Francis Scott Key’s ECQ CCAR

Happy Independence Day from Resume Place!

July 3, 2025

Originally written by Kathryn Troutman July 4th, 2010 from Baltimore, MD Kathryn is a frequent visitor of Ft. McHenry, her Favorite National Park.

Introduction

Here at Resume Place, as a Federal Career Coach® I am constantly coaching my clients to write “leadership stories” about their accomplishments to demonstrate SES Executive Core Qualifications – in the required CCAR format (Context, Challenge, Action, Results).

Personally, I am inspired by Francis Scott Key’s experience, the flag, Ft. McHenry, our country’s survival, and the amazing poem that Mr. Key wrote, especially the phrase “o’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.”

Francis Scott Key’s ECQ CCAR, Sept. 14, 1814

Position: Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Congres

Leadership Competencies

SES ECQ: Leading Change

Leadership Competencies

• Creativity and Innovation
• Vision
• Strategic Thinking,
• Resilience
• Flexibility
• External Awareness

Authored the Star Spangled Banner, New National Anthem, 1931

Context

As an attorney and aide-de-camp to General Smith, stationed near Upper Marlboro, MD, in September, 1814, I found out my dear friend and elderly Dr. Beane, who was captured by the British Army during a party at his home in Upper Marlboro. I was on a British vessel flagged for truce by the future President Jackson, on my way to pick up a captured friend in Marlborough. We got as far as the mouth of the Patuxent and then we were not permitted to return lest an intended attack on Baltimore by the British should be disclosed. We were brought up the Bay just across from Fort McHenry and there we were compelled to witness the bombardment of Fort McHenry, which the Admiral had boasted that he would carry in a few hours, and that the city must fall.

Challenge

We watched the flag at the Fort through the whole day with more than 500 bombs from British ships to Ft. McHenry. In the night the smaller weather flag was flying while we watched the Bomb shells in darkness not knowing that the American Military had secretly planned 4 barges, which the British did not detect. These barges attached the British militia and sent them running, some with tugs assisting. At the early dawn, our eyes were surprisingly greeted by the proudly-flying 15-star flag of our country (later to be known as the Star Spangled Banner)

Actions

By morning, I was compelled to pen a poem that reflected my thoughts of the war and particularly of the flag, “Oh say can you see by the dawn’s early light … “ was my first thought.

I wrote four verses that reflected topics about the day before and my vision of the flag in the morning. The first verse reviews the dawn’s light and the flag with broad stripes and bright stars that was still flying in the morning; the second verse reviews the dread silence and how the flag was fitfully blowing; the third verse reviews the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion; and the final and fourth verse celebrates the victory and peace that preserved our nation.

Results

I witnessed the last enemy fire to fall on Fort McHenry and in this memory, I wrote the poem “Defence of Fort McHenry has been renamed to “The Star-Spangled Banner” and has become a well-known American patriotic song. The poem and song were recognized for official Navy use in 1931 and became the National Anthem by a Congressional Resolution on March 3, 1931, and signed by President Herbert Hoover.