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AF101 · Lesson 137 of 142

Core Values

Table of ContentsShow
  1. Integrity First
  2. Service Before Self
  3. Excellence in All We Do

The three Core Values are the ethical foundation of Air Force service. You will encounter them constantly, from BMT through the rest of your career, and they are the standard every Airman is measured against.

Integrity First

Doing the right thing all the time, whether everyone is watching or no one is. Integrity is the willingness to do what is right even when it costs you something. Its supporting virtues are honesty (the hallmark of integrity), courage (doing right despite personal cost), and accountability (owning your actions and their results).

Service Before Self

Professional duty takes precedence over personal desires. It is the choice to hold yourself to a higher standard and to put the mission and your fellow Airmen ahead of your own comfort. Its supporting virtues include duty, loyalty, and respect for others.

Excellence in All We Do

Continuously advancing your craft and increasing your knowledge as an Airman. This is not about demanding perfection. It is about never settling, always refining, and constantly looking for a better way. Its supporting virtues include mission focus, discipline, and teamwork.

Air Force general saluting during morning reveille ceremony

The Core Values are tested on the BMT End of Course exam, but their real purpose is to guide the thousands of small decisions nobody grades you on.