Service Before Self is a Calling

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. William T. Webb
  • 436th Aerial Port Squadron commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  In these cynical times, we tend look upon service before self as a cliché instead of military necessity. Some are unwilling to put their self-interest second. This is one reason that military service is a calling and it is not for everyone.

For Airmen, service before self is embodied in the solemn oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies .... ."

To me, this means I will subordinate my personal desires and place service to my country first with the commitment that should my country ask, I will risk my own life to defend the ideals laid out in the Constitution.

Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff, former special assistant to the Air Force secretary and chief of staff for values and vision, said "service before self means that once I take that oath, responsibility comes first."

For the good of our country and the military, we give up a small measure of our personal freedoms to ensure the freedoms of others. We have a responsibility to follow rules whether they are Air Force Instructions, Technical Orders or the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Some examples are wearing the uniform properly, not taking short cuts in loading an aircraft and showing up for work on time. We make personal sacrifices but gain many intangibles like pride in mission accomplishment and the satisfaction in being part of something larger than ourselves.

A few years ago, I took a trip to the Normandy region of France. I have read many books on the D-Day invasion of Normandy, but I went to learn more about the D-Day landings and gain a better understanding of how thousands of Americans, many of whom had never left their hometowns much less their country, could willingly sacrifice themselves for people they had never met.

There are countless stories of men from all ranks with amazing bravery and selfless dedication who trudged up to their respective beach with weapons and heavy packs, some through water over their head and almost all through a hail of gunfire. Many disregarded their own safety to aid and rally their comrades.

This is an extreme example of service before self, but others occur every day in deployed locations and at our home stations. Some examples include taking a new assignment to a less than desirable location, the Airman on his third deployment in as many years, or the supervisor taking care of his subordinates after a traumatic event or simply a long shift.

Unfortunately, there are many examples of the opposite as well. When military members put their self-interest before service, they create the potential for disaster.

If an acquisition officer knowingly buys substandard repair parts for financial gain, they jeopardize the aircraft, aircrew member's lives and mission accomplishment.

When a superior requests sexual favors from a subordinate, then the mission suffers. I believe these types of people are in it for themselves and do not understand the reward of service, be it to their nation, community or family.

I have always taken service before self very seriously even before I knew it by that phrase. Our country and the Air Force have given me a great deal and I am more than willing to give back. I encourage everyone to reflect on why they serve and if this is your calling then make sure to put service before self.