“THE MASTER NODDED APPROVINGLY. “TO HEAR THE UNHEARD,” REMARKED PAN KU, “IS A NECESSARY DISCIPLINE TO BE A GOOD LEADER. FOR ONLY WHEN A LEADER HAS LEARNED TO LISTEN CLOSELY TO THE PEOPLE’S HEARTS, HEARING THEIR FEELINGS UNCOMMUNICATED, PAINS UNEXPRESSED, AND COMPLAINTS NOT SPOKEN OF, CAN HE HOPE TO INSPIRE CONFIDENCE IN HIS PEOPLE, UNDERSTAND WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG, AND MEET THE TRUE NEEDS OF HIS CITIZENS.” …PARABLES OF LEADERSHIP

 

ALOHA FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND HONORED GUESTS

 

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE AND PAY TRIBUTE TO THE 82^ND KPD RECRUIT CLASS.

 

I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK THE FAMILIES WHO PROVIDED SUPPORT THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES OF RECRUIT TRAINING.

 

EVERY JOURNEY BEGINS WITH THE FIRST STEP, AND YOUR FIRST STEP BEGAN WHEN YOU DECIDED TO BECOME ONE OF KAUAI’S FINEST.

 

IT IS NOT BY ACCIDENT OR HAPPENSTANCE THAT YOU ARE HERE TODAY; YOU WERE DESTINED TO TAKE THIS JOURNEY.

 

AND IT WILL NOT BE EASY.

 

YOU WILL ENGAGE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE AT THEIR:

BADDEST

MADDEST; AND

SADDEST

YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND GET IT RIGHT, NOT JUST THE FIRST TIME, BUT EVERY TIME.

 

YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO BE CALM AND PROVIDE LEADERSHIP WHEN IT IS MOST CHAOTIC; WHEN NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO.

YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, WHEN STANDING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT BECOMES THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO DO AGAINST INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS.

 

IN SHORT, WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR OATH OF OFFICE AND PUT ON THAT UNIFORM, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO BE PERFECT.

 

UNREALISTIC? 

 

ABSOLUTELY, BUT THOSE ARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND

IT IS THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.

 

THE REALITY IS THAT YOU WILL FALTER, BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE—WE ARE ALL HUMAN.

BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU, THAT AS YOU PROGRESS, YOU WILL BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND YOUR ROLE AS A LEADER; YOU WILL BEGIN TO

 

WHEN THIS HAPPENS, YOU WILL BE A TRUE LEADER.

 

AT YESTERDAY’S MEETING WITH YOU, WE ANALYZED THE FABLE “HANSEL AND GRETEL,” DISCUSSED KPD’S PAST—PRESENT—AND FUTURE. WE TALKED ABOUT CURRENT ISSUES, AND MISTAKES MADE IN THE RECENT PAST,

AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY WE TALKED ABOUT MAINTAINING YOUR INTEGRITY.

 

BEFORE ASKING DEPUTY CHIEF CONTRADES TO COME UP,

I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS: UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES—ON AND OFF DUTY—AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THINGS GET REALLY ROUGH, LET YOUR MISSION STATEMENT BE YOUR GUIDING LIGHT; NEVER STRAY FROM ITS VIRTUES, AND ALWAYS BE PONO.