Core Values part of winning team Published Nov. 17, 2008 By Col. Stanford Kekauoha 50th Operations Group SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- I believe we all want to be part of a winning team, we all want to belong to a team that subscribes to high standards of performance, and we all want to be associated with others who share our fundamental beliefs. I suspect there would be few lining up to join an organization that promotes values such as Dishonesty First, Serving Myself, and Mediocrity in All We Do. We are fortunate that our Air Force espouses the core values of Integrity (not dishonesty), Service (not selfishness) and Excellence (not mediocrity). Though we are fortunate today to have Air Force core values that are clearly and succinctly articulated, anyone who joined the service before 1995 will remember a time where our Air Force did not emphasize these core values in our unique culture. Back in 1995, I was assigned to the Pentagon as a young officer amidst a very challenging time for our Air Force. The Air Force was struggling through the aftermath of the F-15 Eagle friendly-fire incident involving two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters that cost the lives of 26 Airmen, Soldiers and civilians. Though the Air Force emerged from that challenge bruised and battered, our Chief of Staff, General Ronald Fogleman gave a speech that focused on three simple, yet powerful core values. We know these values today as Integrity First, Service before Self, and Excellence in All We Do. I view integrity simply as doing the right thing, even when others aren't looking. In my short time here, I have witnessed many people doing the right thing, living up to the Air Force's core value of integrity. Service before self has taken on renewed emphasis with our new Chief of Staff asking us to adopt a "Send Me" attitude. Though this may seem like a new edict from General Norton Schwartz, the 50th Space Wing was already well down the path of sending battle-ready Airmen forward to engage in the Global War on Terrorism in a multitude of assignments including improvised explosive device hunts and critical convoy activities. Today, approximately 10 percent of our workforce is deployed at any given time...many have asked to "Send Me." Excellence in all we do is not just a saying but an attitude we display in our daily activities. It's been great seeing the daily display professionalism at Schriever, from wing retreats, to our support for the Hennessy Trophy Evaluation Team and world class space operations. The exit to the north portals displays the following phrase: "Excellence is a Journey...not a Destination." Not only do we strive for excellence in all we do, but this quest for excellence never ends. We all want to be part of a winning team. Integrity First, Service before Self, and Excellence in all we do are those core values that allow us to be on that winning Air Force team!