<p>Integrity is essential to true leadership. I don’t buy the logic that one must fail and be restored to grace before one may be trusted as a leader. Now, no one here has stated that argument so directly, but there is a hint of it. I would warn against going too far down that road.</p>
<p>On the other hand I certainly agree that the most dangerous and destructive soul is the sly one who cheats so expertly that he is never caught, or if he is caught, he is caught late in his career after he has done much damage. </p>
<p>In my military career I came across such officers, some of them USAFA graduates. I had a hand in prosecuting several of them. One whose case I was not involved with, but who epitomizes the breed, is the disgraced former Staff Judge Advocate of the Air Force, Maj Gen Thomas Fiscus. Fiscus was a USAFA graduate, class of 1972. If you want to read an account of stunning hypocrisy and bankrupt integrity, go here: <a href=“Opinion”>http://www.military.com/Opinions/0,,Hackworth_030805,00.html</a></p>
<p>Sadly, the class of 2010 likely has a few like Fiscus in its ranks. These clever cheaters will not get caught out in this scandal. They will go on to responsible staff positions and even commands. And they will cause grave harm.</p>
<p>On the other hand I am also familiar with the matchless leadership and sterling reputations of such great men as Gen Ronald R. Fogleman, USAFA class of 1963. The good news must be, and I am sure that it is, there are far, far more cadets in the class of 2010 in the model of a Fogleman than there are in the model of a Fiscus. These young Foglemans in training will bring great honor to their class and to this nation by their sacrifice and service. May God bless them.</p>