Corps Values: Everything You Need to Know I Learned in the Marines

This brief book of essays by the governor of Georgia buttresses a conservative, traditionalist view of America. It was in the Marine Corps that the young Miller straightened out and ""learned the values of achieving a successful life."" Those values are, in Miller's order: neatness, punctuality, brotherhood, persistence, pride, respect, shame, responsibility, achievement, courage, discipline and loyalty. A good deal of Miller's argument seems quite sound--e.g., that sloppiness is a sign of laziness, and that pride leads to the confidence needed to accomplish future tasks. Miller's story of how he tried to remove the Confederate battle flag from the Georgia state flag illustrates his belief in loyalty to the truth. But his example of Mickey Mantle illustrating courage as he faced death is diminished by his lack of comment on Mantle's notorious drinking. Further, his call for ramrod respect for the flag and the National Anthem disparages the possibility of patriotic protest. And while the Marine Corps may foster brotherhood, more sophisticated analysts have noted the difficulty in making similar progress in society at large. Finally, more skeptical readers might wonder whether their personal list of core values would include others, like skepticism, generosity or tolerance. (June)