Importance of Honor Guard

Of the pillars of National Honor Society, the first that I believe I exhibit is character. I am outgoing and love

Twenty-six years ago I a 17-year-old boy joined the United States Army. I served my country faithfully for 22 years, two months and four days; I served in the Transportation Corps. My time in the army was a special period in my life. I gain a lot of life experiences as well as professional ones; the military shaped and molded me into the husband, father son, and brother that I am today. During my service, I grew up and learned several life lessons that would serve me well in and out of the army. To get a real understand on how the military shaped me into the person, I am today; I must first give you some insight into the person I was before I left for basic training. I graduated high school in 1991 just four months’ shy of my 18th birthday;

I am no longer fighting for myself, but for my nation and for my fallen comrades whose death must not be in vain.

beliefs on as well as their standards. Honor Goes hand and hand with Loyatly. To be loyal to a cause greater then my own is one reason that drove

Never criticize the Army or a leader in public. Never go “over the heads” of superiors—don't jump the chain of command. Never offer excuses. Never “wear” a superior's rank by saying something like, “the first sergeant wants this done now,” when in fact the first sergeant said no such thing. Speak with your own voice. Never turn and walk away to avoid giving the hand salute. Never run indoors or pretend you don't hear (while driving, for example) to avoid standing reveille or retreat. Never appear in uniform while under the influence of alcohol. If you don't know the answer to a superior’s question, you will never go wrong with the response, “I don't know sir, but I'll find

Integrity is one of the Army’s core values and one of the cornerstones of the army. The cornerstones of the army are important because they are the very fundamentals that we all must live to uphold. We must always embody and live up to the core beliefs and fundamentals of the army. We must try every day to respect and uphold the army core values and beliefs. These core beliefs are what all the rest of the army beliefs and discipline is built upon in the founding of the army. If we live up to the core beliefs of the army, we are honoring all who have served before. We also honor all those who have yet to serve by leaving the service better than we came to it. We are also honoring all those who have paid the ultimate price for their country. If, we cannot live to uphold the very fundamentals and the very cornerstones of the army way of life then we are letting our peers, subordinates, and senior leaders down. Not only are we letting our peers, subordinates, and senior leaders down but we are letting down all those who have come before and all those yet to come into the service. Not only are we letting our army down we are also letting down all the people who we defend, protect, help and support around the world. By the lack of integrity, we cause our fellow soldiers, leaders, and their families’ trouble as well. We also lose the trust of our peers, and we ostracize our self into becoming the outcast of

I am proud to say that both my grandma and grandpa served in the military. The experiences that they have had are invaluable to learn about. Their stories keep the service they have done alive and helps to enrich others about what serving the country is like. They do not glout about their service, but are humbled to have been able to make a contribution to the nation’s security. If not for my grandpa’s service, I would not be here today as he met my grandma through it. I respect his service and sacrifice for the country of today.

There are many reasons in that in this world we have rules, regulations, laws, traffic signs, and other means of directions that individuals must follow for various reasons. Without the utmost care to follow these rules, things that could easily be prevented may happen, resulting in very negative things. This however, is even more important when in the Army, as the consequences can be very severe. The Army has a plethora of rules and regulations that all soldiers, regardless of rank or duty station must follow. These rules and regulations are put forth to us for various reasons. These reasons can range from having a professional appearance to keeping yourself alive. The most common rules and regulations are about common courtesy and appearance. These are important to all soldiers, as this is what the citizens of not only the United States of the America judge us from, but also most of the world judges our nation based soley on the individuals of the Army. Since we as a group are split all across the world, many people see us each and everyday. Some countries only see Americans through the soldiers they see everyday. We represent the pride and honor of the American nation, and without following the rules and regulations that govern these common courtisies and appearance we do nothing but fail at our duty, and let down the American people. A small, but notable reason to follow the regulations of the army is the

Respect, especially in the Army is a very important value to live by. It is much more than just talking kindly and listening to someone. It is the process of taking into consideration someone’s emotions, feelings and needs. You must also focus on their ideas, thoughts, and preferences. It is showing someone that you value their time; that you care what they have to say. Showing someone respect allows that person to know and acknowledge that you are tracking them and that you comprehend and believe in what they are saying, It is important to allow someone to feel your respect for them. It will ease the conversation and create trust. Behavior and attitude will allow the person demanding respect to feel that respect. When we

While I wish I was strong enough, honorable enough, and brave enough to serve the United States, I know that I will find a way to contribute to the success of those who do.

I learned so much about the prestige of being in the Army. Dawning this uniform every day comes with significant weight. This isn’t limited in scope to General Officers, or those in public relations – it extends to every member of the organization. Everything you do is reflective of the Army, directly or indirectly and by being unprofessional – you are compromising the trust the organization has put in you. It is important to remain cognizant of the fact that regardless of who we are with or where we are – we bear the burden of being an ambassador of the Army and each of its values.

Officers of my unit will have maximum time to accomplish their duties; they will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my soldiers. I will be loyal to those with whom I serve; seniors, peers, and subordinates alike. I will exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders. I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage. I will not forget, nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are professionals, Noncommissioned Officers, leaders!

Customs and courtesies display signs of respect not only from one ranking to another (which seems to be the major focus these days) but also as a sign of brotherhood. We do these gestures and display our respect to one another in a way that should always show our loyalty to each other. From the time we enter the service we are taught to be there for each other and to trust and respect the person next to you always even though that person can be a complete stranger. In my opinion, we have, over time, lost sight of the values our customs and courtesies are designed to teach us. Customs and courtesies help make life orderly and are a way of showing respect. Customs are regular, expected actions. They have been repeated over and over again and passed from one leader to another over many generations. Courteous actions show your concern and respect for others you work for and work with also for certain object or symbols, such as the American flag. The use of customs, courtesies, and ceremonies helps keep discipline and order in any military organization. Still being used today every day from the playing of Reveille to

My first visit to the Naval Academy was on family trip while in grammar school. On this and subsequent visits, the young men and women who chose to devote their lives to country and service greatly impressed me. As a high school student, I had the good fortune to experience Academy life via my acceptance to the competitive Summer STEM program, my invitation to Candidate Visit Weekend, and my participation in the Elite Throws Sports Camp. Through these first-hand experiences, I grew in awareness and commitment to an Academy education as an opportunity to enable me to serve my country. Moreover, I am honored to be a member of a gold star family, via my uncle Senior Master Sergeant Peter Bondi, recently deceased on active duty, and to have had a grandfather who served in the National Guard. Eulogies delivered for my Uncle Peter reflected a life of service and were a source of inspiration that fueled my resolve to serve.

Parents, the Scoutmasters need your help as we update Scout records prior to the Court of Honor. We need to know what merit badges and rank advancements your Scouts have earned. Please have your Scouts bring their books and list of merit badges earned. Also, the Court of Honor is rescheduled from this Friday to Wednesday 30 Aug.