May it be said ‘well done’ - be thou at peace

Is there enough evidence to convict you of being who you think you are?

Mis compañeros, amigos, y familiares,

Buenos días. It is Sunday #2 of 2025, time for some reading, reflecting, and writing. What experiences and thoughts are on my mind this week:

• What did I do today to make myself a better person than I was yesterday? As the new year starts I have made some adjustments to my daily habits - trying to improve my concentration and focus

• In support of my halftime adjustments in trying to improve presence and focus, I am reading Peak Mind by Amishi Jha who spoke together with LTG (R) Ed Cardon at our National Conference on Ethics in America this past NOV - the key topic is improving attention and presence through meditation

• I am from Southern California, and while my family no longer lives there - I do connect heavily with the devastating fires there

• A New term began this past week providing an opportunity to connect with several of my previous students and engage with a pride of new ones in the process of becoming commissioned leaders of character

• I recently reconnected with a great friend I met as a missionary in Talagante, Chile 35 years ago - reaffirming the strength of relationships, faith, and testimony while allowing me to practice my Spanish

• Constantly wrestling with how to improve and grow personally while serving others

• The passing of our 39th President, James Earl ‘Jimmy’ Carter Jr. with flags at half staff and a state funeral including a National Day of Mourning

• Be a Bear!

I admit fully that I don’t usually share thoughts about Naval Academy graduates, but this is different so today I want to share some thoughts about President Carter’s impact and legacy.

BLUF: President Carter lived a life dedicated to service, living honorably, leading honorably, seeking excellence, and demonstrating tremendous character. He was an imperfect as anyone, but he internalized and lived the virtues he believed setting a tremendous example for us all.

I was born in the 1960s and was too young to vote for President Carter either of the times he ran for President, but I do remember his presidency as well as his post presidency life. Since 1976 was also our Nation’s bicentennial - in spite of my youth, I remember a lot about that year including the Freedom Train visiting Anaheim, and that was probably the first Presidential election I paid much attention to. Some years ago while my family and I were stationed at Fort Benning (now Fort Hal and Julie Moore), GA we took a trip to Plains, GA where he was known to regularly teach Sunday school in his local church and visited the Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta some years ago.

I note that obviously I didn’t have a personal relationship with President Carter - I believe strongly we can still learn from his life, words, and above all actions.

What do I remember of the Carter Presidency? Some are negative thoughts - I clearly remember the gas lines and there were odd and even days when you could get gas based on the number on your car’s license plate. I remember the hostages taken at the US embassy in Iran. Some are more positive like the Camp David accords with Egypt and Israel leading towards greater peace in parts of the world.

The reviews of his presidency might be mixed, even in my memory, but I embrace his summary of his own time in office, “We told the truth, we obeyed the law, and we kept the peace.” He sought to re-establish trust in the office of the presidency by living and leading honorably.

His time as an ex-president is unquestioned. After he left office, President Carter founded The Carter Center to promote global health, democracy, and human rights, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. I remember clearly living in Venezuela 1999-2001 the Carter Center providing observers to the elections held in 1999. He and his organization taught to wipe out global diseases, he acted as an international mediator in North Korea, Haiti, and other nations. He was an active volunteer, focusing particularly on housing for the poor, personally rolling up his sleeves and physically working on building houses into his 90s. He wrote numerous books on a variety of subjects, from policy to his personal life and even poetry. He enjoyed a 77-year marriage to his wife Rosalynn, “the foundation for my entire enjoyment of life,” Carter once said. Together, they had four children and 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

President Carter, while an imperfect man as we all are, set an impeccable example of strong character. He lived honorably, demonstrating his values through his behavior making them virtues. Even if we may not agree with his politics, every policy, or decision - we cannot deny that he was a man of tremendous character. He demonstrated that we are here to God’s love into action.

Some the virtues President Carter demonstrated include:

• Humility

• Kindness

• Honesty

• Truthfulness

• Empathy

• Gratitude

• Courage

• Selflessness

President Carter, once while evaluating his relationship with his faith, asked himself: “If I was tried for being a Christian, would I be convicted?” I’ve used this example in Church many times - if you were arrested and taken to court charged with being who you say you are - would there be enough evidence to convict? It’s sort of a breathtaking question. It doesn’t have to be used only in a religious aspect - it can be used very clearly regarding WHO YOU ARE in your life. Imagine suddenly taking your word for it wasn’t enough. Imagine you were actually being investigated. What would the record show - is there enough evidence to convict you of being who you say and think you are?

This is such an important question to ask yourself not just of faith, but as a parent, as a spouse, as a friend, as a teammate, as a leader. Are you as committed as you say you are? Would the evidence be compelling? Or would it turn out that you talked a good game, but didn’t actually walk it? In the end, it doesn’t matter what you say. It matters who you are.

After leaving the Oval Office, the former President built thousands of homes with the charity Habitat for Humanity, monitored elections around the world, fought to eradicate diseases and advocated for human rights. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his post-presidency work.

I recall reading a story he shared regarding interviewing for a position in the early days of nuclear submarines. In an interview with Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the nuclear Navy, after Ensign Carter proudly said he was ranked 59th in a class of 840 at the Naval Academy, instead of being impressed, Rickover asked, “But did you always do your best?” Ensign Carter answered honestly that he did not always do his best. After a long pause, Admiral Rickover asked, “Why not?” and then walked out of the room. It was a lesson the future President would never forget - this question became the mantra of his life.

Admiral Rickover would still later bring the young Naval Academy graduate into the nuclear submarine program. From his mentor Admiral Rickover, I understand that the future President also picked up this idea not just of doing your best, but doing what was right.

“It is impossible for me to delay something that I see needs to be done.” - President Carter

“It’s telling that today, the USS Jimmy Carter, a top-secret attack submarine, now roams the oceans bearing the name of the only president who served in such close quarters,. - House Speaker Mike Johnson

Another lesson I took some years ago from President Carter was the story of his guidance to his new White House staff. Just days into his term, he asked his aides to delay meetings so he could dedicate an hour to reading, prayer, and thought, a habit rooted in his boyhood practice of rising early. “I need more time alone early each morning,”, ensuring he approached each day with clarity and focus. Even in the highest office in the land, he was disciplined about creating space for self-awareness and preparation.

“I feel I have one life to live. I feel like God wants me to do the best I can with it. And that’s quite often my major prayer. Let me live my life so that it will be meaningful.” - President Carter

It is, of course, sad to hear of Carter’s passing. On the other hand, no one can say that he was taken from us too soon - he lived to be 100 years old! Certainly it can be said that he lived a life full of purpose. This man got more time on the planet than any other America president, but much more impressively, he did more with his time. We can say, unequivocally, that this man lived.

• Live virtuously - Above all, be a person of tremendous character

• Do what is right, for the right reasons, at the right time, with the right emotions

• Do your best when your best is required - noting that it is always required

• Don’t delay until tomorrow what needs to be done today

• You only have one life to live - make the most of your time on earth to positively impact others

To whom much is given, much is expected. Do your best. Become what you can be. You owe the world that much.

Taking from the West Point Alma Mater - “And when our work is done, our course on earth is run, may it be said ‘well done’ - be thou at peace”

This Week I Will:

• Be a Bear

• Seek to be holistically present wherever my feet are

• Ensure there is enough evidence to convict me for living my values - being a person of character

• Seek to go 1-0 today making each day my masterpiece

Fight for the right things - Fight Hard - Fight on to Victory!

Dewey

I reflect each week on what I have been learning - I encourage you to reflect daily or weekly as well. I share these notes just to get you thinking about topics related to leadership and character - Do great things!