Three core values, not just three words

  • Published
  • By Col. Corey Martin
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  "A man has integrity if his interest in the good of the service is at all times greater than his own personal pride and when he holds himself to the same line of duty when unobserved as he would follow if his superiors were present,"  Gen. S.L.A. Marshall.

My time in the Air Force actually predates the Air Force core values and that fact suggests at least two things. First, I'm old. But second, and more importantly, it suggests that I may have a slightly different perspective on the core values than the roughly 85 percent of our current force which took its initial oath of office after the core values were established in the mid-1990s.

One perspective on the core values that my "older" generation brings is that the three core values contain 10 words, not just 3.  Today, I often hear the core values recited as "Integrity, service, excellence." These are obviously the most critical words from each of the core values, but they do not necessarily contain the same complete thought of "Integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do."

For example, there is a big difference between "service" and "service before self." Anyone who wears our nation's uniform serves. While serving the country is noble, I contend our core values demand a higher level of service, a service above self. Without this complete thought, it is possible for an Airman to think that the sacrifices he or she makes as part of their service should grant them special consideration or compensation. Such thinking can, and has, led to integrity breaches by Airmen in the recent past. Service is great, but selfless service is what our core values drive us towards. 

A similar difference exists between "excellence" and "excellence in all we do."  It may be easy for an Airman to look at a single aspect of their life, such as their on-duty performance, and determine that they are performing in an excellent manner.  But the thought behind "excellence in all we do" is that excellence should be extended beyond our jobs as Airmen and into our personal lives as well. As Airmen, we are professionals who do not stop being Airmen when we pull our common access card and physically take off our uniform to hang it up at the end of the day. 

This week many of you had the opportunity to spend time discussing the Air Force core values as part of Wingman Week. As you continue to think or speak about our core values, I encourage you to not succumb to the temptations present in many of the ways we communicate today ... abbreviating words or shortening thoughts to allow for fewer key strokes or quicker texts.  When it is a topic as important as our core values, please take the time to use all 10 words.

I am proud of you. Stay strong, Golden Bears.