#honor code

I’m a fan of Admiral McRaven, way before he was ever an admiral and the man who developed the war plan that resulted in the demise of Osama Bin Laden.  My first readings were technical papers he wrote that eventually became a must read of Special Operators in the 80s & 90s.  Since his retirement he has written must reads for life and leaders.  One such book I recently came across from him was entitled The Hero Code.  The book and chapters within are small and short reads but are amazingly impactful with historical lessons both personal and otherwise to illustrate each component of the code.  When I finished reading The Hero Code, it was obvious to me the code for a hero is in line with what it takes to be a leader. Remember the first person one leads is themselves!  The Hero Code is reminiscent of similar codes of valor to include The Scout law, Ranger Creed, and my personal values.  Here is the code for you to read in toto:

I will always strive to be COURAGEOUS; to take one step forward as I confront my fears.

I will work to be HUMBLE; to recognize the limits of my intellect, my understanding, and my power.

I will learn to SACRIFICE by giving a little of my time, my talent, and my treasure to those in need.

I will be a person of INTEGRITY; every decision I make and every action I take will be MORAL, LEGAL, and ETHICAL.

I will be kind and COMPASSIONATE to at least one person every single day and expect nothing in return.

I will never give up on matters that are important to me, my family, my country, or my faith. I will PERSERVERE.

Whatever job I am given, whatever DUTY I am bound by, I will do it to the best of my ability.

I will use my unique talents to inspire others and give them HOPE, that tomorrow will be a better day.

I will use HUMOR to comfort others, and never be afraid to laugh at myself.

 No matter how great or small the offense against me, I will try to FORGIVE. I will be the victor, not the victim.

Ten Awesome Points! After reading the book which expanded on each aspect of the code, I realize we all at some points in life were taught or introduced to some form of a code.  For me, several codes and oaths with each building on the next level. The relevance’s of which depended on station in life and of course, all codes have their place as well.  Whether it was The Ten Commandments, The Scout Oath and Law, OATH of the Military, Oath of office etc. they all express some simple condensed version for something better.  If nothing else, oaths and codes help you in the development of your values.

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeves

Robert P. Jones in Religon Dispatches. My Book on The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity Was One of Hundreds Just Banned by the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Jones links to a static PDF hosted by The New York Times showing the whole list of banned titles.

I was not a good student. I'm old now, and look back with profound gratitude for my encounter with books in school.

My college education was prior to computerized search. Today my online searches still bring up books, book chapters and excerpts. But for study the physical books are still important and not the least for their indexes. Often to understand texts I needed to find out about topics the author of the text presumed familiarity with. A process of puzzle piecing is essential to for understanding. Academic books are built for the process. Banning books is corrosive to understanding.

Honor Code (A. P. Indy) top & Honor A. P. (Honor Code), both taken at Lane's End.