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Core values: What they mean to me

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Ralph Snyder
  • 32nd Air Refueling Squadron
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. --  In 25 years of service, I have seen a lot of changes in the Air Force. Some things have even gone full circle. But some things have never changed: Integrity, Service and Excellence. Although the Air Force's Core Values originated in the 1990s, they have always been a part of being an Airman. I remember you had to be honest; you worked as a team until the job was done, and you did the job right the first time. 

The keystone to the Air Force is integrity. Every Airman must have it. An individual or organization without integrity is bound for failure. No matter what your job is in the Air Force, other people depend on you to be honest and truthful. If you lie or bend a rule, you are putting other people's lives in danger. What you might think of as trivial could be a life or death matter for someone else. 

No one should be placed in a position to compromise their integrity. Even when it is easier just to look the other way, you can not. Integrity is like respect ... it is priceless when you have it, but you can lose it all with just one false statement. Then no one may ever trust you to do anything after that. Remember, integrity is doing things right even when nobody else is watching. 

Sometimes integrity hurts. Sometimes you might have to tell another Air Force member something they do not want to hear. But you can not shirk this responsibility when it is yours to complete. This is especially true for supervisors. Supervisors must always set the example when dealing with integrity, and they must insist on integrity from their subordinates. There is no other way of doing business. 

Service before self is just as important as integrity. The Air Force is a team, and every one of us must be committed to the team. When you put your own personal desires in front of the needs of the service, you are letting the team down. Someone else will have to pick up the slack that you left behind. Notice I did not say personal needs. There is a difference. You have to take care of yourself also. Everyone gets 30 days of leave a year and getting away from the job from time to time is good. You get to recharge your batteries and are ready to tackle any situation that presents itself to you. 

You must be a ready, willing and able team member to do whatever the service asks of you. Sometimes the service asks a lot, but when everyone shares the load, it is a lot easier to handle. Supervisors must spread the workload out evenly. Even though there are some subordinates who can't wait to deploy again, you must give other people a chance to carry the load. 

Excellence means a lot to me. I strive to do the job right the first time. Nothing gets me stirred up more than seeing someone not caring if they complete the job correctly. Let's face it ... we are in the military; people could get seriously injured or even killed due to a lack of excellence. It is imperative to do the best you can do in all your duties. If you are not sure of something, ask someone or look it up in a technical order or an Air Force Instruction. Never leave anything to chance. Always be 100-percent sure you are doing your assigned duties to the best of your abilities. 

I believe the Air Force core values are something that kept me in the Air Force for almost 25 years. I know I can trust the person next to me to tell me the truth. We all work as a team, and no one is stepping on someone or getting out of something to further their personal wants. Finally, we all strive to do the best possible job on everything we do. I would not want to work for, or with, anyone who did not share these same values.