Integrity and the Air Force

Integrity is very important to have, not only in the Air Force but to mainly ourselves. I feel that integrity is a very important part of my life and is an important trait in general because there are many things that fall under integrity. Courage, honesty, being responsible, taking accountability for your actions as well as the actions of others, good communication, a sense of justice, being open to ideas and others opinions, being humble to others and our duties, and an overall optimism or positive outlook are few of the many things that fall under integrity. An Airman is supposed to be a person who's core is built off of integrity, which is why it is our first, and in my own opinion, the most important ore value.
Without integrity, we lack other traits that would make us exceptional Airmen. "Doing what is right, even when no one is looking” Is what the Air Force defines as integrity. Without integrity we wouldn't be able to fulfill service before self and achieve excellence in all we do. Some pay no mind to integrity and they believe that integrity is not an important trait to possess, and hence, I don't believe that integrity is something that someone is born with. I feel that it is something that is implemented in you, throughout the course of your life.
Your parents and family members are the first people who instill your integrity or lack of integrity. When growing up, you learn from them and the morals and values that they possess, becomes your own. If some ones parent and family members fail to value integrity, so will you. Fortunately, integrity is something that you can gain over time regardless of what you were taught in your early years, and is enforce at Air Force basic military training. It is most valuable in the Air Force, in the workplace, and life in general.
As defenders of our nation, to protect the very people who taught us what is right and what is wrong, we should practice what we preach, act with the thought of courage and justice in