Remember your Air Force core values Published Oct. 27, 2006 By Col. Steve Arquiette 60th Air Mobility Wing commander TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- As we begin the year-long celebration of the upcoming 60th Anniversary of our Air Force, it's appropriate for us to revisit our three Core Values that makes our culture of Airmen so strong and enduring. The next three Commander's Corner articles will highlight each of these core values, beginning this week with Integrity First. This core value can simply be defined as "Always do the Right Thing". A story told over 140 years ago will help put this into context for us. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln was presented evidence that many trusted friends and members of his cabinet were actually Confederate spies. He was deeply disturbed by this, and when pressed for an answer for what he was going to do by the Secretary of War, he told this story: An old farmer had a majestic oak tree next to his farm house that he absolutely adored; it had been planted by his great grandfather. Aside from its splendor, its beautiful branches provided shade for the farm house. One day while working in the garden, he saw a squirrel disappear into a hole in the tree. Thinking the tree might be hollow, he took a close look. To his shock, the tree was completely hollow and the thin bark was barely able to support the weight of this huge tree. What should he do? If he cut it down, he would lose the prized family tree and the great shade it provided. If he let it stand, his family would be in constant danger as the tree would surely crush his wife and children to death when it eventually came down. When asked later by his wife what he would do, the farmer sadly replied "I wish I'd never seen that squirrel"... Put this in the context of your own personal and professional lives. Many of you have seen that "squirrel" in those people close to you, be they friends, family or co-workers. That "squirrel" can be an action or lack of action that highlights a personal or professional integrity flaw. It's easier to let things slide, to not confront those who are not doing the right thing, not maintaining a standard, not following a tech order, following the law, or behaving unethically or immorally. We as Airmen, enlisted and officers, as well as our civilians, must always do the right thing. You'll find it may not make you popular in the eyes of those who you're correcting, but if your disregard for what's right is the basis for maintaining a positive relationship with that individual, then the relationship isn't worth much anyway. You'll be surprised that many folks will actually thank you for upholding what's right...it may take them awhile, but they will eventually realize the goodness in your intent. The good order and discipline of your unit. Team Travis and our Air Force relies on your leadership and integrity...always doing the right thing is so essential. It's almost the bare basic premise that holds it all together...if you don't have your integrity, you have nothing. So guard it zealously, and help others see where they may be blind to the impact of their decisions. You may say "I don't have a charismatic personality, so how will people listen to me?" You can have the personality of a dial tone, but if you're making sure people are doing the right thing, folks will listen. The trust and confidence built by those whose display integrity is an unbreakable trust and confidence. In our business, once trust and confidence is lost, battles are lost along with lives. And as we know, in war there is no prize for second place. BE PROUD! BE SAFE!