Kyle Craig

Module #4 – Core Assignment – Thematic Analysis

Arizona State University

 Introduction

For my Thematic Analysis, I used all of the content from the first three weeks

of this course; Three Questions, Identities Exercise, Values and Dreams, and Life

Story Personal Narrative. I then went back through my coursework from earlier

classes and found more sources that would help to create themes. In those

documents I found a Self Interview, Conflict Style Interview, and Peer Interview. I

enjoyed revisiting these documents because this degree has been a few years in the

making so it was good to see the consistency in themes but also the growth that I

have experienced in the last five years.

After selecting my data sources, I printed them all out and then I grabbed my

daughter’s new box of colored pencils. As I read through the first data source I

randomly picked a color and anytime my wife was mentioned, I underlined that

section in orange. I underlined my military career in green, experiences outdoors in

blue. I drew a gray line under every travel experience and red when I found seasons

of difficulty. By the time I worked through the first document I had picked up

fourteen different colored pencils and realized I had a good start for what might end

up themes. I continued to work through my data sources, highlighting according to

the color-coding I started with, and when I was done I was able to quickly scribble

out a rough draft of ten themes. I fine-tuned this list a bit, but the color-coding made

it easy to spot consistency in my life in terms of thematic development. I have

added this information to my ePortfolio and can be found at

https://kacraig2.weebly.com.
 Data Source Data Source Citation Code
Three Questions 3QS
Identities Exercise IE
Values and Dreams VD
Life Story Personal Narrative LSPN
Self Interview SI
Conflict Style Inventory CSI
Peer Interview PI

My themes are:

1. Family happiness guides and motivates me

2. Extended family relationships were/are formative in my role as a

husband/father

3. My career takes a lot from me but it is work that I am good at and proud to do

4. Leadership can be a trait that is formed through experiences

5. Difficult experiences and seasons are formative

6. The world is beautiful and I aim to experience as much of it as I am able

7. Getting outside whether to play a sport or enjoy the scenery is good for the

soul and should be passed on

8. Sharing life in close relationships and friendships allows more overall

enjoyment in every season

9. Providing for myself and my family motivates me to be the best I can in every

area

10. I value honesty and integrity

Theme 1: Family happiness guides and motivates me

Supporting Evidence:

 “They are the focus of my life and bring me the most joy in life” (3QS)

 Of the top five values I chose in the Identities Exercise, Having a Family was

listed. (IE)

 “Desire to provide a stable home” – (VD)

 “I lump the role of husband and father into the same role, and that is my

priority” (VD)

 “My goal is to maintain a life I am happy to leave work to enjoy” (VD)

 “My underlying meaning life is to keep people happy.” (VD)

 “All of the years of concern about close relationships, the need to provide for

my wife and myself manifested in a brand new priority, my family.” (LSPN)

 “My family is top priority so I build relationships with people that have the

same interests in life as my family and me.” (SI)

 “Marriage is an important relationship that I find to be the most important

one of all. I love to have the ability to work as a team with my best friend

throughout life and all of its challenges it throws our way.” (SI)

Contradictory Evidence:

 “Unless golf is on, you listen well and convey empathy when necessary.” (PI)
Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life

This theme encompasses a large portion of my personal life. As I read

through things I had written in the past as well as combed through an old peer

interview, I was encouraged that it has always been a central focus in my life. My

intentionality and focus on my family are things that I am proud of in my character.

I am glad that my priorities are the people who I am committed to. This theme

correlates to my professional life because I show up and work hard so that I can

enjoy my family. I have come across a lot of different people in my career that are so

sold to their work that they won’t leave the office before 6pm after arriving at 6am.

As I contemplate their work patterns and behaviors I just have to assume it is

because they don’t get a lot of satisfaction or joy out of being at home. I love leaving

work to spend time in my home with my family, and I will continue to work hard to

maintain that work/home relationship.

Theme 2: Extended family relationships were/are formative in my

role as a husband/father

Supporting Evidence:

 I am happy to share contentment in my life with the family I have created so

that my parents and siblings do not have to worry about me. (VD)

 “I am pretty thankful to have had a chance to grow up where I did and

surrounded by the people and love I got to experience.” (LSPN)

 “Thankfully my mom lived to make every big event fun and exciting, and my

dad carved out time to spend one on one with me.” (LSPN)

 “My dad is generous and kind and always happy to help someone in need out.

He cares deeply for the people and the connections he’s made and I knew he

would take in a friend in need.” (LSPN)

 “Since returning from overseas we have been able to see my parents as well

as my wife’s parents almost monthly for the last nine months.” (LSPN)

 “People often take proximity for granted, but my wife and I will not do that

after learning how hard it is to be away.” (LSPN)

 “I just cannot give you the full 10 because we all know Kayla is the glue that

keeps our family together and is the best maintainer or relationships, so

since we have her as a model and nobody can be as great as she is, you have

to get a 7.” (PI)

Contradictory Evidence:
  Parents divorced between 8th and 9th grade years (LSPN)

 Mom moved 35 minutes away and didn’t make an effort to spend time with

me through high school. (LSPN)

 “I will try to talk to my famliy/distant friends more often because I do enjoy

doing it but don’t make time to do so.” (PI)

Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life

I was always happiest around my family when I was younger, which made

me want a happy family of my own. When my mom left us, instead of allowing that

to alter my desire for a family, I chose to instead be intentional with whom I chose

for a spouse and how I behaved in relationships. I had great examples of integrity

and clear pictures of the kind of husband and father I wanted to be in my dad. My

wife also has a strong relationship with her family and that has shaped how we plan

trips and holidays. I admire and respect my in laws and enjoy adapting some of

their values and traditions into our family. Professionally I looked to my dad as an

example for how to work hard and do well in your selected profession. He always

went to work with a smile on his face and I am grateful for his example in providing

for his family.

Theme 3: My career takes a lot from me but it is work that I am

good at and proud to do

Supporting Evidence:

 “I love what I do in the United States Air Force and feel like I am contributing

to the greater good of mankind.” (3QS)

 “Encourages me to always put my best foot forward because I don’t want to

be recognized for doing a task incorrectly” (VD)

 Thirteen years of service in the United States Air Force (LSPN)

 “I started the Delayed Enlisted Program at the beginning of my senior year

and officially enlisted June 17, 2008.” (LSPN)

 “…I deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan for four months. It was an exciting

time to be in the desert because while I was serving over there, our military

killed Osama Bin Laden…I have so much pride in the men and women who

executed that mission and I am honored to have been able to be there

supporting it in a small way.” (LSPN)

 “The military is constantly testing its member’s ability to adapt to new

situations. Whether it is move to a new location no matter your input or

having to deploy with short notice because you raised your right hand and

made a promise to this country,” (SI)

Contradictory Evidence:

 Moved to South Korea for a year and left my wife and daughter back in the

states, this was a difficult season because it isn’t good to be away from your

family for that long. (LSPN)

 Watching the departure from Afghanistan made my work and the work of my

coworkers seem pointless. (LSPN)

 “There are also things about coming back after a year away that people just

skip over. Learning new roles and routines after you’ve established your

own for so long.” (LSPN)

Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life

Work is the thing that takes me away from my family most often, but it is also

the thing I do so that we can enjoy the lifestyle we enjoy. There have been sacrifices

I have had to make in order to respond to the call to service. I have spent long

periods of time away from them physically and missed milestones and big moments

along the way. For the most part, we know that this is part of the job when it comes

to military service. There have been a few times where it has been hard to reconcile

the things I have missed because of my job.

I am also proud of the country I took an oath to protect and defend. All of my

adult life has been in military service and from my service I have grown in

leadership skills, and learned what it takes to go above and beyond, to set myself

apart so I can promote. I want to be successful and hold higher rank, so I work hard

to know the Air Force Instructions (AFIs) well and do my job correctly. I take my

job seriously and train so that I am ready when a real world mission arises.
Theme 4: Leadership can be a trait that is formed through

experiences

Supporting Evidence:

 I am proud of the way I have grown into leadership roles. This was not my

natural inclination but I learned from strong leaders as well as leaders who

did not support me well and decided what kind of leader I wanted to be when

the time came in my career. (3QS)

 “I know that the people who work for me are happy to have me leading

them.” (3QS)

 I listed honesty as a top value in the Identities Exercise, which is at the center

of my leadership style. I expect honesty and am open and honest with my

subordinates. (IE)

 “-Desire to help others be successful and achieve goals” (VD)

 “I make a practice of listening and hearing out all sides of a situation so I can

make sure my stance on a subject is sound and resonates with who I am as a

person.” (VD)

 “One way to show them you respect them is to set aside some of your own

time to address the conflict and make sure that instead of focusing only on

your goals and desires, you listen to their desires and resolve the conflict in

that way.” (CSI)

 “Team leader and team player.” (SI)

  “There are some situations that I have to make a decision on something that

some one might not like but it is always for the best interest of everyone.

Some people cannot see that right away but in the end they realize that it was

worth it.” (SI)

 You always get the job done to the best of your ability and that often requires

a lot of communication, and you educating the people who are beneath you

on how things should run properly. You always do this with respect and

patience.” (PI)

 “You make sure that the time you spend with people makes them a better

worker and more knowledgeable, not for personal gain but for the

betterment of the entire flight.” (PI)

Contradictory Evidence:

 “One of my biggest weaknesses that I need to improve on is not giving people

multiple chances to win me over.” (SI)

Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life

There are different aspects of leadership that are present in my life. In my

professional life, I lead over thirty-two subordinates and am responsible for their

success in their careers. I have worked for some supervisors along the way that

didn’t invest in me or care about anyone’s success but their own, and I was always

frustrated by that leadership style. Instead of copying that, I learned from it as well

as all of the course content I worked through during my time at ASU and developed

a leadership style and strategy that lines up with what I believe are the best

practices in leadership. I was not a natural born leader where I was constantly
seeking out leadership roles in my life, but as I have gained rank, I have refined

these skills so I can serve those beneath me.

In my personal life, I lead by being an example for my sons and daughter. It

is my job to teach them how to respond to life’s disappointments and also how to get

the most enjoyment out of life. I show them how to love and respect one another in

the way I treat and love them. I know the importance of having strong leadership in

the home and I won’t be able to count my life successful if I compartmentalize all of

my leadership at work and don’t integrate it into my home.

Theme 5: Difficult experiences and seasons are formative

Supporting Evidence:

 Parents divorced between 8th and 9th grade, which led me to join all new

sports and find new peer groups. (LSPN)

 Discovered golf after parents divorce through new friends on soccer team,

and it became my favorite sport to date. (LSPN)

 “I knew what I was doing was for them, but it didn’t feel good to be away

from them in the meantime.” (LSPN)

 “If we were to receive the same orders today, the family would come along.”

(LSPN)

 Move from Germany was difficult; we uprooted our daughter’s life and went

to a place where everything was foreign and dark for months. This base

eventually became our favorite assignment, but we had to fight for joy in the

first few weeks. (LSPN)

 “People often take proximity for granted, but my wife and I will not do that

after learning how hard it is to be away.” (LSPN)

 The ups and downs have made me who I am. (LSPN)

 “It is good to go through seasons where your perspective shifts and you are

forced to grow.” (LSPN)

Contradictory Evidence:

 “It is a little hard to watch the current events in light of this (Afghanistan).

My coworkers and I have had a lot of solemn, frustrated moments in the last
 couple weeks trying to come to terms with the way the withdrawal from

Afghanistan was handled.” (LSPN)

 Our first dog died while I was in Poland for a month, it was a tough loss.

(LSPN)

 Being away from my wife when her best friend died just added to the

heartbreak, still struggling to find the good that came from that difficult

season. (LSPN)

Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life

Growing together through life’s ups and downs is the reason my wife and I

are so close. Instead of pulling away from one another when life got difficult and

searching for comfort or peace outside of our home, we found ways to press through

the uncomfortable times and come out stronger on the other side. I believe this will

be a good example for our kids as they grow. As much as we want to protect them

from heartbreak and difficult seasons, they will always exist. My hope is that we

show them that with perseverance, problem solving, and a lot of grace for

themselves and others, they will come through difficult seasons having learned

something and appreciating easy times even more.

I can see this in my professional life specifically when I have had to work for

a supervisor who showed little interest in my personal growth. I chose to allow

these experiences to shape the supervisor I would become. Working in less than

desirable circumstances taught me that life wouldn’t always be easy or fair but

eventually hard work is noticed and recognized.

Theme 6: The world is beautiful and I aim to experience as much of

it as I am able

Supporting Evidence:

 Adventure is one of the top five values listed in my Identities Exercise. I

value opportunities to explore and enjoy the world around me. (IE)

 “Provide experiences where children will develop a relationship with people

and the world around them.” (VD)

 “…but the amount of time I devote to each will hopefully, eventually change

and I will have a lot more time for adventure…” (VD)

 “It was incredible to see the country (Italy) as well as seven others while I

was stationed there.” (LSPN)

 “From Italy I moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and spent almost six years

enjoying the sand and sun in the Gulf of Mexico.” (LSPN)

 “In the middle of that sweet season with just one child, I received orders for a

1-year remote tour to South Korea with a follow on assignment to Germany.”

(LSPN)

 “My dad and his new wife came to see us and we spent a week in Ireland.”

(LSPN)

 “Living in Italy was a great time to meet people with different cultural

backgrounds.” (PI)
Contradictory Evidence:

 Excited about new assignment to Las Vegas, mostly for proximity to family,

not necessarily for the city and landscape. (LSPN)

 “This was a big cultural shock for me especially since I was in high school just

before joining the Air Force.” (SI)

Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life

Two overseas assignments, two deployments, a remote tour, and multiple

temporary duty assignments have given me the opportunity to see a lot of the world,

and I am so grateful. These experiences grew my love of traveling, seeing and

experiencing as much as I can. I love sharing these experiences with my wife and

children. It provides opportunities to overcome adversity with delays and language

barriers, as well as enjoy all of the beauty in the world around us. There are so

many beautiful things to see and experience, and I take every opportunity I can,

within reason to go out and explore.

Theme 7: Getting outside whether to play a sport or enjoy the

scenery is good for the soul and should be passed on

Supporting Evidence:

 “…I enjoy just being in Mother Nature and showing my kids how to enjoy it

too.” (3QS)

 A future career goal of mine is to manage a golf course, the ultimate

realization of this theme. To spend all of my time outdoors enjoying the

sport I love. (3QS)

 “Allows me to remain active” (VD)

 “My earliest days are marked by the people who loved me investing in me

with their time and filling my life with a lot of experiences, most of them

outdoors. This is likely where my love of the outdoors began.” (LSPN)

 “Naturally competitive with a ‘have to win’ attitude’ but lives by the

sportsmanship theory.” (SI)

 “You are active and happiest when playing sports or other group activities

and like to get others involved when the opportunity presents itself.” (PI)

 “Hardworking, activity-loving individual who doesn’t like to make too many

waves.” (PI)

Contradictory Evidence:

 Nothing was discovered contradictory to this theme in my research.

Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life

One of the first things my wife discovered about me was that a beach trip

would never be a time to just sit around if I was in her life. I try to incorporate fun

into everything I do, and for me a lot of fun starts with just walking outside. I am

constantly searching for things to do outside, and ways to teach my kids how to

enjoy it with me. Growing up my godfather, dad, and closest friends spent a lot of

time outside with me, and so I want to create a similar tempo in my own home. Get

outside, play hard. I have a competitive nature and I want to teach my kids to play

sports and do well with them.

I see this playing out in my professional life as a way to connect with my

troops. I love going to flight Physical Training and playing ultimate Frisbee or

football. I love organizing golf tournaments to support flight or squadron functions.

There are so many things to do outside and it’s a rare occasion that people walk

away from an outdoor activity in a bad mood.

Theme 8: Sharing life in close relationships and friendships allows

more overall enjoyment in every season

Supporting Evidence:

 “Reliable and Stable, Non-judgmental and available” -VD

 My first best friend was Jesse Cool, we are still friends today and his

friendship laid the foundation for my desire to have close relationships in

life. (LSPN)

 Phil moved in my senior year of high school due to issues in his home and he

and I grew a strong relationship. That eventually led to being in eachother’s

weddings. (LSPN)

 “We spent a lot of time with our neighbors who were 50 years older than us,

just trying to learn from them and take it all in.

 “It was difficult to isolate from friends we were seeing every day” (LSPN)

 “Friends become family when you live overseas because you need one

another to fill in the gaps family can usually fill.” (LSPN)

 “The top priority for me in life is having close relationships so it is important

to have skill at cultivating relationships.” (SI)

 “If you truly love a person and they haven’t disrespected you or hurt you in

the past, you work hard to maintain and nurture those relationships.” (PI)
  “You put your family first and treat close friends like family, I am always

welcome in your home and I know you would be there if I needed anything.”

(PI)

Contradictory Evidence:

 My wife stated I do not spend a lot of time trying to maintain friendships

when I move to another base by making phone calls or sending messages to

touch base. (PI)

Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life

My father in law has had many a heart-to-heart that circle back to “it’s all

about relationship.” I wholeheartedly agree with this concept. After writing and

reading through all of the data, this theme shows up in every season of life. I value

relationships, friendships, and I work hard to be a good friend to the people in my

life. The reward is that I have people who consistently show up for me. These

people make me laugh, have sat with me in times of high stress, and love and respect

me all the same, I am so thankful for this theme. For the relationships I’ve cultivated

over the years that have made it a constant in my life.

In my professional life, I aim to be someone who is amicable and gets along

with people. I rarely try to make waves or bring up controversy because while I

know I cant be best friends with everyone I work with, I know I can be a trusted

place for people to come and know they won’t face any judgment in my presence.

This is something I value most about being in close relationships, is that you’re safe

from judgment, so I think it is a good thing to integrate into my professional life so

my peers and subordinates can experience more happiness at work.

Theme 9: Providing for myself and my family motivates me to be

the best I can in every area

Supporting Evidence:

 “I planned on separating from the Air Force in a couple of months, after

seeing Katie; I started studying hard for my Staff Sergeant promotion test. I

found out a couple months later that I made rank.” (LSPN)

 “The harder I worked, the better I could provide for Katie, and our future

together.” (LSPN)

 “I enjoyed stepping in to the role of provider, and was happy to dream of all

of the ways I could work hard in my career to provide stability for our

family.” (LSPN)

 Charlie was born January 2018, and he added to my drive and focus. (LSPN)

 “…I found out I was promoted to Master Sergeant in May of 2019. All of the

hard work I put in during the year away from my family had paid off.” (LSPN)

 “I work hard and make sure the work that I produce is of high quality.” (SI)

 “You care for me in how hard you work.” (PI)

Contradictory Evidence:

 “My wife helped me confirm that I need to stand up for my family and I more

often.” (PI)

Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life
 This theme impacts my personal life in that my family and the lifestyle we

enjoy depend on my ability to provide for them. I have always been a hardworking

individual, but I found more motivation and drive when I stepped into the role of

husband and father. I had and opportunity to separate from the Air Force shortly

after I ran back into my wife, but I knew the stable income and health insurance

benefits would set us up to be more successful in life so I started working hard to

promote. I am constantly thinking of ways I can earn more money for our family so

that we can achieve more comfort in life.

This theme plays out in my professional life because I have to perform to the

best of my ability in order to continue to make rank and earn more money and

provide for my family. I am currently working as the Munitions Accountability

Senior Officer and Systems Section chief at my base so that I will finish some

requirement and be vector-able. If I achieve this goal I will be able to apply for jobs

at bases all over the world and provide new experiences for my family.
Theme 10: I value honesty and integrity

Supporting Evidence:

 “I carry a great deal of compassion for my coworkers if they are deserving of

it.” (SI)

 “Serves as a guide for setting the pace for family life and teaching values”

(VD)

 Some adjectives used to describe myself are: Dependable, conscientious, fair,

honest, loyal, reliable, and trustworthy. (SI)

 “You are respectful of other people and their beliefs; you never talk down to

anyone.” (PI)

 “You are honest, hardworking, and straightforward. Anyone who meets you

can trust you easily because what you see is what you get and you never

intentionally mislead anyone or put yourself in situations where your

credibility can be questioned.” (PI)

 “Our relationship started because of work and we were able to grow a

friendship because you are trustworthy. You have always been honest with

me and I have been able to do the same with you.” (PI)

 “You are a good friend and you relate well to everyone you come into contact

with, even if you don’t like them you are respectful toward that person.”

Contradictory Evidence:

 “One of my biggest weaknesses that I need to improve on is not giving people

multiple chances to win me over.” (SI)

  “If someone is doing something wrong, I need to step in and address their

actions to ensure it doesn’t happen again.” (PI)

Thoughts about the impact of this theme on my personal and professional life

This is a theme that I come back to often both personally and professionally.

I struggled in my relationship with my mom for years because of the way her

relationship with my dad ended. I had a hard time trusting her. So I have worked

hard to build a relationship in my own home where I don’t have to worry that my

wife might do something dishonest to hurt me. She knows and sees my

commitment and I am honest with her all of the time, so she is able to reciprocate

the same respect and love for me.

In my professional life this is one of the most important things I hold young

airmen to. I do not tolerate lying and I hold my troops to a high standard of

integrity. I don’t just hold them to this standard but also give them the same respect

because people thrive when they are in safe, trusted environments. This is

something I value to my core and will always be a part of how I participate in a

professional environment.
Personal Purpose and Mission Statements

Vision Statement

My people know I’m for them.

Mission Statement

I will work hard to provide ample opportunities to see new things and experience

different cultures. Whether within the United States or Outside of the Continental

U.S., I will seek out opportunities to experience the beauty in the world around me.

I will find ways to get outside and enjoy the created world as often as possible. I will

show my children how to catch a fish, encourage them to push past the

uncomfortable last steps before the peak of a mountain, and allow time for them to

dig in the dirt or splash in a river. I will be their number one fan in any sport they

are interested in and I will help them learn new skills in their interested areas.

I will be present in my home so my children and wife know I am in their corner and

thrive when I see they are enjoying life to the fullest. I will set aside distractions for

family dinners and always ask questions. I will read books when they ask me to and

dance with them while their mom cooks dinner to create memories and establish a

home that is full of laughter.

I will make time for close relationships and show others I value them by being open

and honest. I will say yes every time my wife invites someone to dinner. I will listen
when people open up to me so that I know when they are asking for advice or when

they just need to vent.

I will strive my best in the workplace so that I can achieve great things for my

family, but also so that I can be an encouragement to my coworkers. I will not

complain in my circumstances but approach hardships with the perspective that

difficult seasons bring growth.

Vision/Mission Statement Development

I really took the T-Shirt example to heart when writing my vision statement.

I tried to envision a shirt that someone could read from a distance that captured

who I am, and who I want to be. A lot of my themes encompass hard work for

others, family happiness, and friendship. Those things needed to be shortened into

a phrase that could be printed on a T-Shirt. This is how I arrived at “My people

know I am for them.” This is something I know is true now, but I never want to stop

being true. I want the people I love and the people that work for me to always know

that if they are honest and act with integrity around me, I will sacrifice comfort and

sleep to make sure their needs are met.

Developing my mission statement off of this vision statement was not

difficult but I did try to keep in mind my themes as I wrote out the mission

statement. I wanted to encompass all of the things that have been thematic

throughout my life and make sure they were a part of my mission statement moving

forward.