Reflections of a Jiujiteiro: Jumpers Hit It!

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ~Epicurus

You’re standing in line with several other paratroopers getting ready for the light to turn green and for the jumpmaster to set you free with one word … Go! Everything leading up to this point has prepared you to exit the aircraft and hit the ground as quickly and safely as possible. Your preparation has factored in a myriad of variables such as pulling your reserve, being recovered as a towed-jumper, meaning you were unable to clear the aircraft due your chute getting snagged; and landing in water, trees, or power lines. Experienced jumpers have told me successful jumps are the ones you can walk away from on your own. This is a little taste of my new life as a paratrooper.

A colleague asked me how long I have been in the military. I told her more than 18 years. She asked me why I decided to join an airborne unit after all this time, I haven’t jumped since graduating the Basic Airborne Course in 2005. I told her it was a mid-life crisis. In all honesty, I joined because of the culture. Many peers in my profession responded sympathetically when I informed them which assignment I was taking on next. However, the individuals I know who have served in airborne units before often became repeat offenders. It’s been 60 days since I signed in as the Public Affairs Officer for my unit and it has been an awesome ride so far.

Culture

Recruitment for large-scale organizations is a continuous struggle. Big corporations, military included, can only grow if they have resources and people to transform the organization to meet the next generational demands and overcome challenges on behalf of stakeholders while being competitive in their respective markets. Culture plays a huge role in recruiting top talent because young associates want to identify with supervisors and peers that are talented and successful. In other words, people would rather be the worst player on a winning team than the best player on a losing one.

The hardest people to recruit are doers because doers don’t need you … doers who are responsible, get up and work, who pay their bills, are doing everything right, who have their own ambitions, their own dreams, their own vision on the life they want to build …” ~Patrick Bet-David

Family First

After you retire from an organization, the only people that will be there for you are you family members. They are the true reward after service, therefore, it’s imperative they are factored into your daily battle-rhythm to achieve an effective work-life equilibrium. On several occasions my family and I have had the opportunity to focus on each other and welcome distant family members into our home.

The challenge of work-life balance is without question one of the most significant struggles faced by modern man.” ~Stephen Covey

The military is a seductive mistress and there are often times when sacrifice is required for the greater good of society. Those moments in time are frequently out of our control such as deployments, or combat training exercises. However, there are built in opportunities to my organization’s battle-rhythm to ensure we are afforded ample time to spend with our loved ones. I recall our commander saying the intent of family time is to be present with our families, not playing video games or using that time for something else. I couldn’t agree more, even when faced with the internal struggle of knocking out one more task to get the organization’s priorities on track or accomplished ahead of schedule.

Still I Thrive

I’m chasing jumps like Jiu-jitsu competitions. Each one is a target of opportunity to live life to the fullest and be an example for my family. There are a lot of people in this world who use the phrase “I Can’t”, and that’s their prerogative. My mantra is to lead by deed because it doesn’t matter what we have done in the past; what truly matters is what you are willing to do when it counts. Earning the coveted jumpmaster title would be the icing on the cake for a 20 plus year career.

I see the new generation do truly impressive things day in and out in my unit and I want to do my best to keep up. Trust me when I say there is nothing wrong, or deficient, with the next generation. There is, however, a deficit in getting out of our comfort zones at every generational echelon. And until we acknowledge that ego is the enemy, we will be destined to make the same mistakes over and over again in terms of failing to take advantage of new opportunities due to fears of failure. Until next time battle buddies. One Team, One Family! ~Doc

We have an instinct from when we were little kids to point fingers and cast blame. And when that attitude changes, everything changes.” ~Jocko Willink