CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Many things have changed since I joined the Air Force in 1991. I have witnessed the rank of buck sergeant become obsolete, the addition of a "roof" for the grade of master sergeant and a dramatic increase in promotion rates, just to name a few. As Air Force members, we adopt changes to meet the mission, but through it all, one thing has remained the same, NCO responsibilities.
When I was promoted to staff sergeant in 1998 and I was given the NCO Charge and administered the Oath of Induction into the NCO corps. The charge outlined what was expected of me to be an effective NCO and gave me a synopsis of the greater responsibilities I was about to accept. Below is a copy of the NCO Charge given to me more than 10 years ago:
NCO Charge
"The Air Force bestows upon its noncommissioned officers certain responsibilities and authorities by tradition. Your promotion to staff sergeant carries with it the obligation you exercise additional authority and willingly accept greater responsibilities. Air Force directives specifically charge you, as noncommissioned officers, with the following responsibilities."
Responsibilities:
"You are charged with ensuring that personnel and resources under your control are effectively used.
"You are charged with remaining alert to detecting adverse morale trends and initiating corrective action within your control, providing appropriate feedback to superiors.
"You are charged with maintaining the highest level of communication and rapport with subordinates, remaining attuned to their needs, being ever-mindful that the key is empathy, not apathy.
"You are charged with actively encouraging and motivating both on and off-duty involvement in unit and base activities by leading the way.
"You are charged with ensuring that people are treated fairly by all agencies and activities, both on and off-base, and initiating corrective action in any instance which violates this principle.
"You are charged with always wearing the uniform properly and ensuring compliance from subordinates.
"You are charged with a personal responsibility to take advantage of on and off-duty educational programs which will enhance your professional development in preparation to assume increased leadership responsibilities in your quest to attain higher NCO grades.
"You are charged at all times with presenting an image of competence, integrity, and pride - the image of a professional noncommissioned officer."
Although the wording has changed through the years, the meaning has not. Once you become an NCO, you must place the needs of your Airmen above your own. You must be fair and impartial and communicate consistently, never leaving them uninformed. Air Force Instruction 36-2618, The Enlisted Force Structure, defines the enlisted force as "a diverse group of functionally and operationally specialized Airmen." Also known as the "little brown book," it states specifically that an NCO must "accept and execute all duties, instructions, responsibilities and lawful orders in a timely and efficient manner."
Think back and reflect on the number of times you saw and Airman run to his or her car during retreat, not using "sir" or "ma'am" when addressing someone senior in rank, or spreading gossip and half-truths. Those Airmen were not adhering to their responsibilities and neither were the supervisors who allowed the behavior to continue. If you did not correct them, you were not fulfilling your responsibilities as an NCO.
As the acting first sergeant, I have NCOs come to me for guidance on issues affecting their Airmen. I applaud them for taking an active role in those they supervise, and together, we come up with a game plan. Before they leave my office, I ask them if they have a the "little brown book." If they do not, I provide them a copy to take back to their work center. I ask them to share this information with their Airmen, so when they also become NCOs, they will know what is expected of them.
I charge each of you to review AFI 36-2618, not only for your tier, but all three. The role of an NCO has increased through the years, but the fact that an NCO will always take care of their people and enforce all standards will never change. In 10 years, you will look back and say, "the more things change, the more they stay the same."