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              Life Lessons in Mentoring from a Military Leader
      Submitted by 
admin
 on 
Thu, 01/17/2019 - 10:52Jan 17, 2019
  

                    imageAdmiral Earl Gay knows a lot about inspiring
others from 33 years of Navy serviceJanuary is National Mentoring Month and the Corporation for
National and Community Service (CNCS) is supporting our friends at MENTOR by
sharing some advice from a man who, among his many achievements, has made mentoring
his mission: retired Navy Admiral Earl Gay.Admiral Gay (pictured above, left) is the Senior Advisor for Wounded Warrior and
Veterans and Military Families Initiatives at CNCS and says a lot of what he
does is rooted in establishing trust, building relationships, and leading
change, all of which fall under his concept of mentorship.These traits come naturally to the Admiral as a leader of
men and women in the armed forces. He willingly shares his life story, using
wall-mounted photos of family and friends to illustrate his points, “I like
people to have the whole story; it extends an arm of trust.”Admiral Gay grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and is the youngest
of three siblings who inspired him to strive for greatness. After high school
he applied to the U.S. Naval Academy, which he turned into 33 years of
military service, flying as a Navy pilot, commanding an amphibious aircraft
carrier, earning two master’s degrees, and enjoying countless opportunities to
mentor. He says it was an honor to serve in uniform and now in national service
and credits his service to the idea that mentoring is a mutual investment.“It is almost familial; it’s a responsibility to the next
generation, to colleagues, to neighbors,” he said. “I feel blessed to have had
so many learning opportunities and that this country invested so much in me; I
feel it is my duty to share my knowledge and skills with others.“I see it as everyone’s responsibility to continue learning
and continue sharing so that we all become better,” said Admiral Gay. “Teach
the fisher to fish so there are more fish to eat.”Always returning back to the Naval Academy, Admiral Gay has
mentored members of the Navy football team and incoming midshipmen, and he
continues this role in both structured mentorship programs and as an informal
advisor to people adjusting to new environments.“We’ve all been there, in an unfamiliar situation, we have
to look out for each other and share our knowledge to reach the next goal,”
said Admiral Gay, noting that mentoring is an educational experience for the
mentee and the mentor. “No one is
ever too young to be a mentor or too wise to be a mentee.”This idea resonates with the spirit of service and
volunteering; as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Everyone can be great
because everyone can serve.” CNCS urges Americans to take up this spirit of
service by becoming a mentor or joining another volunteer effort in their
community. Visit
our website to
learn more about mentoring and to search volunteer opportunities.With a cheerful expression on his face Admiral
Gay drives home his belief that trust, compassion, service, and mentorship are
synonymous. His military leadership and mentor expertise are clear as he closes
with “If you ever wonder what I am all about, just check my email signature; it
says ‘One Team, One Fight.’ That message has transcended my career.”
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