CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Twenty-nine years have passed since I arrived at my first base as an airman basic, fresh out of tech school and eager to become a part of the "real Air Force." I have held several jobs during those seven enlisted and 22 officer years of service. I have learned a few things over that time that I believe is of value to all Airmen of all ranks and career fields.
Excel at your job regardless of career field. Whether you're an airman basic or colonel, people up and down your chain of command do notice how well you perform what you were hired to do. Remember that every job is important to the success in our mission to defend our country.
Learn your job to the best of your ability, be reliable and willing to take on extra responsibility. Yes, taking on more does mean more work, but advancement goes to those that can get the job done. You should strive to be that "go-to" person. It will pay off.
When quarterly award packages come around, your name will start to be considered. Your enlisted performance reports or officer performance reports will get easier to write and promotions will come faster. Master the details of your job; studying for promotion tests will only be a review and you won't have to learn details that you should already know. Always do your best. You never know when or from where great opportunities may come because your chain of command noticed the way you did your job.
Supervisors, be fair and take care of your troops, especially the junior ones. Take them aside and let them know how they are doing and give them that encouraging nudge. Let them know you see how well they perform. And make sure they know how they fit in to the "big picture" and understand how the Air Force works.
One of my most discouraging times I had was when I was told that I would have to leave the aircraft I was a crew chief on to go work in the tire shop. I had been working hard to do a good job and here I was getting "fired" from what I loved doing. No one bothered to tell me that it was just a temporary six-month assignment and that most junior Airmen are routinely needed to fill various side jobs on a rotating basis. I was quite distressed for about six weeks until I figured out what was going on. Don't let that happen to your people, especially those in their first two years of service.
Chase your dreams, and encourage others to do so as well. I never gave much thought about a career in the military. With every job I have held, I really enjoyed where I was and what I was doing and just kept striving for the next interesting job or position.
In my case, military service fit quite nicely with my goals. I started college with the encouragement of family and fellow Airmen while I was a senior airman. Nearing college graduation I realized I actually had a chance to fly in those cool jet aircraft I had been working on, a dream that I had had since a kid. I applied and was accepted for navigator flight training. I had a fantastic six years flying throughout the world.
Then I achieved my next goal: a career in medicine. With the exception of my college degree, I got my training directly from the military, tech school, flight training and medical school.
I have continued to advance in rank, skill and experience, benefiting me and the Air Force. Master your job and go after those dreams whether it's the next promotion or major career change. The Air Force can provide great opportunity for upward mobility. Always have goals, don't be static and keep pushing to achieve them.