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 FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless
Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage are not merely words
on paper or a buzz-worthy acronym; they are a code that the men and
women of the United States Army are to uphold. The values that the
Army holds at its core are not that different than what one would
expect of a family member, friend, or neighbor.
The major difference being that the Army Values are not merely
expected to be upheld, Soldiers are required to uphold them. All
seven hold their importance and some will argue that one is more so
than another, when in reality they fit together like puzzle pieces
to describe the whole, as without one the picture would be
incomplete.
The word “selfless” defined by Webster's is,
“having or showing great concern for other people and little or no
concern for yourself.” Following the acronym the Army uses to
reinforce its values, the ‘S' represents Selfless Service, and can
be described as putting the “we before the me.”
The creed of
the noncommissioned officer has a line that directly illustrates
selfless service and its importance when it states that, “I know my
soldiers and will always place their needs above my own.” Ensuring
the team is adamantly aware of the fact that the leader is willing
to forego for the sake of his soldiers is paramount to teambuilding
and eventual mission success.
As an Army, we routinely find
ourselves committed to something bigger than just the individual
soldier; a collective mission that binds multiple people and units
together in order to accomplish the task at hand. One such example
was prominently displayed in Afghanistan by Spc. Ty Carter during
the defense of Combat Outpost Keating in October 2009.
 Though surrounded and outnumbered five to one by a determined enemy
and with several members of his unit wounded or killed, Carter
maneuvered from one position to another to reinforce weak points or
pull the wounded to cover. With complete disregard for his own
wounds and safety, Carter did this multiple times all under intense
enemy fire during the course of the 12 hour attack clearly putting
the organization ahead of his own needs and nearly defining selfless
service; for his actions he was awarded the Congressional Medal of
Honor.
But Carter was far from the only one of his organization that
put the unit first that day, as there was another Medal of Honor,
nine Silver Stars for gallantry, and over fifty medals for valor
awarded to other men for putting the “we before the me” in defense
of COP Keating.
Our rich military history shows countless
examples from soldiers of all backgrounds proudly putting the
mission and the welfare of others above their own. Selfless service
may not be more important than any of the other six Army values, but
without it they would be incomplete.
By U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Travis D. Votaw
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
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