In this article, the author, an officer in the United States Air Force (USAF), shares some leadership stories from his father's experience in Vietnam and his own experiences in the military. Both the author's corporate and university careers have benefited from the experience he gained in the military, as well as from the lessons shared in his father's stories. Being focused on the mission and objectives is the key to military success, and he has found that to be true in business and university settings as well. Leaders in any context are assessed not only by what they say, but by the behaviors they exhibit to the people they want to follow them. Effective leaders must practice what they preach.