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LAUREL HILL — In the late 1990s, when Maj. Gen. Robert “ChedBob” Chedister had just one star, a junior officer asked if he could share his philosophy on raising his sons.
“I sat down and thought, ‘Sheesh, I should probably write some notes down,’ because all I had done is verbal discussion on how to raise kids,” Chedister said. “When I started doing that, I realized it’s not just about raising kids but about how to be a leader in my own life. I started writing them down.
"I ended up with about 25 or 26 things on the list.”
Over the years, Chedister would pull out the list — “I still have the original hand-written list,” he said — and refer to it when asked to give an address or speak before civilian or military groups.
“You know, I tell stories all the time,” Chedister said. “I have almost every speech I ever wrote or gave. I have boxes of these speeches. I started using this ‘Things I Believe’ list and I would tell stories about the things on the list.”
When his pastor was out of town last fall, Chedister took some of the “beliefs” and used them for a guest sermon.
“I like to speak only for a short period of time,” Chedister said. “I try to tell just three points. I started using that ‘Things I Believe.’ I’d pick it up and choose three points to introduce my three things.”
Chedister’s life and military service experiences form the basis of his speeches. Incidents range from the time the joystick of a fighter jet he was piloting came off in his hand, or how he almost died and spent months in a coma following a red ant bite.
“I’ve got probably 200 or 300 stories that I tell and I can relate to ‘Things I Believe” for every story,” Chedister said. “I used it on my kids, I used it in the Air Force, I used it in church.
"And that’s how I use it and how I still use it.”
By Maj. Gen. Robert Chedister, U.S. Air Force, retired
●Tell the truth. Your word is your bond
●Never quit something you start, including a team
●Never make a promise you can’t or won’t keep
●Life is a lot like baseball: You’re not looking for perfection but to win 6/10 and bat 4/10
●You are what you eat
●Treat like you’ve been treated
●It’s better to have tried and failed than not try
●Ask for forgiveness, not permission
●Showing up, consistency and dependability are better than talent
●Be an optimist and act hopeful
●Stand for something
●Have a plan
●Kids’ No. 1 job is school, No. 2 is scouts, No. 3 is sports and No. 4 is play
●Always back up your spouse
●When one kid does bad, punish both. Make the kids mad at you, not each other
●Do things as a family; include the grandparents
●When things go wrong (they will), bounce back
●Praise in public; criticize in private
●Never go to bed mad at the wife or kids
●Hug and tell them you love them a lot (unconditionally)
●Give out too many medals and thanks
●Expect the best; accept a good try
●Boy Scouts is a must: it’s structured, offers involvement and leadership training
●Talk about tough issues often and early, like at dinner
●Help people grow, learn, get better, achieve, promote
●Give good feedback
THINGS I BELIEVE
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill man, former Eglin AFB commander shares his philosophy