What compels a pilot to delay an ejection so he may save lives on the ground even though such a delay means certain death for him? What pushes a sailor to willingly venture into harm’s way if it means the oceans are just a fraction safer? One of Mahatma Gandhi’s lesser-known quotes perfectly captures how we in the armed forces regard acts of courage: Fearlessness is the first requisite of spirituality. Cowards can never be moral.
