[Editor’s Note: Fourth and concluding installment in a week-long series about Dep. City Attorney David McCarthy, a U.S. Marine reservist, and the hot national debate over post-traumatic stress disorder for returning military veterans. Having undergone counseling at the end of his latest tour of duty, Mr. McCarthy was ordered to be further checked out when he attempted to return to work. See Part 3, “Committed to Helping Save America, McCarthy Wonders Why This Time Was Different,” April 30.]
Having been a Marine for 26 of the 30 years of his adult life, and as a visible, fairly prominent 13-year employee of City Hall, David McCarthy, Deputy City Attorney, says it is second nature for him to live by a code of leadership and loyalty.
Mr. McCarthy may occasionally misplace his wallet or be unable to find a certain key.
But he would no more leave home without a copy of the military leadership code on his person than he would leave the house without his shoes on.
Mr. McCarthy is an arch-traditional kind of guy, but he is living in a world where the old-fashioned principles of loyalty and leadership increasingly are seen as antiques from horse and buggy days.
Passed over for a promotion during his latest tour of duty, last year, Lt. Col. McCarthy, U.S. Marine reserves, was forced by the city — City Manager Jerry Fulwood, his boss, City Atty. Carol Schwab — to undergo psychiatric evaluation before being allowed to return to work last January.
Posing a Threat?
He thought it was quite sufficient that he had received post-traumatic stress counseling from the military before his most recent tour ended.
Instead, the Personnel Dept. informed him he was being placed on paid administrative leave, for a month, while he was seen by the a psychiatrist and his fitness for a return to civilian life was judged.
“Humiliating,” Mr. McCarthy, deftly balancing candor and discretion, told the newspaper.
“Maybe they thought I posed a danger.”
When Mr. McCarthy sat down with the newspaper to discuss his recent Letter to the Editor of the Daily Breeze (see Part 1) in which he described his predicament, he stepped cautiously, prudently skirting specific criticism.
Near the end of the interview, he withdrew a copy of his prized Leadership Code (see the bottom of the story) and placed it on the table.
“These 11 leadership principles are a guide, not just for the military, but for succeeding in any field of endeavor,” Mr. McCarthy said. “Loyalty is an important principle of leadership.”
For a moment, Mr. McCarthy reflected on his early days on the City Attorney’s staff, in the late 1990s, when Jody Hall-Esser was Chief Administrative Officer of Culver City.
“As much as anyone I have known, I liked, admired and respected Jody,” he said. “Some people did not hold her in the same esteem I did. That was just the nature of the beast. Someone might say, “‘Can you believe this about Jody?’ ‘Or the city?’
“My answer to that kind of talk always was the same. ‘Loyalty is a leadership trait, and I would never say or do anything disloyal.
“Similarly, each of the bosses, each of the City Council members, are owed a duty of loyalty and a show of respect. It doesn’t mean you have to respect them. It means you have to show them respect. I will never deviate from that. I will always show the utmost respect to everyone there.”
Question: When you are overseas, do you ever think about your job back here? Or when you are here, do you think about fighting again over there?
“Absolutely.”
Question: How do you keep the lines straight?
“It’s a hard one. When you are over there, especially if you are going outside the wire, you have to clear your mind. It’s got to be ‘mission accomplishment,’ and that’s it. Nothing else. You can’t be thinking about anything else. It’s like going into a big game. You get yourself psyched up, and that’s it. Just ‘mission accomplishment.’ Nothing else should be clouding your mind or making you hesitate for one second.
“Since 9/11, I have worked in Joint Commands, meaning, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines combined. I typically work with Army Special Forces, Delta Force, Navy Seals and Air Force Combat Air Patrols and Power Rescue.
“The Army was there with the understanding there would be a one-year tour of duty.
“While we were there, they were told, ‘Guess what? It’s going to be 15 months.’ The reaction was absolute. ‘I serve. I am loyal to my commanders., and I will do as the National Command and the President see fit. They know the big picture. If they say this is what we need to do.’
“Literally, while we were there, I did not hear one complaint. I can’t say what the react was amongst the families. But amongst the troops I served with, I did not hear one complaint.”
Mr. McCarthy’s Leadership Code:
OBJECTIVES OF LEADERSHIP
Primary – Accomplishment of Mission
Secondary – Welfare of the men
MILITARY LEADERSHIP
Is the art of influencing and directing men in such a way as to obtain their obedience, confidence, respect and loyal cooperation in order to accomplish the mission.
COMBAT EFFICIENCY
Is the ability of a unit to accomplish an assigned mission in the shortest possible time with the minimum loss of life and waste of material.
INDICATIONS OF LEADERSHIP
MORALE – is the state of mind of the individual. This state of mind is dependent upon his or her attitudes toward everything that affects him or her.
DISCIPLINE – is the prompt obedience to orders and in the absence of orders, the initiation of appropriate action.
ESPRIT DE CORPS – is the loyalty to, pride in and enthusiasm for a unit shown by the members of that unit.
PROFICIENCY – is the technical, tactical and physical ability to do a job well.
LEADERSHIP– is the art of influencing and directing people in such a way as to obtain their obedience, confidence, respect and loyal cooperation in order to accomplish a mission.
Leadership Principles are guides for the proper exercise of command.
LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
Be Technically and Tactically Proficient
Know Yourself and Seek Self-Improvement
Know Your People and Look Out for Their Welfare
Keep Your People Informed
Set the Example
Insure That the Task is Understood, Supervised
and Accomplished
Train Your People as a Team
Make Sound and Timely Decisions
Develop a Sense of Responsibility in Your
Subordinates
Employ Your Command in Accordance with its
Capabilities
Seek Responsibility and Take Responsibility
for Your Actions
Leadership Traits are those qualities of personality which are of greatest assistance in obtaining confidence, respect, obedience and loyal cooperation.
LEADERSHIP TRAITS
Bearing Endurance
Courage Enthusiasm
Integrity Initiative
Judgment Justice
Decisiveness Loyalty
Knowledge Unselfishness
Tact Dependability
LEADERSHIP TRAITS DEFINED
Integrity – Uprightness of character and soundness of moral principle, absolute truthfulness and honesty.
Knowledge – Acquired information, including professional knowledge and an understanding of your men.
Courage – A mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism but enables a man to proceed in the face of it with calmness and firmness.
Decisiveness – The ability to reach decisions promptly and to announce them in a clear, forceful manner.
Dependability – The certainty of the proper performance of duty.
Initiative – Seeing what has to be done and commencing a course of action, even in the absence of orders.
Tact – The ability to deal with orders without creating offense.
Justice – The quality of being impartial and consistent in exercising command.
Enthusiasm – The display of sincere interest and exuberance in the performance of duty.
Bearing – Creating a favorable impression in carriage, appearances, and personal conduct at all times.
Endurance – The mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to stand pain, fatigue, distress and hardship.
Unselfishness – Avoidance of providing for ones comfort and personal advancement at the expense of others.
Loyalty – Faithfulness to Country, Corps and unit, and to your seniors and subordinates.
Judgement – The quality of weighing facts and possible solutions on which to base sound decisions.
“It is by no means enough that an Officer of the navy or Marine Corps should be a capable mariner. He should be as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the highest sense of personal honor. He should be the soul of tact, patience, justice, firmness and charity.”
— John Paul Jones
