On December 30, 1985, Secretary of the Army John O. Marsh Jr. and
Army Chief of Staff General John A. Wickham proclaimed Values as the Army theme for 1986. In their joint proclamation they stated
that "Values are the heart and soul of a great Army. . . . From
values we draw purpose, direction, vitality and character —
the bedrock of all that we do in the Total Army." Further, they
declared, "The values to which we subscribe spring from, and even
transcend, those of the society we serve. They become the framework
for the lifelong professional and personal development of our soldiers,
leaders and civilians."
Those words are just as important today as they were in 1985. Why? Our Army is at War and we, at the U.S.
Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC), must remain Relevant
and Ready.
Soldiers and civilians enter the Army and government service with their own value system that is developed over time by what they have seen, learned and experienced. But Army Values form the foundation of a person's character of service. Army Values guide the AL&T Workforce in making difficult decisions in the workplace and in our daily lives. They are at the very core of every good person and demand the highest moral standards without compromise, making us all better Soldiers and citizens.
Army Values form the identity of America's Army as an organization and are the glue that binds us as individuals together as Army Acquisition Corps (AAC) professionals. These values tell us what we need to be in every action we take — for the good of the Soldiers we support and the Nation we serve. They are non-negotiable, and apply to everyone all the time and in every situation.
Often leaders are called upon to influence their subordinates, requiring
them to go beyond the normal limits of human nature. When both the
leader and the follower share the same Army Values, motives are
not questioned, discipline is not an issue and both parties understand
the greater significance of accomplishing the mission — preserving
our country's liberty and defending the Constitution of the United
States of America.
