Quote of the Day: To Be or To Do?

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates quoting Col. John R. Boyd in a lecture before the U.S. Air Force Academy:

“You’re going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go one way, you can be somebody. You'll have to make compromises and you'll have to turn your back on your friends. But you'll be a member of the club and you will get promoted and get good assignments. Or you can go the other way and you can do something – something for your country and for your Air Force and for yourself . . . If you decide to do something, you may not get promoted and you may not get good assignments and you certainly won't be a favorite of your superiors. But you won’t have to compromise yourself . . . To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That’s when you have to make a decision. To be or to do?” (Emphasis POGO's.)

Boyd is in POGO's Good Government Hall of Fame. One of his proteges, Chuck Spinney, received POGO's Good Government Award. Many of Boyd's proteges cite him as a source of inspiration for the quintessential Defense Meltdown.

-- Bryan Rahija

Comments

[Matt]

Awesome. It is absolutely refreshing to know, that someone at the top gets it. I posted this as well, and it is an inspirational lecture. -matt