William Odom Quotes

I am a combat leader. As such I am responsible for everything that is done in my unit. I just wish that our civilian leaders would accept the same kind of responsibility.

A military leader often faces a situation he has to deal with, but because it is his duty, no court can try him.

These people did their duty; they acted on my orders, so they are not guilty of anything. I accept their guilt myself. Try me.

Let me be clear - no one is above the law. Not a politician, not a priest, not a criminal, not a police officer. We are all accountable for our actions.

It is absolutely bedrock to the British Army's philosophy that a commanding officer is responsible for what goes on within his command.

I don't know anyone at the highest levels who approved Abu Ghraib. If President Barack Obama for a moment thought that somebody at a high level had approved it, he would go after them.

Military investigations are designed not to find anyone guilty. And you can't investigate up the chain of command, which is a huge impediment.

The tradition of our Navy mandates that senior officials bear the ultimate responsibility for their command.

As a company commander you have absolute definitions: the mission, the people.

My role is not to cover up for the crimes of others.

A leader can give up anything - except final responsibility.

There is no power or authority without responsibility, and he who accepts the one cannot escape or evade the other.

When you accept a leadership role, you take on extra responsibility for your actions toward others.

Choices may be unbelievably hard but they're never impossible. To say you have no choice is to release yourself from responsibility and that's not how a person with integrity acts.

People need responsibility. They resist assuming it, but they cannot get along without it.

You are responsible for what you have done and the people whom you have influenced.

I think you need to make responsibility something that's not just a word.

It is pretty hard to talk about responsibility unless you have exercised it yourself.

Liberty is no heirloom. It requires the daily bread of self-denial, the salt of law and, above all, the backbone of acknowledging responsibility for our deeds.

Responsibility cannot be shared.

Nature has no use for the plea that one 'did not know'.

Because others have let us down, it is now our duty to face the hard truths and do the right thing--no matter the personal cost.

You exert a certain degree of influence, and be it ever so small, it affects some person or persons, and for the results of the influence you exert you are held accountable. You, therefore, whether you acknowledge it or not, have assumed an importance before God and man that cannot be overlooked.

Accepting responsibility for the actions of others contributes to your own greatness.

Responsibility is a unique concept. It can only reside and inhere in a single individual. You may share it with others, but your portion is not diminished. You may delegate it, but it is still with you. You may disclaim it, but you cannot divest yourself of it. If responsibility is rightfully yours, no evasion, or ignorance or passing the blame can shift the burden to someone else. Unless you can point your finger at the man who is responsible when something goes wrong, then you have never had anyone really responsible.