Stumbling in the arena

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Chris Colbert
  • 22nd Airlift Squadron commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Theodore Roosevelt once said, "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

These words were uttered nearly 100 years ago, but they still ring true today. The question to ponder is: "Are you in the arena or are you just a critic?"

First, like I tell my squadron, our mission is too critical and time is too fleeting for someone to be standing on the proverbial sidelines. We need every Airman in the game, pursuing excellence. There is no squadron commander, first sergeant or chief master sergeant on this base who has all the right answers or all the great ideas. We all need to contribute toward making this base and this Air Force a better organization. We all need to offer solutions to problems -- not just complaints to our buddies. There are not many guarantees in life, but I can promise that nothing happens, nothing improves and nothing changes until "brave souls" step into the arena and challenge the status quo.

Our Airmen are too precious a commodity and our resources are too scarce to let them be wasted.

This leads me to my second point: Have the courage to be a real Wingman this holiday season. Traditionally, this time of the year is when suicides and DUIs really tend to spike -- both needless events that fracture lives, families, and units. C.S. Lewis once wrote, "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."

Never is this truer than when we must intervene in the personal lives of those around us and keep them from making a potentially deadly mistake. Have the courage to take the keys away from your drunken buddy or have the nerve to question a co-worker who has suddenly withdrawn and become depressed. You might be unpopular in the moment, but you could save a life in the long run!

So whether you consider the mission or your fellow Airmen, now is the time to jump into the arena. There is no room for "cold and timid souls" in this Air Force. Lives are at stake in Afghanistan, Iraq and right here in Solano County. And like Maximus said in "Gladiator," "What we do in this life echoes in eternity!" Sometimes we only get one shot to make a difference, so take that opportunity today.