A Jarring Discovery

I have long enjoyed the traditions and ceremonies that accompany military service, well most of them anyway. After 31 years in uniform myself, I continue to make it a point to support teammates still in uniform. Living in a Navy makes it relatively easy to attend the ceremonies that celebrate them, their units, and the contributions they make. Admittedly, I see those ceremonies and the life it reflects very differently as a veteran than I did while serving. But that is expected, as a motivated Sailor’s eyes see things that a “wiser” man might miss and a seasoned veteran most certainly sees things that those in uniform are not experienced (or cynical) enough to see.

Ceremonies are as impressive to me now as they have always been. I still leave each event with a significant sense of pride in military service and an appreciation for those who choose to serve our nation in that fashion. However, my experiences outside of uniform have given me reason to see that pomp and circumstance differently. There is a saying, “You can’t read the label of the jar you are in from the inside.” I love that saying. In fact, I hang a prized piece of art in my home office that reminds me of that daily. But man, I most certainly was acclimated to and became quite comfortable inside that jar. 

For me, my jar was the Navy. I thoroughly enjoyed being a Cryptologic Warfare Officer. The professional growth, camaraderie, and sense of accomplishment were addictive. I was lucky to have found that jar. And it wasn’t until I got out of that jar that I began to see just how insulated it was. How indoctrinated those of us who choose to make uniformed service a career become. How conditioned the upwardly mobile are to “chasing the cheese” that the Navy wants Sailors to desire. And that life outside that jar can be every bit as rewarding (albeit in different ways) as it was on the inside. 

This phenomenon isn’t unique to the Navy, the military, or public service for that matter. Every profession has its own culture, incentive structure, and performance requirements. Each is deliberately designed to condition thinking, shape behavior, and inform career aspirations. Some of us fully immerse ourselves in and become blinded by that jar and some are even more eager to escape the jar than we were to enter it. 

The point isn’t to avoid the jar, for there is no avoiding it. We all live in one. The point is to acknowledge the jar is there and that we are a reflection of it, as much as it is a reflection of us. We ought to get outside of it every now and then to at least read the label. And even better, don’t just read the labels on the other jars, jump inside them and experience how they see themselves and their way of life. Living in one jar for an extended period of time is unhealthy. And we won’t realize just how unhealthy until we open the lid and get some fresh air every now and then.   

• What does the label on the jar you are in say?
• How long have you been thriving/stuck inside?
• Is it time for some fresh air or maybe even a new jar?

Note: Art is courtesy of GapingVoid Culture Design Group