Doing right thing improves lives around us Published Sept. 3, 2015 By Lt. Col. James Duke 60th Civil Engineer Squadron TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- If nobody is watching, will you always do the right thing? That's the key part of integrity. We all do things throughout the day that may or may not be seen by other people. When it comes to the mission of Travis Air Force Base, California, it doesn't matter. We are all called upon to do the right thing at all times. An Airman does the right thing when he/she notices some paperwork is not filled out properly and takes the extra time to do it correctly and then tells his/her peers how to do it correctly. An Airman does the right thing by looking out for each other when at a bar so that no one gets sexually assaulted or receives a DUI. It's seems so easy on the outside looking in, but if you think about doing the right thing, everything should fall into place. Airmen are not the only ranks to focus in on. I've been told that putting on staff sergeant is the toughest transition an enlisted member can make. An NCO does the right thing when confronted with former fellow senior airman and holding them accountable to uniform regulations or duty standards. An NCO is the bedrock of our military without which it will not function. This is great responsibility and requires work by them. That's why it's imperative they always perform with integrity at the forefront of their decisions. Their direct influence on young Airmen in their shops affect future military leaders. If NCOs are the bedrock/foundation of the military, then the SNCO is the wise old man on the mountain top. They've been around the block a few times and have great wisdom to impart on the younger generation, officers and enlisted. That being said, they also have to drive the standards that make this military the best in the world. A SNCO pushes the NCOs forward while abiding by regulations and the direction of the commander. A SNCO does the right thing by not focusing on retirement, but focusing on developing his/her replacement, creating the next set of leaders and making things more efficient. Officers are not immune to this idea. We hear about various reports of officers getting in trouble at different levels in their careers and I have to wonder where did the mantra "doing the right thing" end up? Officers at all levels are called upon to show integrity in all actions. Whether it's a new lieutenant out of Officer Training School or a seasoned commander, the enlisted force looks upon us as doing the right thing. If any officers do not adhere to that standard, it diminishes their standing in front of the enlisted force. I am fortunate to be here at Travis and see the 60th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters in action and constantly being called out for mutual aid firefighting off base. When someone's life is on the line, you don't cut corners or go half in. You always do the right thing. Recently, there was a 3-alarm grass fire on the south side of the flight line. In this incident, off base agencies came to our mutual aid. It was a great concerted effort with minimal damage to the base proper. Investigation at the ignition source revealed a few cigarette butts. Doing the right thing does not mean to toss a lit cigarette butt out a window into a dry tinderbox of a grass field. If you smoke, then please dispose of your cigarettes in an ash tray. If your car does not have an ash tray, then please buy one so that the ground is not littered with your trash. Doing the right thing does not mean carry a soda cup to a park and throw it on the ground when you're done. It does mean that if you're walking around and see trash, pick it up and throw it away. Make the world a better place. What if that airman first class saw you notice some trash and decided to walk on by. What message would you be sending the airman first class. We all have a part to play to make our lives and the lives of our neighbors better. It would be a lot easier if we all "Do the right thing."