A Military Story for the Holidays

The military's 24-7-365 environment demands that someone always be on duty, wherever the duty station may be. As demonstrated by the following story, however, there are some at the top of the military chain of command who unselfishly put the needs of their people ahead of their own, especially during the holidays. One such officer, as related in this Dec. 21, 2018, account by CNBC Contributors Editor Vanna Le, is retired four-star Marine General James Mattis. Here is Ms. Le's story.

James Mattis (left) long has been viewed as a legendary figure in the U.S. military. One particular story, told in a 2003 ethics lecture organized by the Center for the Study of Professional Military Ethics, perfectly explains why former staffers saw Mattis as a "cult figure."

In 1998, now retired General Charles C. Krulak had been preparing for an annual tradition in which he delivered hundreds of Christmas cookies to post guards. On Christmas Day, at around 4 a.m., Krulak headed to Virginia, to the command center at Quantico. Once there, he asked the Marine lance corporal who the officer on duty was.

"Sir, it's Brigadier General Mattis," the lance corporal answered, as Albert C. Pierce, a director at the ethics center, explained at the lecture.

"No, no, no. I know who Gen. Mattis is. I mean, who's the officer of the day today?" Krulak persisted.

"General Mattis," the Marine lance corporal repeated.

A short time later, Mattis appeared, fully dressed in his uniform, complete with his sword. Krulak then asked the seasoned military leader why he chose to be on duty.

As Pierce explained: "Gen. Mattis told him that the young officer who was scheduled to have duty on Christmas Day had a family, and Gen. Mattis decided it was better for the young officer to spend the day with his family."

"That's the kind of officer that Jim Mattis is," Krulak later said.

Those who worked for Mattis recount many similar examples where he put his team's needs ahead of his own. In his book, "One Bullet Away," former Marine Captain Nate Fick describes his experiences while in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"No one would have questioned Mattis if he'd slept eight hours each night in a private room, to be woken each morning by an aide who ironed his uniforms and heated his MREs," he writes in the book. "But there he was, in the middle of the freezing night, out on the lines with his Marines."

Mattis' actions are a timeless reminder that even the toughest leader can embrace compassion. In fact, "Mad Dog" Mattis was known to caution leaders not to let their passion for excellence destroy their compassion for their subordinates.

After all, as Mattis once explained, our ability "to build trust and harmony" is as critical as our ability to execute any task.