Commitment :I can, I will

  • Published
  • By Lt Col Will Lorey
  • 48th Contracting Squadron commander
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  At Base X we a had an indoor track; it was three lanes wide and1/10 of a mile on the outside lane. We regularly had inclement weather, so the track was certified for the run portion of the fitness test ...but you had to stay in the outside lane. Because of an aerobics room built on the inside of the track, it was not possible to stand in a location where you could see the entire track. It never ceased to amaze me how many times I witnessed testing personnel cut to an inner lane on the turns in order to shave off time. Most often they did this opposite of their tester, which told me they knew exactly what they were doing and knew it was wrong. I would say something to them as they cut the corner, and if they didn't do it again I'd give them the benefit of the doubt and let it go.

However, if they continued, I'd let the tester know to be considered an official test, the runner needed to stay on the outside lane. A few were right on it and moved to a position where they could watch the runner better. They also said something to the runner. Unfortunately, most gave me the blank stare of, "Who do you think you are telling me how to test my people?" They would let the runner continue to do what they wanted. When the test was over, I would approach the panting and wheezing runner and let them know due to their tester's inability to inform them to stay on the outside lane and their inability to heed my kindly reminder, their test was, invalidated. I'd then have a small discussion with the tester.

OK, this may not seem like a big deal, but everybody has their hot buttons and this just happened to be one of mine. Bear with me.

The point of my story is not to highlight my ability to be a jerk. It's to emphasize a level of commitment I often see missing. A commitment to do the right thing when you're not being watched, and a commitment to take action and follow our established rules and guidelines when you've been put, or you find yourself, in charge. Commitment in this story translates directly into one of our core values - Integrity First.

Both individuals in my scenario decided to set aside their integrity to make themselves look better. The runner - to score more points or maybe just obtain a passing score. The tester - to show they had a good program and pass more people, or maybe to avoid conflict with the member being tested. Either way, they let themselves down and potentially, could let down their whole unit by falsifying their readiness.

On the same day I experienced one of the cutting corner events, I saw an Airman working out with some of her fellow squadron members. The shirt she wore said on the back, "I can, I will." As I was contemplated doing one more set on the machine I was working on, this saying had a profound impact on me. Not only did it spur me to do another set and then some, it struck me the person wearing the shirt was the type of person I wanted in my Air Force. In fact, this was the type of person I wanted to be.

But the shirt wasn't just a catchy saying; as I watched, she rallied her squadron mates to push themselves just a little harder. They were sprinting around the track, and if one of them stopped to walk she was right there yelling at them to get moving. The others would come back and get the walker to push themselves a bit more too. Every time I thought they were done, she'd take off for one more lap. When they finished, they were all exhausted, but clearly proud of what they had accomplished. It was clear to me this was a group ready and willing to work together to make the whole team better - committed to bettering themselves when, at least to them, no one was watching. On the other end of the track stood the two physical fitness test individuals on whom I had invalidated their test - uncommitted and looking dejected.

While I'm not about to jump into the fray of whether or not our new Airman Battle Uniform should have any words on the t-shirt, I like to imagine that mine says, "I can, I will." What do you want your t-shirt to say?