John had survived and even “thrived” during the combat operations of his career. He and his brothers in arms cheated death many times although he admits he did lose fellow EOD technicians throughout his career. Because of the relatively ones and twos in terms of deaths spaced out, John was able to block out emotionally the deaths of his fellow Marines in combat operations. However, that ability to block out the pain of losing fellow warriors who were family to him was about to come unglued.

John Basilone was a traditional guy. He loved his country and he loved the brothers he fought with. However, he wanted more than anything else to have a wife and family of his own. He is quoted to have said, “I wanted to know how it was to love somebody the way Pop loved Mama. At least I wanted a few days, or weeks if I could get it, to know what it is like to be married. I wanted to be able to say, ‘I love you’ a few times and mean it.” (Quote from Hero of the Pacific, James Brady)

I felt a twinge of guilt that I wasn’t as engaged in the lives of the men and women who work for me and that I work with as I should be. I had let the tyranny of the work schedule and wanting to succeed professionally start to overtake one of the most important aspects of leadership…taking care of your people. We like to say in the military or at least the Marine Corps: “Mission First…People Always.” I wish it was exactly like that but confess that sometimes I don't get this right...