FORT KNOX, Ky. — In preparation for a virtual 245th U.S. Army Birthday celebration June 14, 2020, U.S. Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox senior leaders Maj. Gen. John Evans Jr. and Command Sgt. Maj. John Woodson joined senior leaders across the nation in cutting a cake days before to be aired on social media sites.
Evans and Woodson flanked youngest post Soldier 18-year-old Pfc. Timothy Carlton from 541st Sapper Company, 19th Engineer Battalion, and oldest Soldier 61-year-old Col. Timothy Walls from 1st Theater Sustainment Command, during the June 10 ceremony, held in the Cadet Command headquarters command conference room.
Prior to the cake cutting, Evans offered some words of encouragement.
“From our first campaign streamer of Lexington and Concord through Gettysburg and on and to our streamers that we earned in Iraq and Afghanistan, our Army has been there for the American people — a diverse Army made of people from all walks of life,” said Evans. “We will continue to be that Army for the America.”
Evans said Army leaders are committed to listen to the dialogue being spoken from recent events that have emerged in America.
“If 245 years has taught us anything, it’s that we can change,” said Evans, “and we can adapt.”
Loyalty. Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other Soldiers.
Be loyal to the nation and its heritage. Loyalty is a two-way street: you should not expect loyalty without being prepared to give it as well.
The loyalty of your people is a gift they give you when, and only when, you deserve it—when you train them well, treat them fairly, and live by the concepts you talk about.
Remember, Soldiers fight for each other — loyalty is that commitment. Loyalty extends to all members of all components of the Army. Both the reserve component — Army National Guard and Army Reserve — and Army civilians all play an increasingly active role in the Army’s mission. VIEW ORIGINAL
The essence of duty is acting in the absence of orders or direction from others, based on an inner sense of what is morally and professionally right. ...
Duty begins with everything required of you by law, regulation, and orders; but it includes much more than that. As a professionals do your work not just to the minimum standard, but to the very best of your ability. Commit to excellence in all aspects of your professional responsibility so that when the job is done they can look back and say, “I couldn’t have given any more.”
Take the initiative, figuring out what needs to be done before being told what to do. What’s more, take full responsibility for your actions and those of your subordinates.
Never shade the truth to make the unit look good—or even to make others feel good. Instead, follow your higher duty to the Army and the nation.
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The leader who feels and gives the respect which is due to others cannot fail to inspire in them regard for himself. While he who feels, and hence manifests, disrespect toward others, especially his subordinates, cannot fail to inspire hatred against himself.
Respect for the individual forms the basis for the rule of law, the very essence of what makes America. In the Army, respect means recognizing and appreciating the inherent dignity and worth of all people. This value reminds you that your people are your greatest resource.
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Selfless service leads to organizational teamwork and encompasses discipline, self-control and faith in the system.
Selfless Service means doing what’s right for the nation, the Army, your organization, and your people — and putting these responsibilities above your own interests.
The needs of the Army and the nation come first. Selfless service means that you don’t make decisions or take actions that help your image or your career, for a team to work, the individual has to give up self-interest for the good of the whole. The requirement for selflessness doesn’t decrease with one’s rank; it increases.
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What is life without honor? Degradation is worse than death. – Lt. Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
Honor provides the “moral compass” for character and personal conduct in the Army. Though many people struggle to define the term, most recognize instinctively those with a keen sense of right and wrong, those who live such that their words and deeds are above reproach.
Honor is demonstrating an understanding of what’s right and taking pride in that reputation means this: Live up to all the Army values. Implicitly, that’s what you promised when you took your oath of office or enlistment. You made this promise publicly, and the standards—Army values are also public. To be an honorable person, you must be true to your oath and live Army values in all you do. VIEW ORIGINAL
The American people rightly look to their military leaders not only to be skilled in the technical aspects of the profession of arms, but also to be men of integrity.
People of integrity consistently act according to principles—not just what might work at the moment. People of integrity do the right thing not because it’s convenient or because they have no choice. They choose the right thing because their character permits no less.
Conducting yourself with integrity has three parts:
•Separating what’s right from what’s wrong.
•Always acting according to what you know to be right, even at personal cost.
•Saying openly that you’re acting on your understanding of right versus wrong.
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Personal courage isn’t the absence of fear; rather, it’s the ability to put fear aside and do what’s necessary.
Personal courage takes two forms, physical and moral. Good leaders demonstrate both.
Physical courage means overcoming fears of bodily harm and doing your duty. It’s the bravery that allows a soldier to take risks in combat in spite of the fear of wounds or death.
In contrast, moral courage is the willingness to stand firm on your values, principles, and convictions — even when threatened. It enables leaders to stand up for what they believe is right, regardless of the consequences. Leaders who take responsibility for their decisions and actions, even when things go wrong, display moral courage. Courageous leaders are willing to look critically inside themselves, consider new ideas, and change what needs changing. VIEW ORIGINAL
The cake ceremony is being aired June 14 on Fort Knox's official Facebook page HERE.
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