Chaplain (Col) Ray Fairman

People have often accused me of speaking or writing over the heads of my audience. Those critics feel I should lower my expectations for those who listen to me or choose to read what I write. They just don't seem to understand Marines.  We just don't look at things that way. I feel that if I can influence a person to exercise, they will grow stronger and if that philosophy holds true for their physical body, it must also apply to their character and intellect as well. So as you prepare to read this book, get ready also to get actively involved in the manuscript. Argue with me, agree with me or disagree with me. Write in the margins, use a highlighter, challenge my ideas or feel challenged by them, but don't read the book and stagnate. Growth is dynamic and contagious. I have been growing as a leader for many years and my growth has not happened by chance, luck or accident. I have learned and am still learning more every day about what leadership is all about and how to improve mine by trial, error, effort, observation, education and the grace of God.

Keep reading and keep learning.

My leadership journey was slow but steady until it took a real leap during my last Vietnam tour. When I made Staff Sergeant in 1969 I was in Chu-Lai RVN Southeast Asia, at my Promotion celebration, my Sergeant Major told me that I was following in the footsteps of a long line of strong Marine Corps Leaders who had gone before me, and I told him, that I had learned something from my Marine Corps Master Sergeant father about Staff Non Commissioned Officers that I felt was even more important. He asked what that might be and I told him that leaders didn't generally follow in anyone's footprints they blazed their own trails where not many men have gone before.

True to the ways of "The Corps", the next day I found myself a brand new SNCO leaving the safety and security of my F4B "Phantom" squadron, VMFA 314, based at Chu Lai, and taking over as the Acting Platoon Leader of a Defense Platoon operating on the Batangan peninsula in Quang Ni Province. There for several months I blazed trails where not many men wanted to blaze trails.

I was a young hotshot who thought I knew a lot about leadership but as I soon found out I still had so much more to learn.

By the time I made S/Sgt, I had already endured many hours of leadership training and even held some non-combat leadership positions. I was a good follower; a pretty good mission accomplisher and I had already served in combat. But as a rising leader I found that I had not completely internalized a few principles that are beyond any shadow of doubt vital to My God, My Country and My Corps.

It is vitally important to understand that having a degree, title, rank or position alone never qualifies a person to lead anyone. Even Knowledge, experience and age do not automatically make a person a quality leader. If you truly desire to lead, you must become the kind of leader that people want to follow. When you reach that decision in your life, you also need to be willing to accept the responsibility of trading privileges for sacrifices.  Yes, I have heard that "RHIP" Garbage about Rank Having Its Privileges, but what rings even louder in my ears is "RHIR". Rank Has Its Responsibilities. I still had to learn that my leadership would determine not only my own effectiveness but more often than not, directly impact the effectiveness of my unit and other Marines. This fact served me well in my subsequent career in law enforcement, as I was to eventually learn.

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you just what I believe it takes to become a real leader. These will be only some of the things I learned during my Marine Corps career, a career that spanned 33 years and two combat theaters. It makes no difference to me if you plan to pursue a career in the military or if you plan on having a career in the civilian world, these things will benefit you anywhere you apply them.

You need to begin by understanding that real leadership is a privilege and not a right of the position you hold. Leadership must never be taken lightly. It will always be earned and awarded; it should never be conceived of as just being given, because when that occurs it becomes "deadly" obvious to all concerned.

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