Personal traits of character stand out Published April 22, 2009 By Capt. Bobby Schmitt 21st Operations Support Squadron PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- Martin Luther King Jr. explained character best as "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." We often hear our leaders refer to character as an extremely desirable trait in all Airmen. High moral character is something that, as Airmen, we should all strive for. Without Airmen of character, it is difficult to imagine how our Air Force would be as strong as it is today. As we all know, not everyone meets this standard, but we know many around us who do. These individuals seem to "have it", but we don't exactly know why. What is it about these individuals that make them stand out as Airmen of character? It can be difficult to put a finger on, but I would argue that there are two big things that each of these individuals has in common. Two important traits of someone who has high moral character are selfless service and accepting responsibility for their actions. Selfless behavior is easy to recognize in most Airmen. Selfless behavior is the young Airman willing to take on a job for someone who is sick, or the master sergeant who works late to cover for one of his peers, or the captain who helps an overworked Airman complete his daily duties. Selfless behavior is also the less obvious, such as the Airman who spends extra time to iron his shirt or shine his boots to demonstrate pride in his Air Force and his nation. Selfless behavior is something we should all consider when we think about our own personal character. As leaders at all levels, we should always strive to set the example by being selfless in everything we do. Accepting responsibility for someone's actions is usually much easier said than done. Accepting responsibility shows your subordinates and superiors that you hold yourself accountable to a higher standard, and tends to be contagious. Earlier in my career, I was faced with an opportunity to "sweep something under the rug" while working operations crew in 2002. My crew failed to conduct an operational test prior to the deadline as required in our technical order by a mere two minutes. Despite the temptation to ignore this and try to cover it up to avoid admitting failure, I called the operations officer and admitted that we failed to accomplish our task on time. Rather than reprimand me for this, he praised us for our integrity and willingness to accept responsibility for our failure. More importantly, I was provided an opportunity to set the example for the crew chief and young Airman on my crew and did not make the wrong decision. This event resonates with me to this day. Although not all-inclusive, this is a good starting point to see how your character measures up. Are you the selfless supervisor who takes personal time to help his subordinates or are you the person who tries to get out of everything? Are you the person willing to accept responsibility for something that you could easily get away with? I would consider these questions as you analyze your personal character and use them to help yourself grow now and in the future.