For the Air Force Guys: AF Core Values

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:01:00 -0400

Out of our three core values:
Integrity First
Service Before Self
Excellence in all we do
Which one do you think is the most important? I myself believe that they are all equally important because to me they are like the perfect circle. If your not excellent in all you do then perhaps you won't always have integrity? If you put yourself before service how can you be excellent? How about even if you have integrity what if you still fail to meet the excellence inside you. What is your take?

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 13 at 2013 12:47 AM

SrA Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 00:47:34 -0500

Integrity First is certainly the most important. That's why they placed it first. Someone who is honest, mindful of others, and an all-around good person is a value to the Air Force, and the Armed Forces as a whole. They are the epitome of what our military should represent. Trust me, I would take an Airman with integrity before I take an Airman with the other Core Values any day.

The second core value is one I don't even consider official. If Service Before Self held true, then awards and incentives would be pointless. Those are entirely self-motivated concepts. I've seen Airmen one day point out Service Before Self, then the next day, throw someone under the bus to get that EPR/award bullet. Our entire promotion/award system is based on making yourself look good. It just helps if you make the Air Force look good too. So I find this one to be the least important, by how often it is broken.

And lastly, Excellence in All We Do holds the middle-ground for me. I don't necessarily believe we should be excellent in everything we do. Rather, we should focus on excelling in things that matter. For example, I would not expect a communications Airman to perform a medical job without error, nor would I expect a medical Airman to maintain a base network on his/her own. But perhaps I'm thinking of this a bit too broadly. I do think we should strive to be the best we can be, but I can't expect anyone to be excellent in all they do.

This is all just my opinion of course. I'm sure other people have differing views. I'd certainly be interested in hearing them as well.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2014 1:45 PM

SrA Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:45:01 -0500

Sir, the 3rd AF command chief, CMSgt. Mark Marson once told me during an interview, that if you dig deep enough, you can find guidance in every core value even if it is not stated clearly.

Each core value reflects upon itself, coming full circle--they are all equally important. An intelligent argument can be made for all three, but in retrospect you'll realize that there is no singularly important core value.

Response by A1C Joe Metcalf made Mar 18 at 2014 12:59 AM

A1C Joe Metcalf — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 00:59:52 -0400

Integrity First
Service Before Self
Excellence in all we do

These are the principles ingrained in us from the first day we said "I swear to Oath".. I still follow that Oath , and those Principles.. they will always be a major part of everything we are.. Myself I do not believe they should be numbered .. Only used in the order that they are needed.. As the standing line of this country , they should be used everyday.. Military and Civilian alike.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2015 4:37 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 16:37:54 -0400

To me, Integrity First (odd how they put that one first). If you have no integrity, how can you be selfless enough to put your task before your own wants? If you have no integrity, how will you be excellent in all you do? You must have the integrity to be a strong, competent airman willing to do whatever it takes to improve their fellow airmen, as well as themselves.