Integrity and Service Before Self: the Air Force's Core Values

Integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do are the three pillars of an Air Force airman. Many people embody these values before they know anything about an organization such as the United States Air Force. The civilians who live by the Air Force's core values are usually the ones that prosper through hard work and dedication. A successful person must be honest with themselves and their comrades. A dedicated person will learn to place their duty on their top priorities. All of these attributes create the 'complete' airman. In this essay I want to discuss 'service before self' and 'integrity first' in more detalis.

Integrity First 

Integrity first is a life-changing decision to make. The choice to lie is very situational. Most, if not all people would agree that honesty is the best policy, yet most if not all people have lied before. It could be as simple as taking a cookie from the cookie jar and lying about it or as big as not properly assessing an aircraft before takeoff and launching it anyway. There are many excuses why people choose to lie. Many do it to avoid losing possessions and others blame their actions on time constraint. In many different professions, lying can risk billions of dollars in materials or even worse, the lives of coworkers. On June 12th, 1942, Lieutenant Bong was performing low-level flight maneuvers in the San Anselmo area, a town in California. In this instance, Lieutenant Bong did not think of the possible repercussions of his reckless actions. If something went wrong, airmen and citizens could've lost their lives. Consequently, he was grounded in his behavior. General Joseph L. Collins stated, 'The American people rightly look to their military leaders to be not only skilled in the technical aspects of the profession of arms, but to be men of integrity.' As a part of the United States military, citizens do not need members committing acts violating regulations such as this. His actions were labeled as irresponsible, immature, and immoral to put the lives of the people you should be protecting in danger. However, when questioned about his actions, he admitted to them honestly. He did not play the victim to the circumstances that he created. For that, he can commend. If he had lied about his involvement, he could have been discharged especially with civilian lives at risk. Lieutenant Bong demonstrated courage and did not risk not being able to follow his passion for flight. The sixth Code of Conduct states, 'I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.'

Service Before Self

What is service before self, or much less, service? Service is the action of helping or doing work for someone. Every member of the military is in the service with their specific mission. The Air Force mission is to fly, fight, and win, in air, space, and cyberspace. What does service before self-mean? It is about self-sacrifice. In the Air Force, people have given up free time, rebalanced priorities, and extended goals to protect the citizens of the United States of America. From the beginning of Richard Bong's life, he knew that he wanted to be a pilot. When he was young, the planes that delivered mail amazed him. He went on to familiarize himself with the structure of aircrafts and how they worked by building model airplanes. From there, he strived for his goals and did not give up because he knew that he wanted to serve. 'By this stage of the game, Dick had come to realize that notoriety had its good and bad side. As his score rose, so did the attendant publicity, which made increasing demands on his time. Initially pleased and somewhat bemused by the media attention he was getting, Dick grew to dislike the attention being focused on him and especially on his family in Poplar...’ (Bong 114). Lt. Bong did not allow these distractions to deter him from his passion of flight. He was able to focus on what was important to him, so this dedication to his service allowed him to move on from his mistakes and gave him the ability to change his attitude. Wayne Dyer once said, 'If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.' Many times, people lose sight of what they truly want, but it takes a change of perspective to find what it is that is needed again. Service before Self requires someone to constantly look back at why they’re doing what they are doing.

Conclusion

In essence, the path to becoming a 'complete' airman, or a well-rounded individual, lies in upholding integrity and prioritizing service before self. These values shape character, build resilience, and empower individuals to lead purposeful lives that impact not only themselves but also those around them. By embodying these principles, individuals can contribute to a better future and leave a lasting legacy of honor, commitment, and selflessness.