Committing to something that makes a difference

  • Published
  • By Cmdr. Kevin H. Delano
  • 33rd Flying Training Squadron commander
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Happy New Year!

Well, it's that time again when we step back, evaluate and reflect on last year, and ponder what lies ahead for the year to come.

Have you established any New Year's resolutions? As Americans we are great at throwing out great ideas and plans for bettering ourselves -- losing 10 pounds, saving more money, watching less TV, giving up smoking -- fill in the blank.

We've all been there. But how many of us actually keep those resolutions?

If you are like me you start out strong and fade even quicker. Well this year, I've decided to take a different approach. As a Navy commander I've found it quite alarming the number of my fellow commanders who have lost touch with the core values that have built our Navy's foundation of trust and leadership.

And I know we in the Navy are not alone in this struggle. So for all my Air Force friends, please humor me as I share the Navy's core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment and try to refocus and rededicate to the ethical principles that guide our actions and solidify the strength of our services.

Maybe in this New Year we can commit to something that will make a difference for us as individuals, and help protect the very foundation of what makes our military and country so great.

Honor -- "I will bear true faith and allegiance..."

We must always be mindful that we support each other, our military and our nation. As the men and women of the armed forces we are only as strong as our weakest link. We owe it to each other to maintain strong accountability. And we must act in the highest ethical manner.

Any good relationship is founded on honesty and truthfulness. In our society it has become the norm to push off accountability and point the finger at our neighbor.

Enough is enough. Take a hard look within and ask that person you see in the mirror every morning, "Am I holding up my end of the bargain?" "Am I living by an uncompromising code both on and off duty, with the understanding that I am responsible for my own actions?"

Courage -- "I will support and defend..."

We have all sworn an oath to support and defend our Constitution and have the moral fortitude to tackle the mission that upholds our way of life.

That old saying, "Courage is simply the willingness to be afraid and act anyway," is so true. It's okay to have doubts and to be unsure. What's great about the military is the unique family environment that very few other occupations provide. There is always someone else that has walked in your shoes and is right in front of you, standing by to help you through it.

My dad used to tell me that the character of a man is measured and validated when he is alone. It's the strength to do what is right and honest when no one is looking!

As service members and citizens it's our responsibility to be loyal to our nation and act in the best interest of our fellow countrymen. Let's all choose to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.

Commitment -- "I will obey the orders..."

We are a team. We will succeed or fail together. Let's choose to support each other and ensure we succeed. It begins with respect, both up and down the chain of command. It also means we treat people with dignity just because they are people.

If we take the time to care, to know the inner workings of each other's lives and strive to foster positive change and personal improvement, the mission will happen. Let's make 2012 a success by committing to the team, and improving our quality of work, our people, ourselves and the mission.

Sounds easy enough, however, no organization, especially as big and geographically spread out as ours, maintains excellence in core values without education, dialogue and constant vigilance. Let's work together this year to make honor, courage and commitment a way of life and stop the trend of subpar conduct.

Our founding fathers gave us something pretty good. Let's continue to uphold the principles of our Constitution and make our armed services and nation a success. It starts with us.