VIP Speech
given by Gregory A. Cohen, MSgt, USAF
SECOND QUARTER VIP SPEECH
What does it mean to be a VIP? After serving 23 years in uniform…and meeting people from all walks of life from all over the world… I have developed my own opinions of what it means to be a VIP and I find myself basing my opinions on the three Air Force Core Values that have been embedded into my everyday life. The Air Force makes it clear that these tenants known as the Core Values are much more than the minimum standard. They remind us of what it takes to get the mission done in spite of any condition. They inspire us to do our very best at all times. They are the common bond among my comrades in arms, and they are the glue that unifies the Air Force and ties us to the great warriors and public servants of the past. Being a VIP places you in a very similar situation, you and your comrades being recognized here today have performed at a level that has proven you can get the mission done in spite of whatever distractions you have. All of you have inspired the teacher, faculty member, administrator or other high school staff that took the time to nominate and justify why you deserve this award …YOU inspired them to nominate you. Once you don this prestigious T-shirt you are forever linked to and challenged by all of the VIP recipients of the past to carry-on the same spirit that got you here. You can use these core values as a gauge to measure whether or not you’re reaching that potential.
The initial Air Force Core Value is “Integrity First”. An Airman is a person of integrity, courage and conviction. A VIP is a person of integrity, courage, and conviction. Integrity is the willingness to do what is right even when no one is looking. It’s the moral compass…the inner voice…the voice of self-control…and the basis for the trust imperative in today's student. Integrity is the ability to hold together and properly regulate all of the elements of a personality. Other words I would use to describe integrity include honesty, responsibility, accountability, justice, self-respect, and humility. The adults that nominated you as a VIP used these words to describe your accomplishments this quarter. To be a true VIP you must put “Integrity First” in your daily life.
The second Core Value is “Service Before Self”. An Airman's professional duties always take precedence over their personal desires. An Airman displays “Service Before Self” by following the rules…good professionals understand that rules have a reason for being - and the default position must be to follow those rules. A VIP understands the rules, lives by the rules and enforces the rules. “Service Before Self” includes showing respect for others. We must always act in the certain knowledge that all persons possess a fundamental worth as human beings. As a VIP you have shown you understand this life lesson. Discipline and self-control are also factored into “Service Before Self”. Airmen cannot indulge in self-pity, discouragement, anger, frustration, or defeatism. They have a fundamental moral obligation to strike a tone of confidence and optimism. VIPs have this same obligation.
The third and final Core Value is “Excellence in All We Do”. An Airman strives for continual improvement in self and service. A VIP strives for continual improvement. “Excellence in all we do” directs us to develop a sustained passion for continuous improvement and innovation that will propel Saint Clair High School into a long-term, upward spiral of accomplishment and performance. “Excellence in all we do” is not measured by success or failure..it’s measured by the amount of attention-to-detail, energy, dedication, and loyalty we apply to all aspects of our lives. As VIPs you’ve gotten a taste of the success you can achieve when you apply this tenant to your school work, behavior, and student leadership.
“Integrity First”…“Service before Self”… and “Excellence in all we do”, these Core Values are woven into the fabric that makes an Airmen successful...they should be woven into the fabric that makes you successful. As you come up on the stage to receive your T-Shirt and certificate understand that the person that nominated you believes you just don’t see these traits as the minimum standard, but that you set the example by exceeding the standard. Congratulations and continue to keep up the good work.
