Home > News > Commentaries > Display

Core Values can be leadership tool in many aspects of your career

By Lt. Col. Joseph Brand, 341st Civil Engineer Squadron / Published March 29, 2010

PRINT | E-MAIL
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Preparing for deployment to a combat zone can evoke many emotions; shock, excitement, anxiousness, pride along with others too many to count. So where does one start first?

As I prepare to assume command of an expeditionary civil engineer squadron in Southern Afghanistan, I've given this much thought. Every time I think about it, I come back to the same guiding principles I've learned throughout my 16 years of service in the Air Force. It's the Air Force Core Values that help to serve as a measuring stick on whether I've taken the necessary steps to be ready.

Integrity first. What does that mean in a combat zone? My first thought is brutal honesty, to oneself and those I'm going to war with. In a place where the safeguarding of lives are placed in those around you and teamwork is paramount, there is no room for bravado or exaggerating of one's capabilities. These failures can set you and your fellow Airmen up for disaster. If you claim you can do something you better be able to live up to it. If you're expected to be able to do something and are unsure of your ability, then you better learn how to do it and quickly, because when the time comes to call in a 9-line medevac you need to deliver. It also means knowing what you know and staying away from assuming, supposing or hoping.

The fog and friction of war can be the most debilitating and dangerous part of being in war zone. Again, it comes back to brutal honesty when you share information up and down the chain, and being alert and cautious of spreading rumors as if they were fact. In the best case scenario, it downgrades combat capability; worst case, people can lose their life.

Excellence in all we do. In my mind, this started on the first day we showed up for training and continues throughout our career. The fruits of this effort and dedication are harvested on a day-to-day basis as the result of our actions. Winston Churchill once said, "To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour."

So excellence is less in the doing but more in the preparing. At the core, excellence in all we do, is fostered in the nights spent studying CDCs or PME, the attention to detail while on the job when your supervisor, trainer or wingman is showing you how to accomplish a certain task. It is then you training your wingman to also accomplish that task. Fundamentally, it's about taking the time to learn what you are expected to learn and to hold yourself accountable to do so.

Finally, there is Service before self. Obviously a part of this is the willingness to go to a desolate location halfway around the world where you may have to walk a quarter mile to use the bathroom at three in the morning; or work 12, 14 or 16 hour days, 7 days a week, or being separated from family and friends for long durations. In my view, those clearly are sacrifices, but these sacrifices of the military member come with a reward; because as you come through that sacrifice your sense of contribution to the mission is magnified and crystallized.

Accomplishing something when conditions are easy is essentially a daily task for Airmen, and many times not all that noteworthy in our minds; however completing that same task when conditions are hard is a whole different story and increases our sense of pride greatly. So although the sacrifice is very real, it is temporary, where on the other hand the reward can last a lifetime.

The Air Force Core Values provide many benefits for the Air Force and the Airmen in it. They can be used by the individual as guide posts to keep us on track on a daily basis. They can be used by the organization as a common expectation; so everyone knows to what level they are to perform. Finally they can be used by both the individual and the organization as a litmus test to judge whether they are as ready as they can or should be to get the mission done, whatever that mission may be.
USAF Comments Policy
If you wish to comment, use the text box below. AF reserves the right to modify this policy at any time.

This is a moderated forum. That means all comments will be reviewed before posting. In addition, we expect that participants will treat each other, as well as our agency and our employees, with respect. We will not post comments that contain abusive or vulgar language, spam, hate speech, personal attacks, violate EEO policy, are offensive to other or similar content. We will not post comments that are spam, are clearly "off topic", promote services or products, infringe copyright protected material, or contain any links that don't contribute to the discussion. Comments that make unsupported accusations will also not be posted. The AF and the AF alone will make a determination as to which comments will be posted. Any references to commercial entities, products, services, or other non-governmental organizations or individuals that remain on the site are provided solely for the information of individuals using this page. These references are not intended to reflect the opinion of the AF, DoD, the United States, or its officers or employees concerning the significance, priority, or importance to be given the referenced entity, product, service, or organization. Such references are not an official or personal endorsement of any product, person, or service, and may not be quoted or reproduced for the purpose of stating or implying AF endorsement or approval of any product, person, or service.

Any comments that report criminal activity including: suicidal behaviour or sexual assault will be reported to appropriate authorities including OSI. This forum is not:

  • This forum is not to be used to report criminal activity. If you have information for law enforcement, please contact OSI or your local police agency.
  • Do not submit unsolicited proposals, or other business ideas or inquiries to this forum. This site is not to be used for contracting or commercial business.
  • This forum may not be used for the submission of any claim, demand, informal or formal complaint, or any other form of legal and/or administrative notice or process, or for the exhaustion of any legal and/or administrative remedy.

AF does not guarantee or warrant that any information posted by individuals on this forum is correct, and disclaims any liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information. AF may not be able to verify, does not warrant or guarantee, and assumes no liability for anything posted on this website by any other person. AF does not endorse, support or otherwise promote any private or commercial entity or the information, products or services contained on those websites that may be reached through links on our website.

Members of the media are asked to send questions to the public affairs through their normal channels and to refrain from submitting questions here as comments. Reporter questions will not be posted. We recognize that the Web is a 24/7 medium, and your comments are welcome at any time. However, given the need to manage federal resources, moderating and posting of comments will occur during regular business hours Monday through Friday. Comments submitted after hours or on weekends will be read and posted as early as possible; in most cases, this means the next business day.

For the benefit of robust discussion, we ask that comments remain "on-topic." This means that comments will be posted only as it relates to the topic that is being discussed within the blog post. The views expressed on the site by non-federal commentators do not necessarily reflect the official views of the AF or the Federal Government.

To protect your own privacy and the privacy of others, please do not include personally identifiable information, such as name, Social Security number, DoD ID number, OSI Case number, phone numbers or email addresses in the body of your comment. If you do voluntarily include personally identifiable information in your comment, such as your name, that comment may or may not be posted on the page. If your comment is posted, your name will not be redacted or removed. In no circumstances will comments be posted that contain Social Security numbers, DoD ID numbers, OSI case numbers, addresses, email address or phone numbers. The default for the posting of comments is "anonymous", but if you opt not to, any information, including your login name, may be displayed on our site.

Thank you for taking the time to read this comment policy. We encourage your participation in our discussion and look forward to an active exchange of ideas.