Character forms essence of true heroes Published Oct. 29, 2001 By Chaplain (Col.) John Blair Air Education and Training Command chaplain Randolph Air Force Base, Texas -- As I reflect upon the Sept. 11 attacks on our great country, I have to ask: what intangibles do we possess to carry us through this terrible crisis? What provides us with our courage, strength, faith and resolve? What makes us who we are?The answer is our character.Character can be described in many different ways, but there is one person that brings it into focus for me: Rocky Blier.Blier was a halfback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and is a living legend. Each time he ran, a miracle unfolded before your eyes.Blier was a monument to courage and character. Professional football scouts tagged him as follows: "Can't win in the NFL with this kid," "Is not capable of playing professional football" and "I don't think this man can make a pro club."However, Blier was selected 417 out of 441 football players drafted in the NFL in 1968. The Steelers picked 18 players and Blier was the 18th. He was the only one of the 18 who made it in pro football.Blier was drafted into the Army that same year and later had a foot, leg and thigh severely injured during combat in the Vietnam War. He was separated from the Army with 40 percent disability.After returning from Vietnam, Blier attended the Steelers' training camp. Despite the odds of his injured leg and time away from the game being stacked against him, Blier had non-physical skills working in his favor. One coach called it heart, another courage, and a third suggested character.Character is that intangible force that retrieves shattered dreams and deflated hopes.Blier's fortitude to persevere embodies the words of Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."Pick the biography of any man or woman who has made a lasting contribution to humanity. Some were extremely brilliant while others were courageous. But one characteristic will be present in every case: character. Every person who achieves greatness possesses it.Character is what Dr. George Sheehan, in his book "Running and Being," refers to when he writes, "I have character which is simply the decision to stand pain."He further states, "Some think of character as sprinting at the end of a race. But character is what gets you there to begin with. Character starts back in the hills with six miles still to go and you are thinking of how you can get out of it without anyone noticing. Character begins when you have 40 minutes of torture left and you're already hurting more than you ever remember."Character is also what Sheehan calls the "wall" -- the psychological breaking point that comes at the 20-mile mark of a 26-mile marathon. The wall is where the runner begins to fall apart. From the wall, the runner goes it all alone.We have all been witnesses to many courageous acts during the past few weeks by people we can only classify as true heroes. So many displayed character and gave their lives in order to save others.I challenge you to reflect on the true greatness of our Air Force. Remember: America cannot be measured by its productivity or national resources, but only by its character.May God bless you.