Who is not aware of the nightly TOP TEN LIST heard on the David letterman Show?  Some time back I was surfing the Net and ran across a whole List of Top Ten Things Lists, telling the things people WON’T tell you.  Here are just a few: Top 10 Things…Millionaires Won't Tell You, Your Bank Won't Tell You, Your Airline Won't Tell You, Your Tax Preparer Won't Tell You, Reality TV Won't Tell You, Your Personal Trainer Won't Tell You, Your Wedding Planner Won't Tell You, Your Plastic Surgeon Won't Tell You, Your Restaurant Won't Tell You and Your Blogger Won't Tell You, etc.

The list of lists went on and on, listing the top ten things all of these people and organizations won’t tell you. So, I was thinking; we have plenty of people withholding information that could make our lives better. Why not provide a “Top 10” list of things that we learned or should have learned in OCS that made our lives better?  Your list would be different, but here is mine:

10. TAC Officers have eyes in the back of their heads.

9. Who needs more than 7 minutes…the chow isn’t that good anyway.

8. Pogie Bait IS a separate food group

7. Pizza, being eaten by sixty guys in their underwear in the same cold shower at 1:00am, still tastes good.

6. Chinese Fire Drills don’t just happen in China.

5. If you let another candidate struggle when you could help him you don’t deserve to graduate.

4. You’d better learn to lead; your soldiers’ lives will depend on it

3. Nothing less than EXCELLENCE must be your standard, in the Army and in life

2. There will never be an acceptable reason to compromise your integrity.

And the #1 thing we learned in OCS…       

Your CHARACTER IS the central issue that defines who you are, for the rest of your life!

The (NIV) Bible says in Romans 5:2-5, “…and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

So, my encouragement to you is to always remember and DO at least the top 3 for as long as you live. One morning I got up to help do chores when I was a small boy on our farm. I was the first into the living room where Dad was warming himself by the big wood stove. As I stood beside him he smiled at me and said, “Remember son, there are only 2 things in life you really need; a good woman and a fire to back up to.” Well, I already have the best woman and we have a fireplace! So, that’s 2 from Dad and the TOP 3 from OCS…I’m good to go! Blessings to you as you work on the top 3 of your list.

Max Holt, Class 02-67, Association Chaplain