A Gift from Your Former Flight Commander

[Dana Cruz]

To Kilo Flight:

At the end of every chapter in one's life, there comes a point of self-reflection.  From mine, I compiled a list of lessons I learned from from ROTC.  They are a compilation of various quotes, sayings, proverbs, lyrics, Wing visions, etc from these past four years. 

As a final parting gift from your mama/papa whale, I am sharing it with you as you continue on in your journey.

ROTC Lessons from Lt Cruz

1. Integrity isn't a buzzword.  It's your foundation and your heading.  Live by the honor code, not because you're told to, but because it is the right thing to do.  Integrity is not doing things right, it's doing the right thing.  People want trustworthy leaders--they will do anything and everything for them.  And when it is all said and done, one of things you will always have is your integrity. 
2. Humility is the answer.  Humility is taking your work seriously, without taking yourself seriously. The biggest obstacle in life is your ego.  Thinking that you know or everything is self-delusion.  At the same time, humility is not lukewarmness or incessant self-doubting.  Just as nobody got time for arrogant leaders, ain't nobody got time for indifferent or weak leaders. 
3. Seek excellence, not glory.  Your self-worth, self-respect, and self-dignity are worth more than any award.  Your character is more instrumental to the leader you become than any recognition. Seek continual self-improvement.  
   
4. Your job as a leader? Know your boss's expectations.  Ensure your followers know your expectations.  Make yourself competent.  Become an expert.  Become a valued member, where other's trust you.  Utilize your strengths.  Discern your weaknesses.  Improve both.  Choose to become invaluable. One becomes a leader by choice, not a position.  
5. Go above and beyond.  Challenge yourself.  Why do the bare minimum when you can do so much more? You are preparing to enter a competitive world.  Set yourself up for success by doing what others aren't doing today, so you can do tomorrow what others cannot.  Set the standard-set it high.  But set it knowing that you are aiming to do YOUR best, not THE best (which is not possible). 
6. Accountability. After setting your standards, hold others and yourself accountable in that pursuit.  Don't be a hypocrite.  But push others--it's how you push an organization to a top-tier level.  Excellence in purpose, Accountability in Practice. 
7. Learn from your mistakes.  When you see a problem, fix it!  You are supposed to make them in this program!  Sometime it's how you learn.  Sometimes it's how your followers learn. 
8. Innovation is the future! Don't keep doing things for the sake of doing them how they have been done before.  Think outside of the box.  Be a ground breaker, a trailblazer.  Revolutionize the way things are done. Assess what isn't working.  Ascertain ways to improve it.  Make yourself the innovator, and you make yourself a part of the future. 
9. One team, one fight!  Leadership is synergizing the strengths of capable Airmen and yourself.  It's Leadership, Synergy, Teamwork.  If you take everything upon yourself, then you yourself will fail. But if you make it a team effort, then together everyone achieves more. Delegate to capable Airmen. But always follow up!  Trust but verify.  Bottom line: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.  
10. Mutual respect. The saying goes: Mission first, people ALWAYS.  You are set to lead people, living, breathing, people with lives.  Remember that you need to earn their respect as much as they earn yours.  Take care of them and they will take care of you. 
11. Communication.  Develop it, improve it, and never stop using it.  Mission breakdown occurs typically because of communication breakdown.  So know how to communicate with others, from your peers to your commanders.  Keep them in the loop.  And remember, communication is just as much talking verbally and nonverbally as it is listening.  Be aware.  Be cognizant.  Be present.  Become a master of communication. 
12. Remember the bigger picture.  It is so easy in life to get stuck into the details.  Remember your end goals.  Remember what the whole point of this.  From there you can orient yourself to your true purpose, your true  direction, and your true heading. 
13. Be ready at any moment.  Leadership is a lifestyle.  Therefore be ready at all times to lead, even when it is inconvenient.  You are preparing for a service commitment where you are on the government's call at any time.  Be ready to hit the ground running as a GMC, a new POC, a new anything.  You are always on parade.  
14. Organization.  Don't dilly dally though life living off every whim.  That's how one ends up in a pit filled with pain and regret.  Fortunately, ROTC provides some structure to your life.  Try to make it consistent throughout your life's schedule. Use a planner, set up reminders, provide a structure to facilitate the many great things you have to do. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.  Thereafter, move with a sense of urgency. 
15. Just do it.  In college, there's always a bunch of other things you'd rather be doing.  Procastination is tempting.  But a true person succeeds with necessary discipline.  It's not about doing what you WANT, but doing what you NEED.  Listen to your heart about what you need to do.  And then just do it.  Sit yourself down and force yourself to keep at your task relentlessly.  Humans are meant to be industrious.  When unnecessary thoughts of Facebook surface, tell yourself business first, pleasure later.  Work hard then play hard. 
16. Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Pitiful Performance.  Proper planning sets you up for success.  Know what is coming up in the horizon.  It's about not just looking forward, but looking ahead.  From there, plan accordingly.  
17. Flexibility is the key to Airpower.  As much as you can try to prepare for anything, understand that life throws your curve balls, sometimes walls.  These are always meant to help you in the long run.  Simply remember your main objective.  Readjust and reset.  Life, like sports, is beginning and beginning again. 
18. Persistence is keeping your head up.  Perseverance is keeping calm and carrying on.  ROTC is designed to throw you into the eye of the storm.  You can either run like a chicken with it's head cut off, or you can take your stand, take a step back, take a deep breathe, use the OODA loop, and then get right back at it.   Know your objectives.  And get it done.  Dedication and Determination leads to Courage and Success. 
19. Attitude is everything.  In life, the only thing you can control is yourself.  It is not so much that seeing is believing, but that believing is seeing.  So be not afraid of whatever life has to offer you.  Be not afraid of the leadership opportunities that are given to you at a second's notice. Be not afraid of the challenges that lie ahead.  FEAR is false evidence appearing real. Throw away those false notions and accept the challenge.  And remember, you ARE capable enough to handle the obstacles handed to you.  Never doubt that.
20. Opportunities are made, not chosen. You have the power to turn every instance into an opportunity, a lesson learned, a stepping stone in what makes and defines you into a better person.  If life doesn't go the way you planned, turn it into an opportunity.  See the blessings in disguise. 
21. Enjoy life.  "If you're not busy living, then you are busy dying."  So make the best of life.  Live every second as if its your last.  Don't waste life's opportunities.  Motivate yourself and your team.  Make memories with your peers.  They will remain with you and you may even make lifelong friendships.  
    
22. There is no limit. Don't let others, or even worse, yourself limit you.  You define the horizon, the plane you fly, and the speed at which you fly.  You can force yourself into a box and say you can't do anything.  Or you can make yourself an asymptote reaching zero. Live zero space. You get closer and closer to achieving your ultimate goals until you simply become infinity.

It has not only been a joy, but an honor and privilege to train you all.  I can't wait to see the wonderful leaders each of you become.  You each have an ember of potential.  Set yourself aflame.  And become the leaders you were meant to be.  I salute you, Kilo Flight. 

I wish you the best in your future endeavors, both in ROTC and life.  Keep in touch and God speed.  

Charlie Mike, 

~Mama/Papa Whale