For some things there will never be any 'do-overs'

  • Published
  • By Brig. Gen. Maryanne Miller
  • 349th Air Mobility Wing commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Do you remember as a young kid playing outside with your friends and giving 'do-overs' when you didn't like the way the game turned out and you wanted another chance to do it again? 

There are a lot of chances in life when you are really young to do things again and again until you get it right. In youth we are more forgiving with each other, supportive and encouraging. We have more patience with bad decision making. 

As we age and take on more and more responsibilities, there are, by nature, less do-overs. Because there are less do-overs, we need to get it right, more often than not, the first time. 

-- Is drinking and driving and killing a family in a head-on collision a do-over? 

-- Is "popping positive" on a drug test a do-over with your Air Force career? 

-- Is driving haphazardly and unsafely resulting in a fatal crash a do-over? 

No. For these types of things there will never be any do-overs. 

If your actions and decisions result in no do-overs -- think twice, three or four times before you act! Some of the decisions we make have no do-overs! 

Think before you act: Is it worth it? 

Take care, think twice and do the right thing.