“A little neglect may breed mischief:  For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of the shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the rider was lost;” and for want of the rider, the battle was lost.  That’s just a little something I thought up while I was sitting here.  And, if you believe that I have some beach-front property in Grandview Plaza that I’m trying to sell.

No, that was written back in the 1700’s by a man named Ibid (I never understood why he always italicized his name).  But the point old Ibid was making back then is still valid today.  Those little things that we do add up and are important.

Let me give you some examples.  How difficult is it to check the oil in a vehicle?  How difficult is it to make sure your property is locked up before you check out for the evening?  How difficult is it to treat the men and women around you with respect [back when I wrote this, there was no such verb as disrespected!].

You say, “Hey, those are easy.”  How about this?  How difficult is it to sew on a button or cut off some loose threads?  Are you getting the picture?  Most of the things we do in the Army are one step at a time.  All you’ve got to do is give it your best and you succeed and so does your unit.

When a sharp unit marches by the reviewing stand, there are no standout stars.  It’s every soldier giving that little extra to make the unit look good.  And it pays off.

Do me a favor.  Don’t walk by any trash on this post.  Pick it up and throw it away.  There are so many trash containers on Fort Riley that the next time you see some trash play this little game.  Pick it up and then, without moving, look around.  I guarantee you will see a trash container.  If you don’t, then you get to keep the trash!

Speaking of trash, we don’t need to talk any trash.  You know all kinds of animals make strange noises when they are trying to attract the opposite sex.  But there are noises and there are noises.  And, some of the trash that some of you guys are coming out with is only going to attract the military police.

It’s a crime here at Fort Riley to use indecent, insulting or obscene language to a female.  How difficult is it to treat the women around here with respect?  Here we go with those little things again. “Little strokes fell great oaks.”  Ibid.

Written by PJ Rice (with the help of Ibid) at www.ricequips.com