Chief Operating Officer for worlds most successful private MIA search and recovery organization.
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500 B.C. battle cry of Greek philosopher Heraclitus: "Out of every 100 men, 10 shouldn't even be there, 80 are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back." Enough said.
A few weeks back a Marine friend of mine stated that he was involved in a senior level meeting in which the topic of conversation was; ?Why would SgtMaj LeHew have slowed his fast track career down by taking an assignment to the AAV School?? Funny, when I first took this assignment folks kept dropping me e-mails asking me when I was retiring because it seemed as though there was a stigma that this assignment is where you go to retire. That could not be farther from the truth.
Fact of the matter is this. I was presented a great and timely opportunity to return to the community that I grew up in and absolutely cherish in the Marine Corps. You should never forget where you came from. I was a student in this schoolhouse as both a basic crewman and a basic mechanic, returned in 1994 to serve as an instructor as well. Yes, there were offers of higher prestige and significant positions of responsibility and there are many senior Marines I know who are currently hopping from unit to unit punching their tickets that will gladly continue to ride the fast track skipping over the units like a flat rock on a pond. Not getting to really know anyone or effectively providing guidance to a commander and unit because they are there for such a short time. I however do not care for that nor have a desire to look past my current responsibility eying the next greatest thing. The world would be a much better place if leaders would worry more about their Marines and their families than their own personal career paths or someone elses career path. The Corps is about people not prestige. With increased rank does not come increased privileges but rather increased responsibility to those you serve.
I have served as a crewman, crew chief, section leader, platoon sergeant, first sergeant and sergeant major all in a combat environment in my career. To not come back and serve my community, to not give back when presented the opportunity to do so just to take a higher billet, work for a higher ranking commander just to keep on a "fast track" would have been the true mistake in my life. Each and every day I am greeted with smiling faces by great Marines at this command. I take pleasure in the fact that all Marines of this unit, regardless of MOS serve the greater cause of the team. I get to personally know and interact with all of them and they get to know me. They are not just names on a roster to me, they are my family. It warms my heart to see my administration section taking on the responsibility of adopting a historical LVT in our museum to perform the maintenance and upkeep on a vehicle in an MOS that is not technically their own because they want to be part of the team and have a sense of belonging to the unit and the community. We have a saying in the Amtrac community that if you have ever served in an Amtrac unit, regardless of MOS, you are a tracker and therefore family and family is forever.
I have served the AAV, Infantry and Reconnaissance communities all in combat in my career. I have served as a Marine Drill Instructor creating not only the future of the Marine Corps but also creating great citizens for our country as well. I have married an incredible woman who serves our country as equally as I do and have a beautiful daughter and a place to call home. I have watched lives get lost in the line of duty and have been in a position to save lives as well.
Folks continue to say that one day you could possibly be serving as the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps but in order to do that you have to go to the wing or MLG to punch your ticket, to learn about leading Marines in those environments. Leading Marines in those environments? If after 22 years in the Corps you haven?t figured out how to lead Marines in any environment that you need a couple more jobs or a couple more years to figure it out then you shouldn?t be leading Marines in the first place.
If you don?t do that then you will never ascend to the highest levels in the Corps some say, just like those at that meeting who started off this testimonial. To that I say yeah??.got it??.I think I?m ok with that.
To all those who have to ask ?Why would SgtMaj LeHew have slowed his fast track career down by taking an assignment to the AAV School?? You are exactly the kind of leader that the Corps probably doesn't need anymore. The motto is Semper Fi not Semper "I"
Over the chapel doors at the United States Naval Academy is a simple Latin inscription:
Non Sibi Sed Patriae -- Not for self, but for country"
On veterans day, Semper Fi Marines. Thanks for what you do for this country.
