article on service before self on behalf of soldiers word limit 175 to 200
Answers
“Service Before Self” implies that both service and self are important, and that a certain balance and priority between the two should be pursued. If the idea was to simply serve at the total expense of self, then self wouldn’t need to be mentioned at all.
To give this core value meaning and allow it to do the work it must do for the Air Force to thrive, leaders must ensure service orientation and expectations don’t become so onerous that they totally eclipse individual identity and aspirations. Airmen are people too. They’re Americans. They’re spouses, siblings, friends, sons, and daughters. If the demands of service become too extreme to allow them to fill these roles, they’ll depart. The first to go will be those with meaningful moral commitment to the people in their lives. In other words, just exactly the sorts of people we should want to remain.
To restore the true meaning of “Service Before Self” and allow it to carry the weight of its own words, leaders must refrain from serially asking for unreasonable sacrifice. They have to give people time to themselves. They have to concede intellectual real estate instead of trying to conquer the minds of airmen. Most of all, leaders must set up a system that allows airmen to cultivate healthy relationships outside of work.