I know it has been a long time since I have posted anything new, but there is very little going on right now that I feel is blogworthy. However, last night I did give this speech and decided I would like to share it with a larger audience. Thanks for reading!
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, parents, friends, and Brothers:
I thank you for giving me the opportunity to return to my roots and speak to you. Tonight, I have but one question: How are you fulfilling your obligation to lead in a life of cheerful service? There are many paths of service, but we were all called forth from our peers in recognition of something inside ourselves, of some spark or promise of the future. The purpose of my speech tonight is not to showcase my accomplishments or to glorify the military as the only means of service, but I hope that my appearance here tonight will serve simply as an example of one way to fulfill our obligations. The pre-Ordeal ceremony is a blueprint of what we must do to truly live the ideals of the Order as we ponder the challenges given to us that night. We must take the opportunity granted to us, as the chosen leaders of our fellow Scouts, to set the example and to do what is only right.
I will share with you briefly one story that illustrates many of the points I would like to make tonight. It was the first time I came face to face against the Taliban with my Platoon. On any patrol outside the wire, my small element of Americans and Afghan allies look to me for guidance and direction. I can ask for advice from my subordinates, or call my commander if I have questions, but it is rare that the final decision does not rest on my shoulders. It can be very lonely indeed, especially when the bullets begin to fly. I was always able to call in assets to help us, but the final decision and responsibility for any action was mine.
When we heard the first snap and whistle of the bullets overhead, my Soldiers and I had already been out for nearly five hours with the brutal wind and bright sun beating down on us in the tough Afghan environment. We had already gone to several objectives, and had changed the plan more than once to accommodate on-the-spot intelligence. It would have been very easy to lose our focus on the job at hand, but we knew that the mission came first, and discovering enemy weapons caches was of great importance. So we continued on without gripe or complaint. My unit was split into three different elements when the first shots rang out. We all got behind cover, and searched for the enemy and returned fire, and did what we had to do to keep each other safe and coordinate our united actions -- in spite of our disconnected positions. Combat was what we agreed upon when we joined the Army, and it is the way we all felt we should give back to our country. It is not easy, but all of my Soldiers were willing to do the work they signed up for -- without regrets. The greatest reward is in knowing there is no greater Brotherhood than that of men who have laid their lives on the line for each other. We stayed put, beat off the enemy attack, consolidated our positions, and returned to base. After completion of the mission, we pulled the unit together and conducted an After-Action Review to determine what we should do better in the future. We reflected on what we accomplished and on what we failed to do, and improved as a result.
In this short story, I believe we can all see the impact of the lessons from the Ordeal that show that regardless of the lives we choose to live, the challenges we face along the path of the Arrow continue from the moment we tested the bow until we lay down our heads for our eternal rest.
In the pre-Ordeal ceremony, Allowat Sakima bid us “to spend the day in arduous labor, working gladly, not begrudging. Seek to serve, and thus be faithful to the high ideals and purpose of the Order of the Arrow.” Regardless of the path you choose to follow, there is always some means or outlet for you to serve others. I believe that leading American Soldiers in combat is my calling, but it is not for everyone. Whether you give back to the Boy Scouts by volunteering, lead your community in charities or projects, or serve in a public position, the fact that you are actively trying to live up to the high standards of the Order is enough. No one other than yourself can tell if you have or have not fulfilled your obligation. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is if you can look yourself in the mirror with no regrets. If you looked right now, how would you appear to yourself?
No one, from E. Urner Goodman to the present, ever expected that fulfilling your obligation would be easy. Kitchkinet spoke of loneliness as a leader, and the truth of that statement is known to every person who has stood in front of others. In Afghanistan, I led 33 other men out into the unknown, with potentially deadly consequences. I had a great deal of freedom to plan and act, and on patrol, I was it: the bottom line, the old man, the leader. My Soldiers, many with years of experience, looked to me to lead them into and out of harm’s way. It was a weighty responsibility that aged me and imparted the deepest sense of duty to the mission and to my men. Every day I was aware of the honor and trust bestowed upon me by both my subordinates and my superiors. I will remember the experience with pride. Regardless of the actual way or people or circumstances in which we lead, there will come a time when we have to stand up and make the unpopular decision and do what is right. Can you stand up for what is right in the face of seemingly overwhelming opposition? More importantly, if you do give in, will you forgive yourself for allowing the pressure to change your mind?
In addition to the loneliness of the path we have chosen, we have to present the best possible face to those we lead. Much of the attitude of our followers comes from our personal mood in the midst of adversity. That is the point of the day of fasting. Not to prove that you can go on with only a small amount of food, but that in the face of unpleasantness you have the ability to persevere and even thrive under conditions that would make others shrink from the challenge. We expect our leaders to be capable of more than the ordinary, and we here are all Leaders. Remember that we are a Brotherhood of Cheerful Service, and that our leadership effectiveness is determined in great part by the attitudes of those we lead. Please, look at the people sitting around you. Who do you admire, respect, or wish to emulate? Please look again. Who around the room do you think looks up to you? Take a moment to consider that the next time you want to complain about the rain or the heat or the work. How do your words and actions affect the behavior of the Arrowmen around you?
My final point relates to Meteu’s challenge to remain silent throughout the Ordeal. As we attempt to fulfill our obligation, the only way we can determine if we remain on the path of cheerful service is to pause and reflect. It is not necessary to write a journal or take drastic steps like a daily vow of silence, but the requirement for introspection is there. We can head off into the woods on a straight line like a headstrong boy on an orienteering course, but without pausing to check the map or your compass bearing, the natural terrain of life will throw you off course. And without a backstop, you can wander forever forward while only getting farther and farther away from your destination. Taking the time to self correct or ask those on the journey with you is not a weakness. I constantly seek feedback because I know that perfection is a goal, and not an actuality. As good as we were on patrol as a unit, regardless of enemy contact or the lack thereof, after every mission my Soldiers and I determined what we did well and what we needed to improve. No one was spared constructive criticism, including myself, and we developed into a more effective organization as a result. In your service, if you continue on a path that seems good in the beginning, but you do not check yourself, where is it possible for you to end up?
Allowat Sakima, Nutiket, Kitchkinet, and Meteu did not just love the sounds of their own voices. Every word they spoke was a guide to help us fulfill our obligation as a leader in cheerful service. Regardless of the path we choose, the place we serve, or the people we work with, we can all aspire to make the world a better place one service project, one positive message, one tough decision, or one inspired future leader at a time.
I want to thank you again for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight. I will remain after the Lodge Closing Ceremony if anyone would like to ask me about the speech or my experiences. I will close with just one question: How are you fulfilling your call to service?
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, parents, friends, and Brothers:
I thank you for giving me the opportunity to return to my roots and speak to you. Tonight, I have but one question: How are you fulfilling your obligation to lead in a life of cheerful service? There are many paths of service, but we were all called forth from our peers in recognition of something inside ourselves, of some spark or promise of the future. The purpose of my speech tonight is not to showcase my accomplishments or to glorify the military as the only means of service, but I hope that my appearance here tonight will serve simply as an example of one way to fulfill our obligations. The pre-Ordeal ceremony is a blueprint of what we must do to truly live the ideals of the Order as we ponder the challenges given to us that night. We must take the opportunity granted to us, as the chosen leaders of our fellow Scouts, to set the example and to do what is only right.
I will share with you briefly one story that illustrates many of the points I would like to make tonight. It was the first time I came face to face against the Taliban with my Platoon. On any patrol outside the wire, my small element of Americans and Afghan allies look to me for guidance and direction. I can ask for advice from my subordinates, or call my commander if I have questions, but it is rare that the final decision does not rest on my shoulders. It can be very lonely indeed, especially when the bullets begin to fly. I was always able to call in assets to help us, but the final decision and responsibility for any action was mine.
When we heard the first snap and whistle of the bullets overhead, my Soldiers and I had already been out for nearly five hours with the brutal wind and bright sun beating down on us in the tough Afghan environment. We had already gone to several objectives, and had changed the plan more than once to accommodate on-the-spot intelligence. It would have been very easy to lose our focus on the job at hand, but we knew that the mission came first, and discovering enemy weapons caches was of great importance. So we continued on without gripe or complaint. My unit was split into three different elements when the first shots rang out. We all got behind cover, and searched for the enemy and returned fire, and did what we had to do to keep each other safe and coordinate our united actions -- in spite of our disconnected positions. Combat was what we agreed upon when we joined the Army, and it is the way we all felt we should give back to our country. It is not easy, but all of my Soldiers were willing to do the work they signed up for -- without regrets. The greatest reward is in knowing there is no greater Brotherhood than that of men who have laid their lives on the line for each other. We stayed put, beat off the enemy attack, consolidated our positions, and returned to base. After completion of the mission, we pulled the unit together and conducted an After-Action Review to determine what we should do better in the future. We reflected on what we accomplished and on what we failed to do, and improved as a result.
In this short story, I believe we can all see the impact of the lessons from the Ordeal that show that regardless of the lives we choose to live, the challenges we face along the path of the Arrow continue from the moment we tested the bow until we lay down our heads for our eternal rest.
In the pre-Ordeal ceremony, Allowat Sakima bid us “to spend the day in arduous labor, working gladly, not begrudging. Seek to serve, and thus be faithful to the high ideals and purpose of the Order of the Arrow.” Regardless of the path you choose to follow, there is always some means or outlet for you to serve others. I believe that leading American Soldiers in combat is my calling, but it is not for everyone. Whether you give back to the Boy Scouts by volunteering, lead your community in charities or projects, or serve in a public position, the fact that you are actively trying to live up to the high standards of the Order is enough. No one other than yourself can tell if you have or have not fulfilled your obligation. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is if you can look yourself in the mirror with no regrets. If you looked right now, how would you appear to yourself?
No one, from E. Urner Goodman to the present, ever expected that fulfilling your obligation would be easy. Kitchkinet spoke of loneliness as a leader, and the truth of that statement is known to every person who has stood in front of others. In Afghanistan, I led 33 other men out into the unknown, with potentially deadly consequences. I had a great deal of freedom to plan and act, and on patrol, I was it: the bottom line, the old man, the leader. My Soldiers, many with years of experience, looked to me to lead them into and out of harm’s way. It was a weighty responsibility that aged me and imparted the deepest sense of duty to the mission and to my men. Every day I was aware of the honor and trust bestowed upon me by both my subordinates and my superiors. I will remember the experience with pride. Regardless of the actual way or people or circumstances in which we lead, there will come a time when we have to stand up and make the unpopular decision and do what is right. Can you stand up for what is right in the face of seemingly overwhelming opposition? More importantly, if you do give in, will you forgive yourself for allowing the pressure to change your mind?
In addition to the loneliness of the path we have chosen, we have to present the best possible face to those we lead. Much of the attitude of our followers comes from our personal mood in the midst of adversity. That is the point of the day of fasting. Not to prove that you can go on with only a small amount of food, but that in the face of unpleasantness you have the ability to persevere and even thrive under conditions that would make others shrink from the challenge. We expect our leaders to be capable of more than the ordinary, and we here are all Leaders. Remember that we are a Brotherhood of Cheerful Service, and that our leadership effectiveness is determined in great part by the attitudes of those we lead. Please, look at the people sitting around you. Who do you admire, respect, or wish to emulate? Please look again. Who around the room do you think looks up to you? Take a moment to consider that the next time you want to complain about the rain or the heat or the work. How do your words and actions affect the behavior of the Arrowmen around you?
My final point relates to Meteu’s challenge to remain silent throughout the Ordeal. As we attempt to fulfill our obligation, the only way we can determine if we remain on the path of cheerful service is to pause and reflect. It is not necessary to write a journal or take drastic steps like a daily vow of silence, but the requirement for introspection is there. We can head off into the woods on a straight line like a headstrong boy on an orienteering course, but without pausing to check the map or your compass bearing, the natural terrain of life will throw you off course. And without a backstop, you can wander forever forward while only getting farther and farther away from your destination. Taking the time to self correct or ask those on the journey with you is not a weakness. I constantly seek feedback because I know that perfection is a goal, and not an actuality. As good as we were on patrol as a unit, regardless of enemy contact or the lack thereof, after every mission my Soldiers and I determined what we did well and what we needed to improve. No one was spared constructive criticism, including myself, and we developed into a more effective organization as a result. In your service, if you continue on a path that seems good in the beginning, but you do not check yourself, where is it possible for you to end up?
Allowat Sakima, Nutiket, Kitchkinet, and Meteu did not just love the sounds of their own voices. Every word they spoke was a guide to help us fulfill our obligation as a leader in cheerful service. Regardless of the path we choose, the place we serve, or the people we work with, we can all aspire to make the world a better place one service project, one positive message, one tough decision, or one inspired future leader at a time.
I want to thank you again for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight. I will remain after the Lodge Closing Ceremony if anyone would like to ask me about the speech or my experiences. I will close with just one question: How are you fulfilling your call to service?
