JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Every summer, the military undergoes a massive permanent change of station cycle where personnel are reassigned and relocated to new duty stations. Like many others, my family and I received orders, packed up our belongings and traveled across the country to South Carolina. A few days after arrival, I took command of the 628th Aerospace Medicine Squadron. It was an incredible experience.
In the days and weeks that followed, several more changes of command took place around Joint Base Charleston and I had the privilege of participating in or witnessing many of them.
During my 15 years of military service, I have witnessed this process many times. But, the frequency of these changes of command during the summer prompted a thought I couldn't dismiss: why do we do them? Yes, I vividly remembered the script describing the historical context of getting to see and hear the new commander, but in our digital age, is it really necessary to still do ceremonies in person?
As I pondered the answer to this question, two words came to mind: unity and discipline.
Unity: Based on my education and training, I am an aerospace medicine physician. The Air Force assigned me an Air Force Specialty Code of 48A3 and, through a commission, I wear officer rank insignia. All of these things identify me personally and professionally. But, when I stood in formation, my individual identity was no longer as important as my mutual status as an Airman. Together, with other Airmen from various backgrounds and career fields, we represented something larger than ourselves. In that moment, we all were united in purpose - to show respect to the outbound commander for a job well done, to recognize the inbound commander as the one now in charge and to hear his or her vision and direction of the organization.
Discipline: As a physician, I have latitude to practice medicine based on my own technique and style. As an Airman however, there are rules that govern my actions in dress and appearance, behavior and customs and courtesies. Nowhere is this more important than being part of a formation. In formation, individual appearance and actions need to be synchronized with each other to present a unified appearance. For this to happen, each individual is required to put mind over matter and focus on the commands being given and execute the right movement and action to precision. When everyone is in synch, it is an incredible public display of discipline.
As I reflected on my earlier question, I am now more appreciative of the military traditions and ceremonies that enrich our service. I was reminded that while I still retain my personal identity, more importantly, I am an Airman whose greatest contribution comes from developing and maintaining cohesiveness as an organization through personal and unit discipline. By effectively demonstrating unity and discipline, we successfully execute the Air Force's mission day in and day out. These principles are not just applicable for formal ceremonies, but will serve us all well if we consistently demonstrate them in our everyday activities. Being part of the world's greatest military is indeed an honor and a privilege.