Leadership Moment: Surprise Lesson

MedB

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2012
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585
Here is a story I hope makes you smile. It was a humbling little lesson in leadership for our DS...

Our DS is the Commander of his AFJROTC unit. It was PT day recently, and my DS decided to "mail in" his workout and only bang out 30 push-ups with his unit. Now, his ROTC teacher ("Sergeant") knows he holds the school record for FitnessGram and maxed out portions of the CFA. But instead of saying a word to our DS in front of the unit, Sergeant mysteriously disappears instead. The period and the workout end; my DS is off to his next class.

He arrives at AP Physics and the bell rings. His Physics teacher, whom our DS suspects is a former Green Beret officer, calls him to the front of the room by last name. He drops him down then proceeds to join him on the floor. In front of a stunned and silent physics class, the teacher makes our DS match his pace for roughly 50 push-ups as he proceeeds to explain about Leadership.

The teacher explains that you need to motivate and lead by example. And that your future unit will respect the rank you wear on your collar, but that they need to respect you even more. And that you must always put out your best for those you lead.

The push-ups end and the Physics teacher softens the lesson with a smile and a lament about being able to do more push-ups before he "got old". And the physics lesson proceeds as scheduled. :)

*****************

The next time I'm tempted to let someone get away with bad-mouthing our public school teachers, I promise that I'm going to remember the lessons these two teachers taught our DS that day.
 
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There is a USMC (Ret) Fighter Pilot (F-8's) in my school who teaches physics. Sadly, he has had leg issues of late... but I wouldnt put it past him to do the same thing.

Too bad my school doesnt have JROTC though. But +1.
 
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