^{Photo by George Pak}

Being in the military is not, as we probably all know, is not easy. Every brave soul in every branch undergoes some grueling training that takes them months or years to complete. Not to mention the dangers they put themselves in during active service for the country they love. Daniel DeWald’s book, “Grey Feathers: Led by Love of Country,” knows how much sacrifice military troops make for the nation.

Even though the military is a harsh environment, there are many lessons people can get from it. With that said, we’ll talk about six lessons from military service that everyone can apply to their everyday lives. You could also learn difficult teachings like rethinking your plans at the last minute since a single mistake could lead to someone’s demise.

Let’s go ahead and talk about them below.

Lesson 1: Teamwork is What Matters the Most

The things you see in movies like “Rambo” or video games like “Call of Duty” is fiction, for lack of a better term. There’s no such thing as a “one-man army” in the military. Everybody has designated roles assigned to them, and it is everyone’s job to support each other.

Each person in the military is there to perform at their finest jointly. Think of a team or squad as a metal chain. If every piece of metal is solid, the chain will be durable. However, if there was a loose, crooked, or bent part, the link in a chain could easily be undone. A team is only as strong as its weakest link, and there’s not a better branch of government that embodies the adage “There is no ‘I’ in Teamwork” than the military.

Lesson 2: The End Results are Important

Have you ever heard the saying “Failure is not an option”? Being in the military will teach you that the results are significant. Regardless of how many hiccups you encounter or how hard or smart you approach a situation, getting the job done is the goal at the end of the day. In the military, excuses aren’t valid reasons for failed missions.

Lesson 3: Never Disregard Discipline

Perhaps the most distinguishing traits of those in the military are their exceptional self-control and discipline. Since it is one of the first lessons instilled by drill sergeants to recruits, also called “Greenhorns,” they carry it throughout their service. It is what gives us the capability to develop new positive habits.

Let’s say that you’d want to get a Grey Feather, an Indian term for the first step in acquiring a colored feather for a military personnel’s feat. You would only be able to get it if you had the training to do what was needed. Daniel DeWald’s book titled “Grey Feathers: Led by Love of Country” displays how their discipline helped them earn their grey feathers.

Lesson 4: Being Quick on Your Feet is a Huge Advantage

If you’ve ever been in an active combat field, you would know that being quick on your feet is necessary for survival. Coming up with compelling improvisations on the fly is a skill everyone needs. Of course, it’s best always to have a plan because victory loves preparation.

However, if you don’t have a plan B or a plan C, you might not recover if your plan A fails. Improvisation is one of the key traits you need to survive any situation. Be it defending a building full of civilians from attacking terrorists or doing a grocery run at the supermarket, being able to improvise will save you from a lot of trouble.

Lesson 5: Aiming for Excellence is a Habit

Excellence is achieved by doing the best in everything you are tasked to do. Cutting corners will always lead to trouble, unsatisfying results, and potentially cost a person’s life in dangerous situations. Those in the military are trained to cultivate excellence as a habit. By constantly following good practices day in and day out, you can ensure that excellence will always be the outcome.

Lesson 6: It is Your Responsibility to be Prepared

Making sure that you are always prepared is a military personnel’s responsibility. Preparedness is necessary because someone would never know when a mission would suddenly fall on your lap. Even preparing for a pet disaster, for example, is the owner’s responsibility and one they should take seriously.

Knowing these six lessons from military service can immensely help you with your endeavors. Speaking of military service, Daniel DeWald’s book, “Grey Feathers: Led by Love of Country,” offers a beautiful tale of pushing through against the odds. It’s a fantastic book that is a must-read for fans of military stories that show bravery and heart.