Duty to Serve - A Higher Calling
Unlike civilian or private jobs, the job of a public servant requires an individual to take some kind of oath of office or pledge. “I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will…serve honestly and faithfully…” Although these pledges are usually legally or constitutionally-required, they are much more than that. These oaths serve as a reminder to any individual serving in a citizen-facing, public servant role that the job they are about to assume requires a higher level of duty and honor. Entrusted with the responsibility to serve our citizens, the most important and precious resource a city, town, or state has, these stewards of our nation’s future fill the shoes of many before them who have helped shape - or unravel - our collective society.
As a military officer, there was no more important role or responsibility I had than to take care of the men and women I was entrusted to lead. Whether it be standing watch on the ship in the middle of the night or leading drills on a Saturday morning of duty, the Captain, and the nation, expected me to care for the equipment, people, and mission at all times with honor, courage, and commitment. A common phrase that helped remind us all of our table of priorities was “Ship, Shipmate, Self,” placing the needs, safety, and importance of oneself at the bottom of that hierarchy.
Given today’s state of affairs, it becomes easy for us as citizens to lose sight of what we deserve and expect of our civil servants and elected officials. The standard headline it seems is “public official arrested for corruption” or “local leader caught berating citizen over parking.” This new “norm” perpetuates itself, creating an ever stronger sense of an erosion of the duty of public service and the level of responsibility we should expect of those individuals. It’s disappointing, but the tune can change.
Our founders established our democratic republic on the notion that citizens elect their representatives to do just that - represent them. As such, our elected officials are entrusted to be not only our voice, but represent our tone, our character, and our moral compass. Like myself while serving in the military, an elected officials’ table of priorities should be the Nation, the Citizens, and Self, in that order. The least important and most dangerous item an elected official can focus on while in office is self - yet that continues to be the case far too often. The table of priorities is perpetually upside down and the victims continue to be us, the citizens.
I will admit I am somewhat of a dreamer - an idealist who still believes that it is never too late to fix a problem or too far gone to save a principle. Given the landscape of our current society and global affairs, perhaps a little hope, coupled with standing up for what is right, could go a long way? We as citizens don’t have to accept self-serving or too-far-gone public servants who put their own needs ahead of our own. We don’t have to accept that our government isn’t capable of serving our community or looking out after those in need. We don’t have to accept excuses or degrade our own personal, or moral, standards because those in power have done so. As President John F. Kennedy once said, “For, in a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, ‘holds office’; everyone of us is in a position of responsibility; and, in the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities.”
We can do this together. Whether it be looking out after our neighbors in need, improving our public infrastructure, or dreaming about what “could be,” we as citizens, working together, can stand up to self-serving elected officials and demand better. By voting based on character and a desire to serve “Nation” and “Citizens” over “Self,” we can remind our leaders that “We, the people, are the boss” (President John F Kennedy) and that we deserve better. Taking an oath requires the willingness to serve a higher calling and it is time that becomes the norm, instead of the exception. Through our collective power as citizens we can create the community we want to see, underpinned by the values we share and, thus, truly representative of who we are as individuals. The time is now, and the dreamer in me looks forward to a bright future and calm(er) seas ahead.
