Most important quality is courage Published July 18, 2014 By Master Sgt. Miles Eichbrecht 427th Reconnaissance Squadron BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- There is little doubt that when the moment demands, our battlefield Airmen are ready and willing to accomplish the mission, sometimes in dangerous environments and at great personal peril. There are many qualities we find in our Airmen, whether a leader or follower, which compels them to accomplish great things or make sacrifices for their country; the most important quality being courage. During a recent deployment to Afghanistan, I witnessed acts of courage from amazing Airmen, inside and outside the wire. Even in the Airborne ISR community, we require our Officer and Enlisted personnel to make life or death decisions, thus affecting and shaping the battle space. None of these decisions could be made without tremendous courage. Though we often demonstrate courage on the battlefield, it remains a quality we as leaders and followers often neglect in a peacetime environment. Who hasn't heard of moments where a supervisor failed to correct and individual deviating from established standards; or that time when an office of workers fostered an atmosphere where harassment and hazing was acceptable? Daily, many Airmen avoid opportunities to correct the small deviations in standards for fear it would be unpopular or uncool to do so. Failing to act on the little, seemingly innocuous detractions from what is professional and appropriate often overshadows the accomplishments of our combat Airmen. At a time in our Air Force history where public confidence is shattered by sexual assault scandals and lapses in Nuclear Surety, organizational climate has never been more important. It is easy not to confront unsuitable and outdated organizational norms, but acting on what is right and best for the Air Force would promote a positive image in the eyes of the American public. Whether you are a leader or a follower, doing what is right and emulating our Core Values requires nothing less than courage.