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NEWS | April 13, 2009

To know and do your job

By Lt. Col. Richard Williamson 17th Airlift Squadron commander

When I took command last summer of the 17th Airlift Squadron, the first operational C-17 squadron in the world, I put the 144 members under my command on notice for my expectations of them: "To know and do your job."

Very simple words with deep, resounding meaning; this phrase is the model for my professional career. The subtle but piercing message is: "Individual responsibility." It is our collective individual responsibility to know what is expected of us and to strive to be the very best we can be while accomplishing those expectations.

The first task is to know your job. How many Airmen out there can succinctly state what their individual job requirement is? What are the boss' expectations of you? What daily accomplishments feed the bigger mission of your unit? How many folks just use word of mouth to delineate what they are supposed to do? Would anybody notice if you weren't there? I hope so. You should be actively seeking out those expectations so you may meet and exceed them.

The second piece is to do your job. Not doing just the minimum but all that is asked and more. Are you striving to be the best you can be at whatever you do? Are you helping those around you? I've found that a positive attitude is contagious and can make even the most painful tasks fun to accomplish with your coworkers. How can you improve the performance of your work area? How can you, as an individual cog in this huge machine called the Air Force, improve efficiency and performance? How can your efforts help the mission of Team Charleston? These are questions each one of us should internalize and ask ourselves every day.

This simple message may seem easy to understand. I'm sure most of us are already living by these simple words, but are your coworkers and your subordinates? Your challenge, as an integral part of Team Charleston, is to convince those around you, not just those under your command or supervision, but your peers as well, to embrace this way of life and to live by this creed.

Our Air Force today is very different from the post Cold War Air Force I entered in 1991. We are a force actively engaged in a global struggle against enemies both foreign and domestic.

Everything we do supports our global mission to defeat terrorism and to support societies that reject this tactic of fear and destruction. I don't need to remind you that we are combat tested warriors; we are Airmen.

We are sensor operators looking directly at bad guys, unseen and undetected.

We are road guards and convoy commanders delivering relief supplies to civilians and taking fire to do it.

We are flight instructors teaching an Iraqi Air Force how to protect their own country.

We are combat weathermen embedded with special forces hunting down terrorists.

We are nuclear engineers and satellite drivers.

We are cyber warriors countering strikes from countries that want to steal our data and to learn how we do what we do.

We are an expeditionary force building runways in the middle of the desert; launching air strikes protecting our joint and coalition ground troops actively taking fire from the enemy.

We are a deployed force supporting combatant commanders all over the globe.

Being a part of today's Air Force is without a doubt very exciting. I challenge all Airmen to get out there and attack your daily routine. Find out how you can help others and do it with the pride, professionalism and passion that I know is in every one of you. You are the ones with the positive attitudes and the contagious smiles that make it fun and rewarding to come to work.
The future of the Air Force and the future of this nation is in your hands. And of course don't forget "To know and do your job."

God Speed!