face another battle to maintain that honor, but I know that without it, I cannot look my subordinates in the eye and hold them accountable.

            One of John Wayne’s most famous lines is: “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.”  I will be the first to admit that I have not always taken the courageous route.  Courage dictates that sometimes I take the hard way, knowing that the end result will be worth the tribulation.  Courage means that instead of running from things I fear, whether physical danger, a personal conflict, or a painful admission of failure, I must face them head on.

            Devotion (or commitment for the Navy/Marine Corps) means sticking with something, and can tie in strongly with honor.  During my life, I have made many commitments: to the Coast Guard, to my wife and family, and to God.  Being devoted, defined as “the fact of state of being ardently dedicated and loyal,” means that I will carry those commitments through until I am no longer physically and mentally able to do so.  Devotion ties in strongly with honor, in that my honor, my “keen sense of ethical conduct,” requires that I keep my commitments.  If I do not keep those commitments, I have no moral standing to require others to do so.

            Respect can mean several things, but it essentially boils down to the ages-old Golden Rule: “Treat others as you would want them to treat you.”  This is something that I believe is severely lacking in today’s society.  I may not agree with the values or personality of everyone I meet.  In fact, I may object strongly to their point of view.  However, I can have a discussion or even a debate, and still treat them with respect.  I do not have to belittle or demean them; I do not have to shout them down.  I should never treat others as if I am above them, as if my time, my money, or my possessions are more important than theirs.

            Service - a lot of people equate service with serving in the military, but that is not necessarily the case.  I can serve in my church, in the local community, in government, or as a first responder.  The key is that I am making other people’s lives better through my actions.  Respect and service complement each other as well.  If I truly wish to serve people, either in my community or inside my unit, I have to first respect them enough to care about their needs, which in turn drives my service to them.