This lesson will cover the USAF and CAP Core Values with specific emphasis on how these apply in command. It will start with a brief definition of each and how they apply to command. It will conclude with the meat of the lesson which uses actual case studies to illustrate how core values apply in command.

Col Timothy Timmons wrote in his book, Commanding An Air Force Squadron, "Commanding a squadron is the only time in your career when you are simultaneously close to the mission and in command. Any duty below squadron command may be close to the mission, but the mission is being accomplished somebody else’s way. Duty above squadron command may involve command and doing things your way, but you are too far removed from the mission and the people. Squadron command is the one point in time when you have the best of both worlds.

Commanding a squadron is not an easy task—a commander is fully involved in every aspect, nook, and cranny of the unit. The duty encompasses every second of every day the commander holds the unit flag; he must eat, sleep, and drink his squadron, full time. The commander’s job is unique in the unit; no other job approaches it in scope—the commander exists on his own turf" and must use the Core Values as the foundation for all squadron efforts.

Below you will find each CAP Core Value with a brief definition and a corresponding application to command. This is the Readers Digest version and is meant to be used for reference as you contemplate how you will apply them in commanding your squadron. Then you can test your understanding by applying the Core Values to some hypothetical situations in which Core Values were challenged.

Integrity is a character trait. It is the willingness to do what is right even when no one is looking.

Integrity ordinarily means forthright honesty. It means being the kind of person others can rely on for accurate, complete, and timely disclosure of facts. All of this is true but as a moral ideal, integrity demands more than being the kind of person who can be counted on to tell the truth. Integrity also demands we be persons of good character. This, in fact, is the original sense of the word "integrity" as "integratedness," "wholeness," or "wholesomeness."

The Air Force has a similar value called "service before self." We embrace this core value and reflect it in our spirit of volunteerism. It is the willingness and ability to give of oneself, sometimes at the ultimate sacrifice of life. Also, it goes beyond simply giving our time; it extends to the willingness to obey the rules and regulations of CAP, the Air Force and our nation. Ultimately, it means we must have respect for fellow members and practice self-discipline.

We should always be in continual pursuit of excellence; there is no room for the "good enough" mentality in the CAP. Good enough is never good enough and anything less violates the sacred trust the American public places in us.

The effectiveness of any organization is greatly dependent upon the environment in which people work. We must create an atmosphere in the CAP where mutual respect abounds, making way for prosperity, innovation and excellence in serving this great nation.

The Air Force and CAP Core Values should be internalized and lived by each member, and much of the responsibility for their application rests with each person. However, as a squadron commander, the Core Values establish the basic framework from which your squadron will take its direction so there are some unique and very special ways in which Core Values apply to squadron command.

Now let’s look at some actual case studies where Core Values were not followed, having dire consequences on mission accomplishment.

You are the scout master for your base’s only Boy Scout troop. Your troop recently finished a lengthy fund raising drive and purchased some much-needed camping equipment to replace equipment that had been chewed up by mice in their scout hut. The troop now needs some decent, air-tight storage containers to help protect the equipment. You are the commander of the local CAP squadron and you know that such containers have been gathering dust in your organization for some time. The containers had been used to ship spare aircraft parts and then put into a storeroom to get them out of the way. The containers are recyclable and could be sent back to depot.

1. Should you use these containers to store the scout troop equipment? Why or why not?

2. If you had used them under these circumstances, which core values did you compromise? Explain.

3. What if you did use the containers without obtaining approval and 3 months later the containers were needed for military purposes? How would you handle this situation?

4. How should you handle the issue of getting the equipment donated to the scout troop so you could use them legally?

LtCol Jones is the maintenance officer. Her troops, many of them young with little extra money and old cars, don’t have access to auto hobby shops which provide tools and resources to make repairs. Several of the airmen have asked for her permission to use squadron tools to do off-duty work on their own vehicles. She knows they’re unable to use the auto hobby shop so she decides to let her troops use CAP tools and made a CAP vehicle maintenance bay available to them.

1. Assuming there is no adverse mission impact and the maintenance officer does nothing to hide what is taking place--after all, she thinks this is a reasonable accommodation, do you think there is anything wrong with this situation? Explain.

2. Service before self tells us that a good leader places the troops ahead of one’s own comfort. What’s wrong with taking care of the troops?

3. Part of integrity is moral courage--doing what is right even if the personal cost is high. Did the maintenance officer do the right thing? How could she have been more innovative in coming to a different solution?

Sunday morning Capt Roberts was planning to sleep in when the phone rang. Roberts answers the phone and is surprised to hear the unit commander, Maj White, say "I’m looking for volunteers to fill sandbags for a nearby community threatened by a flood." Capt Roberts says he has plans for the day and will not be able to help. He will see what he can do the following weekend.

1. How do the core values relate to a situation like this?

2. Why would a CAP unit’s relationship with the local community be part of your responsibility? What if your wing commander believes it is, and prompts regular "volunteer" projects?

3. Capt Roberts didn’t give a specific reason for not helping. Is his performance less than excellent in his duty?

4. Based upon the core value of volunteer service, when must you respond to requests for help and when is enough enough?