[September 2, 2025] Never betray your team. The idea of loyalty is as ancient as a human association, although it is often revealed in its opposite (disloyalty, betrayal, ingratitude). The world’s greatest thinkers have studied the notion of human commitments, whether to God or each other, and they regard loyalty as a remarkable virtue worthy of true wonder.
The concept of loyalty is strong with emotion and cannot be discounted. Its practical value is clear. Loyalty means to protect others from harm; the opposite is to destroy.
In the underworld of Dante’s Inferno (Italian language for “Hell”), when he outlined the levels of Hell, Dante was trying to get to what constituted true Evil. He observed that there are many ways to behave wickedly, but there is also a pecking order of evil behavior, and something is at the absolute bottom, the worst of the worst. And Dante believed it was a betrayal.
Betrayal is devastating. Betrayal is worse than a crime. It is worse than thievery, bribery, and even worse than murder. Betrayal destroys not just a person but the belief in the intrinsic good nature of all humans. It undermines everything we know and all we have come to hold dear to ourselves.
One human act that enables long-term peaceful cooperation between people is trust. Loyalty is the outgrowth of trust. Trust is an unbelievably powerful force in human activity; it is the basis of everything we do. Without trust, we cannot act cooperatively with others, we cannot exist peacefully, and we cannot live alongside others.
Trust allows us to predict the acceptable and beneficial behavior of others. And trust is always a two-way street. Only by giving it can you gain it. If trust is to exist, trust must be given and taken, and it requires a bit of courage.
To protect others and to have their back is a necessary form of trust. When someone trusts us, they know that any threat against them will be met by others.
And, of course, always “Check your 6,” a recent military term. Also phrased as “watch your back,” it means to be careful of what’s behind you. It’s a phrase adopted in civilian phraseology, where “6” refers to numbers on an imaginary clock, 12 is directly in front of you, and six is behind.
Loyalty is essential in this idea because no one can be on guard against every possibility. Good friends, family, and co-workers can help you check your 6. Be situationally aware, be open to the input of others, be transparent in your dealing with others, keep your word, and remember that there are folks out there who will attempt to destroy you just because they can.
So, protect the back of others and always check your 6. Never betray your brothers or sisters.
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Please read my books:
Loyalty is the best connection to humanness and that is what makes Christian societies most successful and more advanced economically and socially, esp. when compared to Communist or Arabic countries.
TRUST. This is something most women have a hard time accepting from men. MHO.
I’m not so sure. Certainly, women are more emotional. And why, I do not know but let’s not generalize too much. 🕷🕷🕷🕷
Good one, Wellignton. True but the feminists are not going to like you at all.
Check Your 6
https://www.theleadermaker.com/check-your-6/
Check Your 6, also phrased as Watch Your Back, is an appropriate warning for those who live under the precepts of good leadership. As we know, what a leader says and does will be misinterpreted; either unintentionally or purposefully. That is why leaders must ensure that they are perpetually prepared to defend what they do.
Watch your six.
Be Loyal.
Be a good person.
Read Gen. Satterfield’s book on “55 Rules for a Good Life.”
Educate yourself on how to be a good person and good leader.
Don’t let yourself be uneducated or reveal in stupidity.
Be more than you can be. Oh, that’s a quote also from Gen. Satterfield.
And, then tell the truth which will take you on an adventure of your life because it is hard to predict what will happen. But you will be on firm ground.
You got that right, Eye Cat. And Gen. Satterfield has used this as an underlying theme now for almost his entire 12 years this blog has been in existence. Hurray for “loyalty” for this is the grease that lubricates the wheels of our society.
The Face of Ultimate Betrayal
https://www.theleadermaker.com/the-face-of-ultimate-betrayal/
This is another example of how our returning Vietnam War veterans were treated, even by their spouses. I’m sure this woman burns in Hell.
This is a very interesting and truthful statement from Gen. Satterfield. I think more folks should also read more of those ancient texts that survived. They didn’t just write about any old thing but the wisdom of the ages: “Betrayal is devastating. Betrayal is worse than a crime. It is worse than thievery, bribery, and even worse than murder. Betrayal destroys not just a person but the belief in the intrinsic good nature of all humans. It undermines everything we know and all we have come to hold dear to ourselves.”
Right, Albert. See his articles on betrayal. THey will give you the creeps. At least they did for me.
Exactly, loyalty is the opposite of betrayal.
“Betrayal is an evil more profound than any human behavior we can imagine. In Dante’s Inferno, sins like torture, murder, and rape were not at the bottom of the pit (nine circles of hell); it was betrayal.” – Gen. Doug Satterfield.
“Check your 6.” — Gen. Doug Satterfield
BE LOYAL … DUH
Got it, sir. Well written and to the point. Loyalty is one of the American Army’s core values.
L = locality
D = duty
R = respect
S = selfless service
H = honor
I = integrity
P = personal courage
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Thank you, Army captain. We all must be loyal to our families, our neighbors, our communities, and our nation. The nation is what ultimately gives us protection. So, protect the protectors.
Yep, and our clueless Democrat Party politicians have yet to understand that. Simply too immature and delusional to accept reality.
Got that right. Anyone voting for a demoncrat is mentally ill. Make Insane Asylums Great Again.
“Core Values: U.S. Army”
https://www.theleadermaker.com/core-values-u-s-army/
Gen. Satterfield wrote about this many years ago.
[October 21, 2013] By discussing core values, it is again easy to select an organization that clearly articulates its values.
A Gen. Satterfield classic.