***image1***This is homage to an Army NCO (or noncom as they were called back then). Sergeant 1st Class Lyvon Edgar (a retired Korean War veteran) was the coach of my high school junior ROTC drill team. During my senior year we went undefeated in six competitions, culminating with the Southeast Region Championship at Fort Benning, Ga. We reached this level of excellence because of his daily inspiration.
His homespun philosophy and high expectations created a framework for success. He knew the combination of honesty, dedication, sacrifice and precision execution was the only recipe for winning; never realizing he was imparting the same core values common to all Airmen.
When we practiced or performed in drill competitions, it required near perfect timing. Needless to say, we had our share of mistakes. Every day, someone would turn left instead of right.
He had one rule: If you make a mistake, drop and give 50 push-ups. Woe be unto the guy who made a mistake and didn’t drop for the push-ups. Sergeant Edgar would immediately yell out, “What’s the matter son, don’t you have integrity?!” He expected us to take responsibility for our actions, police ourselves and not hesitate to take self-corrective action. He emphasized to never assume no one is looking.
Besides marching around in formation while carrying rifles, we were expected to know military history, the chain of command, weapons data, etc. During competitive open ranks inspections, we were expected to repeat this information without hesitation. I can still remember the nomenclature for my weapon (… Springfield 1903, 30-caliber, bolt action, breech loading, magazine fed, shoulder fired weapon weighing 8.69 lbs …).
To prepare us, Sergeant Edgar conducted daily inspections where he would ask the questions. If we hesitated or gave the wrong answer, he would say, “What’s the matter son, don’t you love your country?” What he was saying was that serving your country is a grave and serious undertaking and any information (regardless of how trivial it appears) used in that service is worth knowing. To assume we know what is important and what is not, is to put our own opinions above those of the chain of command above us.
He wanted us to know that success comes from hard work, perseverance and a desire for excellence. This philosophy, however, didn’t stay on the drill field. He insisted that each member of the team keep an A or B average in school, believing that the same discipline needed to make good grades would spill over to our performance. He warned us to never be a “one-trick pony” and to always reach for “well-rounded excellence.”
I’m certain if every Airmen reflects on their personal history, they’ll find their own Sergeant Edgar. They’ll see that someone in their life instilled integrity, service and the passion for excellence. Because, after all, the Air Force Core Values are not some trendy catch phrases that we learned after joining up, they are the price of admission to the Air Force itself.
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***image1***This is homage to an Army NCO (or noncom as they were called back then). Sergeant 1st Class Lyvon Edgar (a retired Korean War veteran) was the coach of my high school junior ROTC drill team. During my senior year we went undefeated in six competitions, culminating with the Southeast Region Championship at Fort Benning, Ga. We reached this level of excellence because of his daily inspiration.
His homespun philosophy and high expectations created a framework for success. He knew the combination of honesty, dedication, sacrifice and precision execution was the only recipe for winning; never realizing he was imparting the same core values common to all Airmen.
When we practiced or performed in drill competitions, it required near perfect timing. Needless to say, we had our share of mistakes. Every day, someone would turn left instead of right.
He had one rule: If you make a mistake, drop and give 50 push-ups. Woe be unto the guy who made a mistake and didn’t drop for the push-ups. Sergeant Edgar would immediately yell out, “What’s the matter son, don’t you have integrity?!” He expected us to take responsibility for our actions, police ourselves and not hesitate to take self-corrective action. He emphasized to never assume no one is looking.
Besides marching around in formation while carrying rifles, we were expected to know military history, the chain of command, weapons data, etc. During competitive open ranks inspections, we were expected to repeat this information without hesitation. I can still remember the nomenclature for my weapon (… Springfield 1903, 30-caliber, bolt action, breech loading, magazine fed, shoulder fired weapon weighing 8.69 lbs …).
To prepare us, Sergeant Edgar conducted daily inspections where he would ask the questions. If we hesitated or gave the wrong answer, he would say, “What’s the matter son, don’t you love your country?” What he was saying was that serving your country is a grave and serious undertaking and any information (regardless of how trivial it appears) used in that service is worth knowing. To assume we know what is important and what is not, is to put our own opinions above those of the chain of command above us.
He wanted us to know that success comes from hard work, perseverance and a desire for excellence. This philosophy, however, didn’t stay on the drill field. He insisted that each member of the team keep an A or B average in school, believing that the same discipline needed to make good grades would spill over to our performance. He warned us to never be a “one-trick pony” and to always reach for “well-rounded excellence.”
I’m certain if every Airmen reflects on their personal history, they’ll find their own Sergeant Edgar. They’ll see that someone in their life instilled integrity, service and the passion for excellence. Because, after all, the Air Force Core Values are not some trendy catch phrases that we learned after joining up, they are the price of admission to the Air Force itself.