Air University Review, March-April 1981

Patriotism, Uncle Sam Needs You!

Patriotism must not be stored in closets and brought forth for airing only on holidays and special occasions. Patriotism is a living quality that must be nurtured and examined to ensure positive growth. Once matured, it must be strong enough to survive the challenges of criticism, conflict, imprisonment, or personal sacrifice. Military personnel need to become involved in a continuing process of giving life and substance to patriotism, for it is a basic element in the survival of both our military and our nation. Yet there is little if any training or instruction in patriotism. We study leadership, tactics, management, and politics, but what of patriotism? Is it any less important in today’s military organization and age of technology?

Individuals have their first formal contacts with the military through our recruiting programs, and in these programs we appeal to the basic emotions and patriotic motivations of our potential recruits. Of course, our modern posters and slogans make more subtle appeals than the posters and slogans of the past, but they retain their basic appeals to patriotism and individual emotions. Many people view the Revolutionary War poster with its cry "God Save the United States" and many of the posters and verbal appeals from World War I and World War II as overly dramatic for a technological society. Thus, we no longer see such phrases as "Be an American Eagle!" "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory," and a painting of Uncle Sam saying "I Want You."¹ Instead, we use posters and slogans that emphasize opportunities for training and self-improvement. Nevertheless, the subtle images of "Duty, Honor, Country," and patriotism undergird all of these more sophisticated appeals. The simple fact remains that appeals to patriotic beliefs are important, if not vital, elements of our recruiting programs. But this must always be a basic tenet because a military force "drawn from an apathetic population and motivated mainly by high pay rather than service to the nation is a thin reed upon which to lean,"²

However, the use of patriotic appeals in recruiting is not the real issue before us. The important issue is the action taken in the years following a person’s enlistment to sustain and reinforce the patriotic ideals that may have motivated the enlistment in the first place. All too often, the military can be compared with the individua1 who saves and sacrifices to purchase a new automobile and then fails to maintain it properly. In much the same manner, we recruit with patriotic appeals, but, once the people are ours, we often ignore their basic motivations and leave them to their own resources.

Major commercial firms consider employee motivation and job satisfaction as vital elements of the management process. Numerous and diverse personnel programs extol company virtues and products. They strive for a sense of belonging and purpose among their employees, and reinforce the workers’ allegiance, production goals, and company products.

I believe the Air Force could profit from industry’s example in this respect. The military community provides services unequaled in the civilian community, for our "product" is protection of our American way of life: independence, freedom, and deterrence from aggression. As military officers, we are professionally obligated to motivate our people, extol our products, proclaim our goals, and reinforce our patriotic ideals.

Patriotic motivation is not a peculiar requirement of our American society. The Soviet military depends on patriotic training and reinforcement to a far greater extent than the U.S. military. It may seem somewhat strange to equate patriotism with communism, because we tend to categorize patriotism, human rights, freedom, and equality in the section of our mental bookshelves labeled "America." Nevertheless, the Soviet military considers patriotic motivation a matter of primary importance. Lieutenant Colonel Bondarenko of the Soviet army provided some insight into Soviet philosophy when he wrote:

The Soviet way of life itself creates favorable conditions for the patriotic education of servicemen and the whole of the people. This education occupies a prominent place in ideological work in the Soviet Armed Forces. It is carried out as a complex, with a variety of means, forms and methods.³

Colonel Bondarenko further stated that patriotic education includes "political instruction, thematic get-togethers" and ". . . apart from regular political studies, wide use is made of lectures, reports, talks, meetings with veterans of the Great Patriotic War and of specially selected slides and motion pictures.

Soviet patriotism is not an abstract notion. It finds its expression in everyday military service. The Soviet serviceman lives up to his lofty mission, stinting no effort in his self-denying labour for he realises his personal responsibility for the security of the Soviet Union and of the entire socialist community.⁴

Numerous other military publications contain lengthy discussions of the "military-patriotic indoctrination"⁵ of Soviet youth and the fact that "of all patriotic obligations, the ‘sacred duty’ of military service ‘in defense of the Motherland’ is the highest calling."⁶ Such articles should be more readily available to U.S. Air Force officers because they provide interesting insights into the patriotic training and motivation employed by the Soviets. I am not an advocate of such lengthy and periodic "patriotism seminars" as those expounded by Colonel Bondarenko. Nevertheless, the principles and goals underlying Soviet programs demand examination, consideration, and possible application within our military.

Any study of the Air Force and patriotism should consider the problem of retaining officer and enlisted personnel. Normally, reasons for separating from the service include a number of complex interrelated issues such as pay, lack of responsibility, lack of job satisfaction, or rating disparities. However, many of the irritants may stem from more subtle issues. For example, do our people lose their drive, their purpose, or their sense of accomplishment because of a lack of patriotic reinforcement or encouragement? Have they perhaps lost the feeling for the basic qualities of "Duty, Honor, Country," and patriotism once envisioned in their idealistic youth or discussed with their recruiters? At the risk of suggesting an improper assumption, I must confess I have never heard anyone state that he was leaving the service because of excessive emphasis on patriotism or emotional appeals to patriotism. Correlation between patriotic motivation and retention would be an elusive task. Nevertheless, all Air Force officers must give more than passing consideration to the problem.

What actions can officers, commanders, and future commanders take in reinforcing the patriotic ideals of our people? What are some of our possible options and solutions? There are obviously no hard and fast, irrevocable rules. And our difficulties are often compounded by tendencies to classify patriotic fervor as religious beliefs. Many people consider patriotism and religious convictions as personal issues closed to public analysis and inspection. But professional officers must not hesitate to discuss their patriotic understandings, beliefs, and emotions rather than store them in the hidden recesses of their minds.

We may not be as straightforward and open as the late General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr., but he certainly provided an outstanding example for emulation when he expressed his professional commitment in these words:

I am a member of the military. I make no bones about that. I chose to be in the Service of my country because I felt it was the best way that I could serve this great Nation of mine. And I consider myself very fortunate to call myself a practicing American and to try to demonstrate at every turn that I possibly can, that I consider this the highest honor afforded any man. . . .

Develop for yourself the pride that must be necessary for you to develop your power of excellence— it’s the only power on Earth that’s worth investing in. And, you use that to propel yourself to the top of your field no matter what it might be; and from up there on top with authority, you can do more than satisfy the ills of your people below, than you can from under the bottom with a brick. Don’t tear it down—build it up. Perform, perform, excel, excel, contribute, contribute, be patriotic, and be proud, be American—that’s all I ever knew, and that’s all I know now.⁷

The Air Force, in my opinion, badly needs more outspoken members like General James—individuals who are not afraid to speak openly of patriotism and their inner motivations.

The average officer or noncommissioned officer may not be so eloquent as General James but like him he needs to become a "practicing American." We can take up the challenge posed by General Paul Carlton in this statement:

. . . let’s every one of us resolve that we’ll get back on that patriotic bandwagon, proudly wave the flag, and set ourselves back on the path of service to country and strength of character which defies any adversary to try to disrupt our orderly growth and diminish our aspirations through chaos, violence, or subversion.⁸

Another noted military leader expressed the idea that we must be able to motivate even the young airman who drives a car for the motor pool day after day. We must, in some way, be able to motivate him and instill within him a feeling that he is performing an important service for his country and helping his country accomplish its goals. A task of this magnitude is complex and challenging, particularly if we have not sorted out in our minds the motivations that drive us toward our own missions. We must not only understand ourselves and know our beliefs but also provide examples for others to emulate.

Ultimately, we must examine our patriotic attitudes and convictions, refuse to hide them in mental storage closets, and muster the courage to express them openly. And we must not feel ashamed or humiliated in appealing to patriotic ideals in our efforts to motivate ourselves and our people. The words expressed by General John Roberts as commander of the Air Training Command, perhaps best describe the real spirit of dedicated officers:

When I speak of leadership, I mean the spirit which enables us to rise above the mundane, to see beyond the narrow, parochial interests of our immediate requirements. I mean the ability to lead those under us to share our vision, to share our commitment, and to join us in serving this nation with pride in their own professionalism and love of country.⁹

Notes

1. "Recruiting Through the Years," Soldiers, February 1979, pp. 41-43

2. Colonel W. W. Yale, "No Will, No Win—No Way," Army, July 1977, p. 28.

3. Lieutenant Colonel Ye. Bondarenko, "Patriotic Education of Soviet Servicemen," Soviet Military Review, March 1977, pp. 36-37.

4. Ibid., p. 37.

5. For example, see Lieutenant Commander David M. Gist, "The Militarization of Soviet Youth,’’ Naval War College Review, Summer 1977, pp. 115-29.

6. Ibid., p. 118.

7. Major General Thomas E. Clifford, "A Tribute to General James," Air Force Po1icy Letter for Commanders, February 1979. pp. 27-28.

8. General Paul K. Carlton, "Perceiving the Challenge," Air Force Policy Letter for Commanders, October 1976, p. 14.

9. Lieutenant General John W. Roberts, "Spirit of America," Air Force Policy Letter for Commanders, April 1976, p. 25.

Contributor

Major James A. Burkholder, Jr. (B.S., University of Idaho; M.P.A., Boise State University), is currently an Air Officer Commanding at U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served as Assistant Chief of Operations and Training Division, USAFE, and Chief of the Standardization Evaluation Division, TAC. As a senior pilot he has flown 225 combat missions in the F-4, served as an ALO/FAC flying the 0-2, and has flown the F-111F. Major Burkholder is a graduate of Air Command and Staff College.

The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.

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