"What's a scunion* bringer?"
I still remember asking our company first sergeant that question, listening to him go on about the captain currently inventorying property. “That new commandah is gonna bring a fahr to this heah place! He’s a damn scunion bringah!”
The scunion bringer proved to be more philosopher than “Hell on wheels.” He didn’t always say a lot, but when he did, he’d share a piece of himself that hung in the air for a moment, then was gone. To some, they may have seemed too cliché to capture. But to me, they made all the sense in the world.
💣 You only get one chance to make a first impression. It only takes seconds to set an impression that lasts a lifetime. Make every one of them count.
💣 If you’re going to do a job, do it right. Take pride in your work. When assigned a task, put the effort into it to produce the very best outcome possible.
💣 There is no substitute for tough, realistic training. The tougher and more realistic you design peacetime training, the easier it will be for them to make the transition to war.
💣 Set the example in everything you do. If you set the bar, everyone else will strive to follow your lead.
💣 What you leave behind is the greatest measure of your success. Never be content to “tread water” in a job, push to leave a positive legacy for those who follow after you.
💣 Parenthood doesn’t come with do-overs. You only get one chance to be a father or mother to your children. Take time for them, even if it means coming back to work after they are in bed.
💣 Always pay attention to the little things. From how you account for property to how well you care for your equipment and your people, the little things matter. Put in the extra time to ensure you get them right.
💣 Never rush to judgment. There are two sides to every story; take the time necessary to hear both of them. Before you take disciplinary action, make sure you have all the relevant facts. It matters.
💣 Lead, follow, or get out of the way. While Patton may bear the attribution for this quote, Clem Ward personified it. We’re leaders, first and foremost. When in charge, take charge, and don’t look back.
💣 Never mess with the voodoo, man... that shit is real. To this day, I have no idea what he meant by this, but I never forgot it, either. I’m sure it was important, though, or he wouldn’t have said it.
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*scunion [skuhn-yuhn]: A term used in the late 1960s during the Vietnam War to signal inflicting distress, injury, or destruction, as in bring scunion. “Those gunships brought scunion on that ‘ville!”
Aspiring Public Health Professional | Passionate About Gun Violence Prevention
2moIndianapolis is a better city because of Deputy Chief Kendale Adams. He is compassionate and cares deeply about our city and the people in it! We sure could use more people like him in IMPD.