James Bond Stockdale became a POW for close to eight years after being shot down while proceeding in a bombing of some box cars in Vietnam. Although he went through unbelievable humiliation and torture, he used his education to his advantage and also gained a better understanding of the meaning of integrity as well as leadership skills. James Stockdale held the top combat job a navy commander could hold, being the senior pilot of Air Wing 16, Stockdale also had flown about 200 missions. The weather scout who had been sent out prior to the mission radioed back claiming that visibility was “zero-zero” in the bridge area; therefore, Stockdale ordered that his crew separate to their secondary targets, which had been assigned during the mission briefing.
Stockdale knew Vietnam like the back of his hand and could not be more relaxed. After bombing the box cars, he took notice of the noise of a gun and realized he had been hit. Barely keeping his plane from hitting the ground, James ejected, realizing that he would be a POW for at least five years “what rotten luck. And on a ‘milk run’ ” (Stockdale 99). Stockdale could not have been more shocked about the fact that he had been shot down. Especially on the easiest run he had known. Yet with the assistance of integrity, James Stockdale managed to survive being a POW for seven years. The definition of integrity is the rigid adherence to a solid code of conduct; it is good because it results in consistent, constructive, positive criticism. One does not need to be educated to obtain integrity. Although it may seem difficult to some, it is definitely do-able. “When supported with education, a person’s integrity can give him something to rely on when his perspective seems to blur” (Stockdale 99). This excerpt describes that someone may rely on himself when education and integrity work in unison. “It is an attribute that should be kept at the very top of a young person’s consciousness” (Stockdale 99). Education and integrity, when in unison, should possess a place at the top of the mind. Not many people acquire integrity and contain a decent education at the same time. Growing up with integrity and valuing the meaning are very important when it comes time to mature.
Sure education and integrity should go hand in hand, but “Education should take care to illuminate values, not bury them amongst the trivia” (Stockdale 99). Education gives meaning to a multitude of things, allowing for a better understanding of how things work, and not just obvious facts. “ Are students getting the message that without personal integrity intellectual skills are worthless?” (Stockdale 99). Sure there are smart people out there, but without self-integrity, there is no telling when dishonesty will strike. Utilizing his education as an advantage, Stockdale outsmarted his interrogators using the theory of Marxism which was taught to him by his college teacher Bob North at Stanford University. Another inspirational teacher was Philip Rhinelander, a former Harvard Lawyer and music composer from Harvard University. Mr. Rhinelander taught philosophy as well as the Book of Job from the bible. Stockdale was taught that life isn’t fair and God puts you in situations because it’s his world, and if people don’t like it, then they can leave. A redneck Marine Sergeant proved that you don’t need to be educated to win an argument — one can simply just be stubborn. Interrogators tried to brainwash him into believing what wasn’t true. The Sergeant had his mind made up and replied with “B.S” to everything he was told without a second thought. Leadership skills may also be achieved through education skills. “Compassion is necessity for leaders, as are spontaneity, bravery, self-discipline, honesty, and above all, integrity” (Stockdale 106).
Leaders not only maintain an acceptable education, but also own a sense of integrity. A leader would be someone whom everyone may look up to and trust. Without trust, there is no unity, and with no unity, everything crumbles and begins to fall.