Commentary: Be careful of the friends you choose Published May 13, 2014 By Chief Master Sgt. James E. Standley 349th Maintenance Group TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- "The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way he can, never suspecting that anybody wishes to hinder him." --Abraham Lincoln My Father was my hero; a WW II combat veteran with four bronze stars and a purple heart. My mother was my number-one mentor. Simply put, I could find no faults in things she did and she had me wanting to be just as good as her if I could. They both made me into the man I am today. The friends I kept made me into a better one. Let's start with my best friend, my wife, Corina. She has tutored, supported and reinforced her encouragement of me on a regular basis; she takes these stripes as seriously as I do. I have grown to adulthood knowing as long as I have her respect - I am doing a good job as a human being. This seems all so simple but, as a young man I could have put myself into situations that would have made me not so respectable. The friends I surrounded myself with were few, but I respected them. The decisions I made I am still proud of today. When I was a young man not one friend forced me into a decision I did not want to make. That is a good attribute to have - individuality. I had it as a young man and it has helped me through my life. In life there are always setbacks, use them as chance to learn and grow. In anything you do wrong, ask forgiveness and take the opportunity to make a difference. "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." Louis B. Smedes My behavior, personality or what I have accomplished, have been directed through my life in the military. As a young Airman, I attempted to work hard, and I respected those with exceptional work ethics and those who made responsible life choices. As a NCO, I wanted to take charge and make more decisions on my own. As a SNCO, I wanted all the troops to be well informed and aware of the commitment to the military. Most of all, I wanted to do good by them. As a Chief, my motto to myself was to speak less and do more. Most of all, I wanted to leave a legacy, or at least set the groundwork for others to leave one that would make a difference - and also to ensure support for everyone. I will always work on myself, and work on how I can do better. How will I talk to every person I meet? Do I represent the life I have lived? And have I always given back and helped others? The end result of selecting the friends I keep -- they have all shaped me into the man I am today -- but, my strongest attribute has been that I have always made my own decisions in my life.