--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's one reason I retired as a sergeant…" description: "\"That's one reason I retired as a sergeant and not at a higher rank... I refused to 'play the game' the way the bosses wanted the game played. It is a d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/ron-stallworth-11243_decision_that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergean_2921509.jpg" --- # That's one reason I retired as a sergeant and not at a… ![“That's one reason I retired as a sergeant and not at a higher rank... I refused to 'play the game' the way the bosses wanted the game played. It is a decision that has cost me money in retirement pay but one that I have never regretted.” quote by Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/ron-stallworth-11243_decision_that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergean_2921509.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/ron-stallworth-11243_decision_that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergean_2921509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/ron-stallworth-11243_decision_that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergean_2921509.jpg) > “That's one reason I retired as a sergeant and not at a higher rank... I refused to 'play the game' the way the bosses wanted the game played. It is a decision that has cost me money in retirement pay but one that I have never regretted.” [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing personal integrity over career advancement can lead to financial loss but preserves self‑respect and authenticity. **In simple terms:** Integrity over promotion. Key Takeaway Value honesty above rank. Themes integrity career personal values conformity regret Mood reflective determined Type advice personal narrative When to use this quote - military service - career planning - ethical dilemmas - leadership choices Key Concepts ethical decision‑making authentic leadership Questions to Reflect On - What values would you sacrifice for a higher position? - How does integrity affect long‑term fulfillment? A Different Perspective May limit future opportunities and financial security. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Game Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-play/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Rank Refused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rank-refused-4259101/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Retired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retired/) [Retired Sergeant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retired-sergeant-4259099/) [Sergeant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sergeant/) [Sergeant Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sergeant-higher-4259100/) ## Related quotes > [“You mean the retired sergeant of Marines,” said Sherlock Holmes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/you-mean-the-retired-sergeant-of-marines-said-sherlock-holmes/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [The classic war movies of the post-Vietnam era have generally taken on grand, philosophical themes: the meaninglessness of war, the grinding down of man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanna-rosin/the-classic-war-movies-of-the-post-vietnam-era-have-generally-taken/) [Hanna Rosin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanna-rosin/) > [But, Sergeant Osbern, Sir, I like my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/but-sergeant-osbern-sir-i-like-my-head/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [William McKinley Oswald was my high school football coach. He was a great coach and had a profound influence on my life. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/william-mckinley-oswald-was-my-high-school-football-coach-he-was-a/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [“Where there are policemen there’s crime, sergeant, remember that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/where-there-are-policemen-there-s-crime-sergeant-remember-that/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Lightened body armor, which the military has made progress on, would mean increased safety and reduced risk for soldiers like the sergeant and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/lightened-body-armor-which-the-military-has-made-progress-on-would/) [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) > [My heroes are the non-commissioned officers. If I had another life that's what I'd be - a regimental sergeant major or a similar rank.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ainsworth/my-heroes-are-the-non-commissioned-officers-if-i-had-another-life/) [Bob Ainsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ainsworth/) > [“Ah … politics, Sergeant. When the top brass hand you a turd, you polish it and say, “my, what a lovely jobbie!” That way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-macbride/ah-politics-sergeant-when-the-top-brass-hand-you-a-turd-you-polish-it/) [Stuart MacBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-macbride/) > [Many people in Britain will regard the end of combat in Afghanistan as a very good news story, but for many young men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/many-people-in-britain-will-regard-the-end-of-combat-in-afghanistan/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [Sergeant first class Cory Remsburg never gives up and he does not quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/sergeant-first-class-cory-remsburg-never-gives-up-and-he-does-not-quit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [My dad was a big admirer of Sergeant York stories from the First World War.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/my-dad-was-a-big-admirer-of-sergeant-york-stories-from-the-first/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [“Okay boy's and girls, let's learn how to fight." -Sergeant Til”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-d-sutherland/okay-boy-s-and-girls-let-s-learn-how-to-fight-sergeant-til/) [C.D. Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-d-sutherland/) > [Every so often you might have an outburst in the gallery. That's one of the most exciting things that happen because then you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/every-so-often-you-might-have-an-outburst-in-the-gallery-that-s-one/) [Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/) > [“Sergeant Tin said it would be easier to just call you Corporal. She said you go back and forth, promoted one day and busted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-v-o-neil/sergeant-tin-said-it-would-be-easier-to-just-call-you-corporal-she/) [Henry V. O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-v-o-neil/) > [“He wrote down, in a neat list, all the obligations of a sergeant because written information was what mattered in this world,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulette-jiles/he-wrote-down-in-a-neat-list-all-the-obligations-of-a-sergeant/) [Paulette Jiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulette-jiles/) ## More by Ron Stallworth > [The KKK members that I was dealing with never saw me because my interaction with them occurred over the phone. They were convinced that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/the-kkk-members-that-i-was-dealing-with-never-saw-me-because-my/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [If one black man aided by a bevy of good, decent, dedicated, and open liberal-minded whites and Jews can succeed in prevailing over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/if-one-black-man-aided-by-a-bevy-of-good-decent-dedicated-and-open/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [Personally, I never had any negative encounters with the law growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/personally-i-never-had-any-negative-encounters-with-the-law-growing-up/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [I phoned the KKK Grand Wizard David Duke in Louisiana and asked why my membership was being delayed. He said my application was on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/i-phoned-the-kkk-grand-wizard-david-duke-in-louisiana-and-asked-why/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [Too many people are afraid to talk about the issue of race. We should be willing to address it, and more importantly, when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/too-many-people-are-afraid-to-talk-about-the-issue-of-race-we-should/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [When you're undercover you try to stay as true to your identity as you are. You know who you are, and you know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/when-you-re-undercover-you-try-to-stay-as-true-to-your-identity-as/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [In my opinion, Spike Lee is a national cultural treasure - to the black community in particular but to America in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/in-my-opinion-spike-lee-is-a-national-cultural-treasure-to-the-black/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [That was one thing that we learned, that the Klan was making an active recruitment pitch to the armed forces - not just in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/that-was-one-thing-that-we-learned-that-the-klan-was-making-an-active/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [It's the whole white-supremacist movement, no matter what they call themselves - be it Klan, Nazis, alt-right, skinheads - the basic ideology is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/it-s-the-whole-white-supremacist-movement-no-matter-what-they-call/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [Skinheads and Neo-Nazis are commonly known to openly attack people who get in their way or don't agree with them and their agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/skinheads-and-neo-nazis-are-commonly-known-to-openly-attack-people/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [I joined the police force with one motivation in mind: to become a high school PE teacher. After a year of working, I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/i-joined-the-police-force-with-one-motivation-in-mind-to-become-a/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [It was extremely dangerous to be a black man in the KKK. If I'd been exposed, it could have all gone horribly wrong. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/it-was-extremely-dangerous-to-be-a-black-man-in-the-kkk-if-i-d-been/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [What David Duke was preaching to me in 1978 about the Klan and what the Klan wanted to do regarding immigration is the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/what-david-duke-was-preaching-to-me-in-1978-about-the-klan-and-what/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [I have never had a fear of white people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/i-have-never-had-a-fear-of-white-people/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [I'm just a kid from El Paso, Texas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/i-m-just-a-kid-from-el-paso-texas/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) [Explore all 61 Ron Stallworth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) ## More Decision quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) [Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That's one reason I retired as a sergeant and not at a higher rank... I refused to 'play the game' the way the bosses wanted the game played. It is a decision that has cost me money in retirement pay but one that I have never regretted.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ron Stallworth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergeant-and-not-at-a-higher-rank-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decision" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergeant-and-not-at-a-higher-rank-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/ron-stallworth-11243_decision_that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergean_2921509.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/ron-stallworth-11243_decision_that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergean_2921509.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/ron-stallworth-11243_decision_that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergean_2921509.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That's one reason I retired as a sergeant and not at a higher rank... I refused to 'play the game' the way…” — Ron Stallworth", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ron Stallworth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That's one reason I retired as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergeant-and-not-at-a-higher-rank-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/that-s-one-reason-i-retired-as-a-sergeant-and-not-at-a-higher-rank-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```