Which Army value means the most you? Why?

SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 05:57:27 -0400

Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Jul 21 at 2016 6:03 AM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 06:03:59 -0400

SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM good read and post! IMOP, I think Honor is my choice, if you have no respect, then why do the other values. You gots to have it (like a chain)!

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jul 21 at 2016 6:36 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 06:36:42 -0400

I'm for respect, honor, and integrity, without those forget about the rest. People look at the first three, and see if your following them.

Response by SGT William Howell made Jul 21 at 2016 8:10 AM

SGT William Howell — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:10:25 -0400

I have to take all of them. They really work hand in hand. What I would give if we could just a Presidential candidate with just 4 of these traits.

Response by LTC Tom Jones made Jul 21 at 2016 8:35 AM

LTC Tom Jones — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:35:50 -0400

Okay, let's start the morning with an essay test. Ouch. Not to seem evasive, but this is akin to asking which of the the Combat Arms is more important. I was an Infantry guy, therefore, the heartfelt response is pretty easy but the reality is they work together with the importance of one over the other depending largely, if not entirely, on the situation. As a JROTC instructor, I rarely let a day go by that I did not tie some part of the instruction to one or more of the these Army Values. To me, the absence of Values and Values based instruction is the most glaring flaw in public education. I think Roosevelt (Teddy) had it right when he said, "To educate a person in mind and not morals is to educate a menace to society."

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2016 9:23 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:23:36 -0400

For me its Loyalty. Units have their ups and downs. The past few years I've seen NCO's jump ship and abandon their Soldiers because they were asked to do a little work on their personal time when we lacked full time staff. If I belong to a Unit I am there until I feel I can leave it better then when I got there. Providing stable leadership to junior enlisted is the key to grooming future leaders. If they have a constant revolving door leadership wise it hurts morale and their overall progression.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2016 10:10 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:10:52 -0400

I may not be Army but I was an Army Wife. I think all the Army Core Values mean a lot to everyone, including the Soldier. You can't have one without the other.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Jul 21 at 2016 10:31 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:31:30 -0400

Since I am not Army, I will speak for my self. Love of country is the glue that binds us, despite what some may say.

Response by SGT James Murphy made Jul 21 at 2016 10:59 AM

SGT James Murphy — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:59:59 -0400

Duty Honor Country. Never Abandon a Brother in the Field!

Response by SFC Richard Giles made Jul 21 at 2016 12:22 PM

SFC Richard Giles — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 12:22:16 -0400

Me personally, I think you can't have one without the others they all tie into each other. You may have 1 or 2 or maybe more that you really identify with or think is more important but at the end of the day for me you can't have 1 without the others. They are all important.

Response by SFC J Fullerton made Jul 21 at 2016 1:22 PM

SFC J Fullerton — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:22:22 -0400

Loyalty. If you are truly loyal to your country, the Army, your unit, your peers, superiors, subordinates, and yourself, then all the other values are inherently part of your core.

Response by PO2 Nathan Meyer made Jul 21 at 2016 2:52 PM

PO2 Nathan Meyer — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 14:52:25 -0400

Integrity. Because some days I don't really want to get up in the morning, but I have too much integrity to just call in and say I am sick.

But, if you have integrity you have every other value. Respect your leadership enough to be honest and own your mistakes. Selfless service because you still showed up. Personal courage to own that counseling statement. And honor, because all of that is the honorable thing to do.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2016 4:32 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 16:32:35 -0400

Integrity. I hate it when people are dishonest. You my not want to hear the truth, but the sooner you do , the sooner you can deal with the actual reality of a situation.

Response by SGT Loren Johnson made Jul 22 at 2016 8:23 AM

SGT Loren Johnson — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 08:23:53 -0400

Integrity. .... if one has integrity all others fall into place.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2016 3:23 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 15:23:37 -0400

A crusty old 1SG pounded this lesson into our bony little heads as Privates. "No one, can take your Integrity from you, but yours can be compromised if you allow it. This can only happen once in your lifetime, because you can never get it back, once you give it away."

Response by PO1 Monty Henderson made Jul 26 at 2016 6:31 AM

PO1 Monty Henderson — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 06:31:27 -0400

Integrity...if you can't take my word as gold then we have no basis for any of the other values.
I am now a nurse in a supervisory role and I am struggling with a new staff member who has never heard of integrity so others have to follow up to ensure the tasks are done and done correctly.

Response by SSG Richard Stevens made Jul 26 at 2016 6:58 AM

SSG Richard Stevens — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 06:58:55 -0400

For me it is selfless service as a veteran, I think we need to help others in need. And be there for one another. Our world has become so self centered. I look for ways to help others

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 7:22 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 07:22:50 -0400

Integrity, without it you can't have they others.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 7:36 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 07:36:38 -0400

Faulty premise. It is not that one value is the highest, it's that all of them together form the tapestry of values that denote your character. They speak to different facets of living a moral life. Each commemorates a slightly different -- but no less important -- element of being a conscientious individual worthy of esteem.

Asking which value means the most to me is like asking whether air or water is more important to my survival; they are all necessary, and without them I cease to be.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 8:10 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 08:10:57 -0400

I think Honor is the stand out for me; because to have honor and maintain that honor you must keep the others. I was taught that a man is nothing without his word work handshake and family.
You can not maintain any of these without all of them. The Army Values are held in the same light with me.

Response by CPT W Brown made Jul 26 at 2016 8:53 AM

CPT W Brown — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 08:53:15 -0400

Delivering results with minimal harm to friendlies and noncombatants. This applies, only less critical, in the civilian world, too.

Response by SFC Ken Heise made Jul 26 at 2016 9:23 AM

SFC Ken Heise — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 09:23:09 -0400

Integrity, once you sacrifice your integrity you can never get it back.

Response by MAJ Seth Goldstein made Jul 26 at 2016 10:00 AM

MAJ Seth Goldstein — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 10:00:32 -0400

I heard a lot of soldiers speak about Army values in my 23 years but very few live by them.

Response by SPC Wanda Vergara-Yates made Jul 26 at 2016 10:34 AM

SPC Wanda Vergara-Yates — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 10:34:06 -0400

For me, Honor and Integrity are intertwined. If you use your sense of one, the sense of the other follows. Sorry, but I can't say just ONE on this one.

Response by SGT James Hughes made Jul 26 at 2016 10:36 AM

SGT James Hughes — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 10:36:36 -0400

Honor

Response by SSG Brian MacBain made Jul 26 at 2016 11:17 AM

SSG Brian MacBain — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 11:17:02 -0400

For me and still holds true to me right now. It is Integrity. Only you can compromise that. If you maintain your integrity, everything else falls in line. Once you fail your integrity, then your honor, respect will fail as well.

Response by SFC Derrick Graves made Jul 26 at 2016 11:17 AM

SFC Derrick Graves — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 11:17:33 -0400

I feel "honor" is the tree (root) and the other values are the branches extending out for support. When you consider that service members that leave active duty receive a DD-214 that has typed wording to describe the category of the discharge as "honorable" says it all-:)

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Jul 26 at 2016 11:29 AM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 11:29:43 -0400

Integrity. With integrity you have the rest.

Response by 1SG Thomas Pugh made Jul 26 at 2016 11:41 AM

1SG Thomas Pugh — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 11:41:40 -0400

Integrity, without it you cannot have any or the other Army values. Doing the right thing at the right time whether or not anyone sees or knows you are doing it.

Response by PFC Francis Ramseyer made Jul 26 at 2016 11:46 AM

PFC Francis Ramseyer — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 11:46:17 -0400

I think you tell them all !

Response by SPC Michael Dunton made Jul 26 at 2016 12:08 PM

SPC Michael Dunton — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 12:08:08 -0400

I try to live my life by them all,but it sure can be hard some times

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 1:10 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 13:10:57 -0400

Honor. Short answer: without Honor, you cannot have or uphold any of the others.

Response by SSG Bill Sier made Jul 26 at 2016 1:30 PM

SSG Bill Sier — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 13:30:49 -0400

Duty. If you do your duty, you are doing all of the others.

Response by 1SG Michael Farrell made Jul 26 at 2016 3:23 PM

1SG Michael Farrell — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 15:23:25 -0400

I haven't looked at a NCOER for 19 years, but there used to be some NCO buzzwords about courage, candor, committment, and competence; some commands seemed to add compassion to the list. I always find these lists of traits and characteristics less helpful than examples and we can look for the well-spring, the one from which the others flow. I tend to think that they all hang together to describe the American soldier, but for the moment, let's consider Selfless Service. No one who's sane joins and stays in the Army because it's a great job. We do it because we fit in it, and we strive to fit better and better because that's what makes it a great experience. As a senior leader, try this one out as I did: talking to a couple of platoon leaders as they were hanging around my office (Top always had the best coffee), one of them asked me why I enlisted, stayed an NCO and seemed to be content. I smiled over the rim of my coffee cup and said, "For the money, obviously..." Shock, horror, dismay and the realization that the old bastard had gotten them again.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 5:41 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 17:41:27 -0400

I have been asked this same question since I enlisted. And to this day I stand by my first answer. It does not matter. The fact is it is impossible to (Fully) live up to anyone for these with out (Fully) living up to them all. Just pick any circumstance in the military that you have ever faced then randomly pick a value and (Fully) integrate that value into the situation. If you can for example do your duty to the highest without having honor you let me know

Response by SPC Ruth Duffer made Jul 26 at 2016 6:25 PM

SPC Ruth Duffer — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 18:25:10 -0400

All of the above !! Instilled !!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 6:42 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 18:42:26 -0400

All of the values can be determined subjectively. Except, one is this easiest to maintain or disregard: RESPECT.

Response by CPT Earl George made Jul 26 at 2016 9:31 PM

CPT Earl George — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 21:31:32 -0400

LEADERSHIP: Can't buy it at Walmart, Can only read about it in a book, Hard to duplicate what someone else did. The A R T of influencing people to reach a desired result. Many chances in the services to see if you have it or don't have it. All the other qualities listed help to make a leader a leader.

Response by SPC Walt Mandeville made Jul 26 at 2016 11:09 PM

SPC Walt Mandeville — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 23:09:36 -0400

Confidence and self-awareness. My service taught me the extent of my limits, most people today have no idea how to push beyond their comfort zone and explore their limits.

Response by SPC Walt Mandeville made Jul 26 at 2016 11:16 PM

SPC Walt Mandeville — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 23:16:58 -0400

Respect for our flag and everything that it represents. Freedom isn't free.

Response by SSG Sarg Sarg made Jul 27 at 2016 5:19 AM

SSG Sarg Sarg — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 05:19:35 -0400

All the above

Response by SPC Christopher Perrien made Jul 27 at 2016 9:31 AM

SPC Christopher Perrien — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 09:31:13 -0400

I think all of these could be said to flow from "integrity".
The measure of that in a soldier, or any person, determines the rest.

Response by LTC Russ Smith made Jul 27 at 2016 10:13 AM

LTC Russ Smith — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 10:13:46 -0400

It had to be "Integrity." If you lack integrity it is impossible to possess any of the other values.

Response by SGT Stanley Bass made Jul 27 at 2016 11:29 AM

SGT Stanley Bass — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 11:29:40 -0400

Before i read other comments. You really cant put one above the other. You have Loyalty to your Country and your brothers and sisters in Arms. You have to perform you Duty to get the job done, and get it done efficiently and the right way. You have to respect God and Country and your superiors as well as your Peers and lowers, or you will get no respect in turn. Selfless service is everybody in he military, meaning, you do your job. Not for self gratification, not for attention but to accomplish the mission at hand. Honor is honoring those that have come before you and blazed a trail for you to follow or emulate, as well as the trail you will leave for those that come after you, to follow or emulate. Integrity, without Integrity your service to God and Country will falter. If you are disloyal, or dishonest in your service you will have no integrity, which will affect all the others. personal Courage, everybody has this in them, all at different levels. None of us would serve overseas let alone around the country if we did not have personal courage. Thats my two cents

Response by SPC Kimberly Vernon-Hendrix made Jul 27 at 2016 1:16 PM

SPC Kimberly Vernon-Hendrix — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 13:16:45 -0400

Integrity, simply because it means doing what is right even when no one is looking. I feel by having integrity you automatically follow the others, because integrity encompasses them all.

Response by CPT Geoffrey Lea made Jul 27 at 2016 3:05 PM

CPT Geoffrey Lea — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 15:05:23 -0400

All are vital, but to me, it starts with Integrity. What are the others without Integrity? Not much.

Response by SPC Cileece Middleton made Jul 31 at 2016 2:26 AM

SPC Cileece Middleton — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 02:26:36 -0400

I will admit I only made it to SPC rank before leaving the Army to fulfill , what I felt to be at the time, the higher calling of raising a family with my husband. I have been out of the military for about 9 years now and I learned a long time ago that being true to loyalty does not mean blind loyalty. When we take our oath to "defend the constitution...against all enemies both foreign and domestic" that statement allows for the understanding that threats may arise from those naturally born citizens of the US. Loyalty is not less important, but the individuals to whom we owe our loyalty may change as the person we commit our loyalty to shows us that they are not worthy of it. That being said all of those values are important to me as an individual to this day. I have been blessed with a partner to which I feel my Loyalty will always be due even if we are no longer partners, as well as the many friends I remain loyal to for my lifetime. I pledge my loyalty to all public figures whom I see making progress as a person. My Duty, Respect, and Selfless Service will always be due to all American citizens. The values of Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage will always be measures against which I judge my actions in life.