Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Courtesy - not nearly as common as one might expect it to be

Courtesy is an act or verbal expression of consideration or respect for others. When a person acts with courtesy toward another, the courtesy is likely to be returned. We are courteous to our seniors because we are aware of their greater responsibilities and authority. We are courteous to our juniors because we are aware of their important contributions to the Navy’s mission. 

 In the military service, and particularly in the Navy where personnel live and work in close quarters, courtesy is practiced both on and off duty. Military courtesy is important to everyone in the Navy. If you know and practice military courtesy, you will make favorable impressions and display a self-assurance that will carry you through many difficult situations. Acts of respect and courtesy are required of all members of the naval service; the junior member takes the initiative, and the senior member returns the courtesy.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's about damn time you had a post on this, buster!

Mike Lambert said...

Anon @ 8:57 AM

Thank you Bob for your comment. I put a thank you card in the mail this morning.

Mike Lambert said...

Anon @ 8:57 AM

Or, thank you Andy for your comment. I put a thank you card in the mail this morning.

Anonymous said...

Captain Lambert,

You describe courtesy precisely the way it should be practiced and I would like to think that I followed all those basic rules for my entire career, and the biggest part of courtesy I learned well before I enlisted in the Navy. Here is what we must realize, many of the young people of today have not been taught from the time they were wee children to be courteous, this is not a value that the Navy can teach the new young Sailors that they acquire each year, courtesy is something that must be developed from early childhood.

Even these days as I go about life I come across people younger than I and when there is necessary conversation between myself and this person I always say “Yes, Sir” or “No, Sir” or “Yes, Mam”or “No, Mam”. I have had numerous folks tell me that I do not have to refer to them in that fashion, and when they say that I always respond with, I am sorry Mam, or Sir, “I was raised to show respect to individuals and that is what I was trying to do”. I usually just get a blank look from them, they do not understand the concept of mutual courtesy.

Unfortunately many of the individuals that enlist in the Navy today have never known what it is to be respectful and courteous and that is a tough lesson for those individuals when they find that rank usually requires that from them. And even when I was in the Navy some years ago we had problems with some individuals that felt they could not follow accepted rules of military courtesy and respect, and were therefore found unfit for military service.

Very Respectfully,
Navyman834

LCDRLDO/6440 said...

We should all be Boy Scouts.

Boy Scout Law

A Scout is:

•Trustworthy,
•Loyal,
•Helpful,
•Friendly,
•Courteous,
•Kind,
•Obedient,
•Cheerful,
•Thrifty,
•Brave,
•Clean,
•and Reverent.