Faithful to a proud heritage Published July 8, 2009 By Col. Gregory R. Gates 18th Dental Squadron commander KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- As I was preparing to officiate a recent promotion ceremony within our unit, I was refreshing my familiarization with the Airman's Creed. Through this process, the sixth line, "faithful to a proud heritage" began to reveal itself to me as one that was not immediately self-explanatory. In other words, what does this phrase really mean and what does it encompass? What is the embodiment of the word "faithful" in relationship to the text, "faithful to a proud heritage?" And, how can we demonstrate faithfulness to our national and Air Force heritage? In thinking about these things, I came to realize that the scope of this commentary could only touch the surface, outlining a few ideas. But, I would like to share a few thoughts on the subject, as well as, the perspective of some insightful members of my unit, the 18th Dental Squadron. I believe it is difficult to be faithful to the heritage of the United States Air Force without first being faithful to the values of the United States of America, built upon the beliefs, vision and passion of our forefathers, and earned then, and ever since, through the conviction, sweat and blood of patriotic men and women. What did these American pioneers value? The Declaration of Independence states succinctly "...that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." While these values seem inherent, they cannot be maintained without due vigilance and a willingness to defend them. At the risk of sounding like I'm standing on a soapbox, to be faithful to these values, we must not only believe in them but be willing to proclaim and promote them, standing firm (speaking out) against injustice. Most of us were taught a belief and values system by those who raised us and/or had a significant influence in our lives. While we may stray from these ingrained values for a time, it seems to be true that most of us eventually revert to the teaching and training of our youth. For me, belief in my Creator, being faithful to Him and serving at His call is the hub of my value system. One's spiritual conviction or component is indeed central to one's value system. In addition to our core religious beliefs, our families also instill in us such values as caring for the needs of others, dealing honestly with all people, upholding fairness, respecting others (and their property) regardless of background, developing a strong work ethic, always giving your best effort, and to always do the right thing regardless of circumstances, etc. Holding true (being faithful) to your specific core values set provides you with a firm foundation in establishing and sustaining your beliefs, guiding how you live and approach life (how you conduct yourself) and how you relate to others. With the foundation of our values now laid in place from those who established our beloved nation and from those we love and hold most dear, we are now able to examine what it means to be faithful to a proud Air Force heritage. One's length of time-in-service, professional military education/training background and, more importantly, the type and variety of one's experiences and contacts/relationships in the military all contribute to our individual familiarity with various aspects of our Air Force heritage. When I shared the topic of this commentary with members of the Dental Squadron, I told them it would be fun and appropriate to include their views describing what it meant to be "faithful to a proud heritage," as well as my own. MSgt Russ Ware simply says, "For me, it's to remember those who came before me" who secured and preserved our freedom and that of our allies and other nations. Maj Dan Gabriel responded that "being faithful to our proud heritage first entails understanding and embracing our past. We, as Airmen, have a responsibility to take an active interest in learning about our heritage and the Airmen that have gone before us." Through the various wars and conflicts, "Airmen have made tremendous sacrifices on the battlefield. In reading about or listening to their stories, we come to understand the foundation of our service, the importance of our mission and the sacrifices upon which it was built." SSgt Steve Lovato expanded on this idea when he stated that exceptional people blazed the trail before us and "they have set the standard for integrity, excellence and service. We must not let their sacrifice and work be lessened. To be faithful to this, I must strive to never bring discredit to the uniform. I must try to honor them by doing my best." On a broader scale, SSgt Cynthia Evans believes that the "small acts of respect" we demonstrate every day, especially with regard to our nation's flag, shows pride in our heritage. "Showing respect to the flag each and every time the music plays or it passes in a parade...saluting all veterans regardless of rank for many of them have given more than most...and freely giving time to maintain the integrity of our monuments and landmarks" genuinely shows that we honor our American heritage. Another aspect of being faithful to our United States Air Force heritage is when we uphold established standards and continue to practice those customs and traditions that mark our heritage and are so instrumental in passing them along to future generations of Airmen. Col Kyle Nunley stated that "we must continue to honor our heritage" in this way. Col Nunley added that we can practically demonstrate our faithfulness by "being proud to serve, taking great pride in your work and service, respecting military customs and courtesies, working towards unit cohesion, respecting the chain of command and working together with a common goal (accomplishing the mission) in sight." The next logical step would be to funnel this discussion about heritage down to the unit level. Are you aware of the history and legacy of the unit/corps/group/wing of which you belong...of which you are a critical piece to the success of the whole? Col Connie Huff most easily relates to her direct experiences with the traditions of the Air Force Dental Corps and the gratitude she holds for her teachers, mentors and leaders who have provided knowledge, wisdom and guidance to mold her throughout her Air Force career. When applying this view to dental services, Col Huff advises that "we follow that heritage on a daily basis when we treat patients the right way, when we treat each other the right way and when we adhere to the Clinical Practice Guidelines and operating instructions that guide our daily operations." Each one of us might ask ourselves, "Am I taking what I have learned from my supervisors and mentors and passing along what I have to offer to the next generation of Airmen?" Individually, we would greatly benefit from modeling the noble examples of honorable veterans, gaining "insight into the character, values, ideals and sacrifices of these men and women who have served, creating in us a pride in service that we carry into our personal and professional lives," stated Maj Gabriel. To distill this subject to its essence, A1C Jillian Frazier contends that "holding yourself to the highest standard is, to me, being faithful." She believes that every day we put on the uniform "we need to think about how we look and what we do in this uniform." Taking an antithetical perspective, SSgt William Lodge proclaimed that we are to honor our heritage by "never disrespecting or discrediting" those who have gone before us, "following their heroic examples or selfless contributions that continue our Air Force legacy today." TSgt Jay McLaren completed this thought when he indicated that we should do the right thing even when no one is looking, but when people don't do the right thing supervisors/leaders/peers must "hold people accountable" for their actions. One thing all of us who serve our nation hold dear is our freedom. As Lt Col Jesus Cortes explains, "We are a nation made of warriors who always have answered our nation's call; who will not shy away when called upon to defend our country or to liberate the oppressed." Yet, at the same time, it is also about the individual since, "every member is given high value" (Lt Col Cortes). The Airman's Creed emphatically states, "I will never leave an Airman behind." When it has all been said or written, being faithful to a proud heritage may be whittled down to this: "Upholding the core values" and honorably "representing those who have served before us," according to SSgt Evans. What more can I add to what these patriotic and dedicated members of my unit have so comprehensively and eloquently stated? Maybe just this...be faithful to your proud heritage because your forefathers were faithful to you, even when you were just the twinkling of the future generation.