4. Engage in questions of ethics and recognize the responsibilities of leaders to act responsibly towards themselves, their followers, and the larger community.

In the image to the left, you will see me shaking hands with the commander of my squadron during my time in the USAF. This photo was taken while I was being "coined" for outstanding performance, and it is what is known as a sign of respect in the military. 

I was given this coin, achieved this accomplishment, because I came into a new warehouse fresh out of basic training and made a difference. When I came into this warehouse there was no passion, the bare minimum was being done and that was all. Coinciding with the lack of passion was also a lack of ethics. The equipment in this warehouse was meant to save lives, armor, chemical gear, etc. but the lack of maintenance, awareness, or care was creating negative impacts on this gear which could have led to safety risks if it continued. I noticed the malpractices that were happening immediately when I began this career, and I decided that it could not continue in the way that it was. I went to my sergeants, and I told them what I thought, and they allowed me to create new processes, all of which would create a more sustainable logistical practice and overall maintain our goal of protecting and serving. 

I was young when I did all of this, and leadership did not cross my mind in the moment. I noticed something was wrong and I wanted to make it right, so I did. Now that I know more about leadership, I wish I would have done more. I created a whole new program for this warehouse, it was more efficient, and more importantly it was safer, but these processes did not last long after I left. It was important to me, so I fixed it, but without creating this sense of importance in others the processes fell apart shortly after I left. If I could go back, I would make sure that I not only created these processes but also inspired my team to nurture this as their own as well, and hopefully my mission of keeping everyone safe would remain on the minds of everyone who came after me.