ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND- In December 2013, a homeless man found a bag filled with more than $2,400 in cash and $40,000 in traveler's checks; a life changing bounty. Without hesitation he turned in his findings without expectation or reward.
What would you do?
Take a minute and ponder this scenario as I begin this month's Why We Serve rhetoric about Integrity.
As your Command Sergeant Major, part of my responsibility to you, both our Soldier and Civilian
personnel, is to oversee your adherence to Army standards and professional development. This
includes the intangibles that comprise our seven Army values. While we can't touch or see them, our
values are an inherently vital component to the overarching success of our force. I honestly believe,
serving as the moral compass of our values is our Integrity. Integrity asks each of us to evaluate our
actions and points us toward the right direction, whether we like it or not.
I consider it the grumbling, nagging, mother-in-law of our belief system; it's the one that we grow to love.
To sit back and pretend that during my career I haven't made a wrong choice or poor decision would
be a disservice to this readership. I am by no means infallible, nor do I pretend to be. Our integrity
matures with continual and honest self-assessments, lessons learned and the depth of our knowledge.
What I'm hoping to convey, is that we can overcome our errors in judgment. We must continue to
recognize that our personal integrity is a living thing that changes and develops with age and wisdom.
As long as we continue to strive toward what is holistically and morally correct, we will live and serve
with our integrity intact.
For Glen James, the homeless gentleman I spoke of in my opening, returning the money to its rightful owner proffered a windfall beyond hope. Strangers nationwide were so enamored by his integrity that they raised more than $150,000 for him through a fundraising campaign. His life was forever altered by making the decision to simply do what was right.
James' story James' story serves as a modest reminder that it's not the copper in our pocket that
matters, but rather being okay with the person you face daily in the mirror.
Who do you see?
CSM sends…
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