Do what is right even when no one is looking

  • Published
  • By Col. Randy Dobbins
  • 386th Expeditionary Medical Group commander
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  Integrity.

It is our first core value in the Air Force, but what is it. 

In Air Force Doctrine Document 1-1, Leadership and Force Development, integrity is defined as, "the willingness to do what is right even when no one is looking. It is the 'moral compass,' the inner voice, the voice of self-control, the basis for the trust imperative in today's Air Force."

Furthermore, Gen. Charles A. Gabriel, the Air Force chief of staff from 1982 to 1986, said, "Integrity is the fundamental premise for military service in a free society. Without integrity, the moral pillars of our military strength, public trust and self-respect are lost."

Let's look at how integrity affects our lives. How many times have each of us blown off finishing a project, and instead, taken shortcuts to get it past the tasker? Do you see any problem with that? I mean, heck, the boss didn't even notice. 

What if this project entails the well-being of an aircraft crew and, what if that airplane crashed? A lack of integrity in this situation, directly or indirectly causing the loss of these lives would no-doubt come back to haunt you ... for the rest of your life.

Let's tweak this issue to a more personal note. Envision that a nurse injected the wrong medication into your arm, and since no one noticed, she signed the record saying that the proper medication was given. Step it up a notch and imagine that the medication was given to your loved one, who could eventually suffer grave illness from this wrong medication. See where I'm going with this?

Mistakes are made of course. It's the nature of our being. Integrity; however, is the strength to realize these errors, and admit to them, which sometimes risks close personal friendships. 

Can integrity be a tough choice? You bet it can. But you know what? You can sleep well knowing that you did the "right thing." 

Seemingly little lapses in integrity tend to lead toward larger "lapses." Much as cancer can spread throughout the body, loss of integrity will spread throughout your being.

Of course we're always vulnerable to being swayed from the path of integrity. I suppose you could call this "not paying close attention to your moral compass." You know what I mean, or you wouldn't have read this far -- yep, cheating. Cheating on a test, on your job, on all of those patriots in the continental United States who trust you to make the right decisions, or even on your "significant other." Let's face it. As military professionals, our integrity is held above our civilian counterparts. Once each of us raised our right hand, we agreed to be held to a higher standard.

So what do we do? 

Every now and then, check your "moral compass." If in doubt of which way the needle is swinging, talk to your wingman, your supervisor or your chaplain. One of them should be able to orient you to the right direction and get you back on track. 

Remember, we're all counting on each of you to do the right thing. With the compass in your hand, you're on your way to a successful career and a great life.

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