These words appear on fitness reports, buildings, even T-shirts.
They are incorporated into speeches and admonished at captain's mast. Given their pervasive use in the naval service, those called to espouse their virtues should know their origins.
In April 1992, a report from Chaplain William Dillon entitled "Beyond Rhetoric: A New American Agenda for Children and Families" prompted Captain Larry Ellis, Chaplain of the Marine Corps, to put pen to paper. Writing to Commandant General Carl E. Mundy Jr., he noted:
Many of the values to which the U.S. Marine Corps is committed are no longer supported by contemporary culture. The need to defend and support the values fundamental to the Corps requires a focused effort. . . . The strength of the Marine Corps is leadership within a context of honor, sustained by sacrifice. This strength has the potential to remedy the weaknesses of a culture that has forgotten that its young need to be mentored and nurtured, that a sense of honor must be taught, that for the good of all, individuals must be willing to sacrifice personal prerogatives. The Corps, therefore, has an opportunity and the obligation to protect Marines from the destructive consequences of an immoral lifestyle by teaching character and instilling a code of Honor.
In response, the Commandant offered his wholehearted support, penning over the memo, "Need to investigate and get an ethics and moral values effort going!"
The task of coordinating the effort was assigned to lieutenant General M. T. Cooper, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. After weeks of research, General Cooper was prepared to recommend five core values. As Deputy Chaplain of the Marine Corps, working on behalf of the Chaplain of the Marine Corps, I suggested three. When Generals Mundy and Cooper met to determine what values would be adopted, they decided to promulgate three: honor, courage, and commitment.
What prompted the general and I to recommend these particular values? After researching speeches and quotes from philosophers, presidents, military leaders, heads of state, writers, and a host of others, two values in particular caught my attention: courage and honor.
* Courage. Although it does not usually appear first, courage was the first value I recommended. As a World War II history buff, I was drawn to the words of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, spoken during the Battle of Britain: "Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all the others." I also was inspired by President John F. Kennedy, who, reflecting on that same war, wrote, "The stories of past courage can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration, but they cannot provide courage itself. For that, each person must look into one's own soul." How can one be a U.S. Marine without courage? It requires courage to fight in combat; it requires courage to do what is right. When I recommended courage, I did not realize that General Cooper, too, had included it among the five values he prepared to submit to the Commandant.
* Honor. In Nicomachian Ethics, Aristotle identifies honor as the summation of virtues in an individual. Honor, in the philosopher's words, is the "prize of virtue." General Cooper argued for integrity, a value the Navy already had adopted, but I believed honor was a far more encompassing and teachable value.
* Commitment. Given the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis, it was no surprise General Cooper recommended commitment. Synonymous with fidelity, commitment is critical in relationships, both personal and business. Whether it is a four-year service contract or a marriage vow, you cannot succeed without being personally committed to those who depend on you in good times and bad, in war or in peace. Responsible for manpower, General Cooper was aware of the number of young men and women who graduated from recruit training but never completed their first terms of service. He also knew people do not follow uncommitted leaders. By reminding Marines of the importance of keeping their commitments, the general sought to promote retention, strengthen mission readiness, and enhance quality of life for Marines and their loved ones.
The core values were promulgated in a speech by General Mundy (see sidebar) that was videotaped and distributed throughout the Marine Corps. Unfortunately, it received little attention at the time, overshadowed by the debate over the Department of Defense homosexual exclusion policy. One person who did take note was Admiral Frank Kelso. In October 1992, while serving as Acting Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Kelso directed that the Navy's core values of Integrity, Professionalism, and Tradition be altered. From that point on, Honor, Courage, and Commitment became the core values of the entire U.S. naval service.
Following the retirement of both General Mundy and Admiral Kelso, subsequent Commandants and Chiefs of Naval Operations have affixed their signatures, together with the Secretary of the Navy, to a "Core Values Charter." This document affirms the naval services' dedication to the core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment, "to build the foundation of trust and leadership upon which our strength is based and victory is achieved," and calls on every member of the naval service—active, reserve, and civilian—to be faithful to these guiding principles.
Naval leaders must ensure that honor, courage, and commitment are not just words, but the enduring values by which they and all sea service personnel abide. General Mundy's core values speech is as meaningful to both Sailors and Marines today as it was then.
Captain Gomulka is command chaplain at Naval Base Ventura County and group chaplain for the 31st Seabee Readiness Group.