A Little Culture Never Hurt Anyone

When I saw this photo that I shot of Sheila and Kenzie, it immediately reminded me of a line which was said to me more than thirty years ago... "A little culture never hurt anyone". Although it was said to me decades ago, it is a line which has always stuck in my mind and is a line which I believe in deeply. Also, it is memorable line from a time of my life I will never forget. 

I certainly agree with this sentiment. Culture is a good thing. Learning about as much culture as possible is a good thing. Understanding culture is important simply to become an understanding, educated person. Being exposed to a varied culture at a young age is a very good thing. Seeing Kenzie excitedly looking at the jacket of Les Miserables left me feeling good about exposing the kids to culture in art, music, and life. 

A little over thirty years ago, my squadron commander said these very words to me... "A little culture never hurt anyone" and these words made a very deep impression upon me. The incident which brought forth these very words flashed in my mind vividly as I shot this photo... I felt that day, physically and emotionally... I smelled that day... I could hear that day replay in my head... I could see faces and details... of an event which happened over thirty years ago.

I was in Air Force Technical Training at the time. My squadron commander was a Captain managing our Combat Control Technical Training Squadron. I respected this guy greatly and on this particular day I was hoping to ask a favor of him but he surprisingly responded with a line I would never forget.

I had just received orders to ship out the following day. As I was handed my orders, I was told to report to the squadron commander immediately to be assigned to isolated transient quarters and that I would ship out first thing in the morning. It was already mid-afternoon which meant I only had a matter of hours left on this base before shipping out. Although I was new to the Air Force, I knew this meant that I had no time for celebrating with my new Air Force family unless I could get permission to leave my transient quarters to spend a little time with friends. Even though I was new to the Air Force, common sense was telling me that if they were isolating and confining me to a transient barracks, I probably would not be allowed to contact anyone. I would probably need to forego the goodbyes.

As I was looking at my out-processing checklist in the package containing my orders and wondering how I was ever going to accomplish everything on this list in just a few short hours, I was told there was a mandatory Commander's Call this evening. "Oh great... add another thing on top of everything I need to accomplish before retreat!"

I decided that while I was out-processing at my squadron commander's office, I would ask him if it would be okay, under the circumstances, to miss this Commander's Call.

For those unfamiliar with Air Force terms, a Commander's Call is a mandatory meeting arranged by the commander. I figured, "no problem... I'll explain to the commander that I would like to say a few quick goodbyes instead of attending the Commander's Call... after all, what could I gain from this meeting if I am leaving at oh-dark-thirty in the morning?"

When I rapped firmly on the commander's office door frame, I noticed that he seemed distracted... almost bothered.  "Great... this might not go so well..."

He called out, "ENTER!"...  I entered his office and came to attention two feet in front of his desk, saluted, and reported "Airman Maher reporting..." He didn't even look up from his paperwork on his desk. I cautiously explained I was out-processing... he acknowledged that he already knew that (which surprised me since I had just been handed the orders a few minutes ago)... I decided to go ahead and ask to be excused from the Commander's Call... "What do I have to lose?  I'm leaving in the morning..."  His response was "A little culture never hurt anyone... I'll see you this evening."  I saluted again and excused myself from his office.

"A little culture never hurt anyone? It is a Commander's Call... we sit together while the Commander and his people brief us on squadron issues and changes. What is this Commander's Call about to be related to culture?"

I still needed to pack, I needed to out-process, I needed to eat, I needed to attend this Commander's Call... then I needed to move my gear to this isolated transient barracks.

As I was running from one building to the next (quite literally... there was no time for walking), out-processing at each stop on my out-processing checklist, I ran into three airmen I was hoping to say goodbye to before I left. After quickly explaining to these close friends that I would be quick-shipping in the morning, one of these airmen said something to me which will always stick out in my mind as much as the line "a little culture never hurt anyone". These two quotes would forever be etched in my memory and tied together... forever.

I shook hands with each of them and said goodbye, wished them luck and told them I hoped our paths would cross again sometime... the third airman shook my hand, looked me in the eyes with an unusually serious look on his face, and said while firmly grasping my hand, "I feel like I should be saying thank you to you". 

I was puzzled... He explained that it was an honor knowing me and working with me and said, "thank you"... I saw a respect in his eyes which apparently was due to how I affected him, affected them... all three of them said "thank you" and shook my hand again. Seeing how I affected these three peers would cause me to sort out the whys and hows so I could always apply this part of myself to my leadership abilities in the future. I certainly did something right and I knew I needed to figure it out.

As I ran back to my barracks to pack my gear, it was dark and the air was cool... I felt proud, I felt excited, I felt like I must have done something right, and I wondered what tomorrow morning would bring. "I feel like I should be thanking you"... I shook my head as my first real goodbyes in a career in the Air Force were now behind me. There would be many, many more goodbyes throughout my career but this day will always be foremost in my memories of these emotional goodbyes. "These three airmen thanked me for being a part of their lives... for just being another airman at their side... they felt the need to say thank you..."

I did make it to the Commander's Call that very short, hectic night. At this Commander's Call I learned that the Captain was quick-shipping with me and a new commander was being installed. This Commander's Call was an unannounced Change of Command Ceremony. This is a ceremony steeped in tradition in the US military and the Air Force, just like every other branch of the armed forces, has a culture of their own. Although staying quite behind the scenes on this particular night, I learned a new and deeper understanding of this culture... integrity, honor, excellence, tradition, respect, gratitude, and Air Force family.

Decades later,a young child excitedly looking at the jacket of a movie known as a cultural icon in art, music and literature evokes a flood of memories associated with the line, "a little culture never hurt anyone"...  

I will continue to expose those in my life to varied culture, especially the youngest, developing minds...

...and, I will continue to fondly and respectfully remember those airmen in my Air Force family from that night more than thirty years ago who made me feel as proud of myself as I had ever been up until that point in my life...