This is a Team Sport

When I visit schools, I’m often asked what skills are needed to succeed in the military. Without even thinking about it, I always come back to teamwork. Nothing of significance in the military is accomplished alone. It doesn’t matter the branch, rank, status, or job; success depends on people working together.

As of 2024, there are more than 1.3 million active-duty service members and another 430,000 in the National Guard. That sounds like a lot until you compare it to America’s population of more than 335 million people. Together, those serving make up roughly one-half of one percent of the country, yet every single one plays a pivotal role in protecting our democracy and way of life.

Each branch supports the others. Every unit has a mission. Every service member accepts the possibility of putting their life on the line if needed. Of course, the branches love taking shots at one another too. There are enough memes online to prove it. The Army just follows orders. The Navy is a little round. The Air Force is too bougie. The smack talk can get ruthless.

I laugh every year watching the Army-Navy football game (Go Army!). The rivalry is unmatched. At West Point, the Commandant even puts up yard signs that read, “Go Army! Beat Navy!” When Army beat Navy in 2016, the entire Army got a day off. As trivial as football rivalries and branch jokes may seem, all of that disappears when the mission becomes real.

The Navy and Air Force operate a world-class logistical enterprise while monitoring the seas and skies. The Army and Marines stand ready as boots-on-the-ground forces prepare to destroy our enemies if called upon. The Coast Guard protects American shores from countless threats. The Space Force safeguards domains most people never even think about. The National Guard balances domestic missions while standing ready to reinforce active-duty forces. If one branch could do it all alone, it would. But it can’t.

That’s what makes the military so impressive to me. Our highest levels of government establish the budgets, policies, and missions, yet somehow information flows across wildly different organizations and keeps everyone rowing in the same direction. The standards are shared. The values are shared. And those shared values create a bond between service members that is nearly impenetrable.

An attack on one is an attack on all. The loss of one is felt by all.

Recently, a Marine Corps captain who called my duty station home was killed in a training accident. He was simply preparing for the fight. When word came that his remains would be transferred through our air base on the way to his final resting place, you would have thought he had been one of our own airmen. Hundreds of Airmen lined the streets as the hearse passed by. Most people only knew his name, but that was enough. He represented everything the rest of us stand for too. He was part of the team.

When life and death are on the line, the fibers of the American military become stronger than Kevlar. It’s an invisible bond that distance and time may stretch, but never truly break. Rivalries between branches and statuses disappear when the stakes are highest. Service in the U.S. military demands cooperation, collaboration, and genuine care for one another so the team can continue to thrive long after any one career comes to an end.