COMMENTARY >> What does your signature mean?

By Chief Master Sgt. Bionca Lindsey
314th Medical Group superintendent


I’ve been in the Air Force now for 23 years and one thing I hold dear is my signature. I remember seeing John Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence and how it stood out and left me in awe.

A person has few things in life to represent who they really are, and I feel a few of those are how we treat others and what we stand for. I think the first is pretty simple because it’s not your interpretation of how you treat others that counts. It’s how they view they are treated that really matters. The second is more in-depth because, in my book, it actually covers a vast area of items. First, what we stand for is determined by how we come to conclusions or how we act when faced with a decision. Next, what we stand for is determined by if we hold others accountable for their actions and lead by example. As I relate this to our Air Force, I can’t help but reflect on our first core value, “Integrity First.” Ask yourself these questions: do you look the other way when you see someone doing something wrong? Do you give honest feedback to your subordinate and welcome feedback from them? Do you say yes just because everyone else is saying yes, even when your guts tell you to say no? Do you just sign your name approving or agreeing with an item when you should have taken the time to ask questions? So again I ask, what does your signature mean?

I have battled with myself from time to time when it comes to my signature because I do not give it out freely. I want my signature to exemplify me and my standards. I remember being asked to write a job recommendation letter for an individual who I had recently met. I promptly told the person no and when they asked me why I told them because I didn’t know them. They thought since we had conversed on a few occasions they would ask me to help them. How could I write a letter talking about someone’s work habits, work ethics or character when I hadn’t had the opportunity to observe them in action or the chance to see how they handled themselves when conflict arose?

It’s as simple as signing a credit card receipt at a restaurant without looking at it first. You could have been charged for someone else’s meal, but instead of taking the time to review it you just signed. I would suggest not only reviewing items before you sign them, but also becoming educated on what you are signing. Reviewing an item will not guarantee 100 percent accuracy or eliminate all misunderstandings but it will let others see your signature is not something you give away like candy; it’s something they have the opportunity to earn.

I know of an incident where a member was to undergo a court martial. This individual needed character letters, so they asked everyone they knew. The problem was the person being court martialed did not inform the people why they needed the letters and when the court martial convened the prosecuting attorney summoned some of those people to appear. He then proceeded to ask some pretty relative questions about the person’s character in connection to the act committed. They couldn’t comment. Needless to say, they really did not help the member, but the bad part was their character was now in question because they didn’t ask … they just signed.

If it isn’t clear how much weight your signature carries, regardless of your position, status or rank, let me try to explain it one final way. Have you ever sat down and thought how much time and effort went into your name? Your parents and others took the time to put a lot of thought behind what you would be called once you were born. You may or may not like your given name and unless you’ve changed it, you still go by the name you were given at birth. If you are a parent, or someone who has ever been consulted on a child’s name, you know it was not taken lightly.

I guess what I’m simply trying to say is … if someone took so much time to name you, you should at least take a little time to protect your signature and ensure it’s a true reflection of the who you are.