Beyond Band of Brothers
Over the Christmas break I watched the Band of Brothers miniseries for the first time. So many people have recommended it over the years but I’ve only just got my hands on it. I can now see why so many people rate it so highly. I can honestly say I’ve never watched anything so powerful.
I was hugely impacted by the brutality of war and the sacrifice given by an entire generation. It’s so easy to forget that so many young men gave up their lives for the freedom that we now enjoy.
For me, one of the stand out characters was Major Richard D. Winters, an army officer who jumped into Normandy as a platoon leader and ended the war as battalion commander in 506th PIR. His leadership ability was exceptional and he commanded a huge amount of respect from the soldiers he led. I just finished reading his memoirs, and I can’t explain just how much respect I have for the guy.
His ability to come up with and execute a plan in the midst of battle is astounding and he was clearly a very successful officer in 101st Airborne Division. But for me the most impressive thing about him is his character. When talking about what makes a good leader (and bearing in mind he’s talking about a military context here) he says “First and foremost, a leader should strive to be an individual of flawless character, technical competence, and moral courage… How do you become a good man? You start with a cornerstone-honesty-and from there you build character. If you have character, that means the guy you are dealing with can trust you.”
And wow did he have character… “When I reached home, one of the first things I did was to go directly to the post office, where the Internal Revenue Service office was located, and insist that I pay the income tax on my income as an officer. The IRS man looked at me incredulously and said, “Son, you don’t have to do this even though the regulations say you must. We will waive this return.” I responded, “Sir, I want to pay my part of the bill. I am proud to be an American!” He bowed his head and we figured out my bill, which I immediately paid in full.”
I honestly think character and integrity are the two biggest traits that win my respect for a person. When Billy Graham was asked “What one word would you like people of future generations to use when they characterise your life and your ministry?” he answered “Integrity, that is what I have worked for all my life: integrity.”
