JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
I was first introduced to Johnny Cash during Officer Training School by a flightmate. Since then, I've listened to him on and off, but several of his songs are on multiple playlists of mine. "A Boy Named Sue" never fails to bring a smile to my face when it begins to play. The other day when it came on, I was thinking about mentorship and the two seemed to combine naturally.
A quick synopsis for those unfamiliar with the song; a man leaves his family, but before he does so, he names his son "Sue," which as you might imagine, causes all sorts of issues for the boy as he grows up. Sue swears revenge and searches for his father and when they finally meet a battle ensues, with the end result being they make up. Rather than go through the song line-by-line, I'd like to analyze a few key lyrics, although the entire song follows this commentary.
"But the meanest thing that he ever did was before he left he went and named me Sue... I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named Sue."
"Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean, my fist got hard and my wits got keen..."
These two lines set the stage for the entire song and the reason for me writing this article. What did our Military Training Instructors, flight commanders and other trainers do during our initial entry into the Air Force? They made life difficult for us. They threw challenges at us and made us think, learn and become the Airmen we are today. They knew we were going to go in harm's way, face challenges yet unimagined and need the ability to survive and operate under any and all conditions.
What do we do today as leaders? We prepare our Airmen for combat and contingences. We prepare them to deploy at a moment's notice anywhere in the world and to accomplish the mission when they get there. It's not out of cruelty, but out of responsibility. We train like we fight, if not harder, so that when that fight comes, be it in the air, on a physical fitness test or in a firefight on a convoy, our Airmen react promptly, properly and most importantly, successfully.
"Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July, and I just hit town and my throat was dry..."
This one's pretty straightforward. It's always important to stay hydrated, especially in austere locations.
"Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad, from a worn-out picture that my mother'd had..."
It's always important to document. That means from training records to after-action reports and everything in-between. This also means document the great achievements your Airmen accomplish, be it via performance reports or awards and decorations. Take care of your Airmen by documenting their successes.
This is just as true with disciplinary cases. Initial documentation is a great way to course-correct an Airmen before misbehavior gets out of line. In the unfortunate event that the misbehavior does go too far, documentation allows you to take the appropriate action.
"He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile. I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss, He went for his gun and I pulled mine first..."
Never underestimate the importance of combined arms and the joint warfight. It's how we do business. Also, remember, everyone has something to contribute, no matter the rank, specialty, or in this case, species. Most important, always be prepared.
"He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile ... and he said: "Son, this world is rough And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough and I knew I wouldn't be there to help ya along. So I give ya that name and I said goodbye I knew you'd have to get tough or die and it's the name that helped to make you strong."
We're back to the gist of the song and this commentary. Sue's dad wanted to ensure his son's success and ability to survive without his presence. Our initial instructors wanted the same for us, and we as leaders should want the same for our Airmen. You've probably heard the saying that it's your responsibility to train your replacement. Well, it is. You're not always going to be there. Ensure your Airmen, of all ranks, are ready and able to step up when needed because you don't know when that moment will come.
"I got all choked up and I threw down my gun and I called him my pa, and he called me his son, And I came away with a different point of view. And I think about him, now and then, every time I try and every time I win, and if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him Bill or George! Anything but Sue! I still hate that name!"
Ok, perhaps this part seems a little weird. Sue vows to never name any of his sons "Sue" because he hates that name. This seems like it counters everything I've just written. I see it from a different point of view. Sue has learned from his dad's example, both the good and the bad, just as we can learn from our own and others' experiences. Just because he's not going to name his son "Sue" doesn't mean he won't teach him to be strong, keen and ready.
My challenge to you is to do the same. Take both the good and bad you learned from your mentors, trainers and supervisors and apply it to your Airmen. Mentor them. Train them to become Airmen who are ready and can step up when needed, because they're already needed.