In the daily news around the world, we see violence, division, debate, accusations, and all kinds of conflict.  It makes me wonder how a community, a nation, a world that is so divided can come together in unity as one people.  Do we even value one another?

Man divides itself for a number of reasons – color, creed, sex, religion, lifestyle, economic class, political party, favorite football team, even fashion taste. We watch as these differences drive a wedge between us.  The wedge is so strong that conflict breaks out, eventually leading to violence.  Violence escalates through retaliation.  People who didn’t even see the wedge are drawn into the fight.  Eventually, we are all on “sides” pitted against one another.  People who might normally get along together, and could be best friends, refuse to even coexist, all because they don’t share the same trait, belief, or value.

Learning to Value Unity

I grew up in a small town, sheltered from cultural diversity.  I knew a bit of economic diversity. My family lived in a poor neighborhood but my school friends were upper and middle class.  Our school had our little social groups – ala the Breakfast Club movie – but we never let that bother us, and we comingled just fine.  For the most part, we lived and let live together in our own community.

I think back to the pictured coin I keep in a display case above my piano. It shows the Army core values emblazoned as a constant reminder to treat each other well and follow the Golden Rule.  Today’s Army Core Values are: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. (At the time I joined the military, these were not yet adopted, although we practiced them through our Army Code of Conduct and Soldier’s Creed.  These core values became official sometime in the 90’s.)

When I first learned the Army values, it was at a time when I was in a bit of culture shock.  In high school, I joined the Army and shipped off to basic training, I left that small town and got dropped off at the Fort Dix reception center.  I plunged into a world with new people from throughout the country.  They looked different.  They talked different.  They listened to different music.  They had different backgrounds.  I wondered if I would fit in.

Uncle Sam wasted no time.  Our “civvies” were stripped away from us, and we were all dressed in Army Green.  Gone were the Kangol hats and the Puma sneakers. The boom boxes and cassettes were put away.  All our personal effects were replaced by Army versions, most of which were colored olive green. We all got issued the same wardrobe. On went the combat boots and the BDUs.  Even our civilian eyeglasses were replaced by what we lovingly called “BCGs”.

We became as one.  I was one soldier, in one squad, in one platoon, in one company, in one battalion, in one Army.  Basic training had its manipulative tactics to build unity.  Make us all look the same, march the same, behave the same, do the same.  Build the team to work together for common goals. We were to share the same purpose.  We were to share the same values.  We valued each other as equal, because we all bled Army Green.

So the Army values got driven into each and every one of us.  We had to commit to them, and more importantly, we had to live them. We were put in situations to practice them.  Some of us exercised them better than others.  Comradery developed around those who demonstrated the values. Lifetime bonds formed.

We were expected to behave according to our values, and to treat others with respect and integrity.

The Value of Values

Common core values made it easier to trust one another.  Behavior with one another was predictable, and it was always caring, respectful, loyal, and trustworthy.

But core values cannot be injected into you like a patch sewn on your uniform.  What you do is a better indicator of your values than what you say.  Your values are might be taught, but you need to own them.  You have want to live them.  You should adopt them and drive them into your inner being. You need commitment to them. No matter what, you follow them. Your core values are non-negotiable. 

Left to our own devices, man divides himself. In that first day of basic training, if we were not broken down, with our personal effects taken away, and then built up as a uniformed unit, what would we have done?  I’ll bet that we would break up into little social groups.  There would be division in the ranks.  There would be conflict.  We would have formed communities around our areas of commonality – whether it be color, geography, religion, etc.  The Army made us one community.

When we all share values, we learn to value one another.  We can take pride in our community, or hold strong to our faith, without opposing others for doing the same.

Can values exist across communities? Can the diversity of our communities have unity in values? Shared values enable shared purpose. They help us work together for a common good.  If we can get our diverse communities to have shared values, we can come together as a people while we still take pride in our diversity.

Do you have core values? Are they compatible with our diverse society? How often do you actually live up to them?

Army Core Values

Do you need a foundation to start your own personal core values?  Here are the Army Core Values as defined by the U.S. Army.

LOYALTY: Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other Soldiers. Bearing true faith and allegiance is a matter of believing in and devoting yourself to something or someone. A loyal Soldier is one who supports the leadership and stands up for fellow Soldiers. By wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army you are expressing your loyalty. And by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your unit.

DUTY: Fulfill your obligations. Doing your duty means more than carrying out your assigned tasks. Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team. The work of the U.S. Army is a complex combination of missions, tasks and responsibilities — all in constant motion. Our work entails building one assignment onto another. You fulfill your obligations as a part of your unit every time you resist the temptation to take “shortcuts” that might undermine the integrity of the final product.

RESPECT: Treat people as they should be treated. In the Soldier’s Code, we pledge to “treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same.” Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best in other people. Respect is trusting that all people have done their jobs and fulfilled their duty. And self-respect is a vital ingredient with the Army value of respect, which results from knowing you have put forth your best effort. The Army is one team and each of us has something to contribute.

SELFLESS SERVICE: Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he or she can add to the effort.

HONOR: Live up to Army values. The nation’s highest military award is The Medal of Honor. This award goes to Soldiers who make honor a matter of daily living — Soldiers who develop the habit of being honorable, and solidify that habit with every value choice they make. Honor is a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity and personal courage in everything you do.

INTEGRITY: Do what’s right, legally and morally. Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others. As your integrity grows, so does the trust others place in you. The more choices you make based on integrity, the more this highly prized value will affect your relationships with family and friends, and, finally, the fundamental acceptance of yourself.

PERSONAL COURAGE: Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with our Army. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.

Unity in Diversity

As I watch current events, I struggle to see how our nation and our world can come together when everything we do drives us apart.  We focus on our differences rather than our common values.

It certainly is not practical to put us all in uniform and make us all act the same, as Uncle Sam so successfully did to me in the 80’s.  Diversity is valuable and it enables us to grow and reach places we cannot even fathom.

Diversity must not lead to division. Pride in your group does not have to result in disparaging others. Diversity in culture and unity in value are not mutually exclusive.

We need common core values as human beings. Regardless of our color, heritage, sex, language, religion, nationality, profession, etc. we need to value one another.  Our respect, integrity, trust, compassion, empathy, service, and love should not be limited to our own bounded community.  In a country where we claim all men are created equal, we need to learn to value one another as such. 

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. It has been taught for thousands of years. When will we learn?