CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
If you are like most people, you're enjoying the warm weather and spending a lot of time with your family and friends.
Most will be planning family vacations or trips, attending family reunions or other events. Of course there are also traditional cookouts, days at the beach or on the water at the lake. What's really great about this time of year is you have many opportunities to spend time with family and friends in a relaxing environment where you can really get to know one another. Summer also provides opportunities to get to know your Air Force family.
As the summer starts, flights, squadrons and even the wing will be holding events where you can get away from the professional work environment and spend time with your fellow Airmen in a more relaxed setting. The wing has already kicked things off with the base picnic and judging from the crowds, I would say a lot of people had a good time eating and socializing with each other. I highly encourage each of you to get out and spend time attending the functions scheduled this summer for two reasons.
First, it gives you a chance to relax and enjoy some good food, and after all the preparation and time spent preparing for and completing the logistics standardization and evaluation program and unit compliance inspection, we can all use that. Secondly, and more importantly to me, it gives you a chance to get to know your co-workers and supervisors better and provides an opportunity to meet Airmen from other organizations.
I truly believe one of the hardest things for us to maintain during these changing times is a sense of military community. Airmen are beginning to spend less time with one another socially as they move off base and deploy more often. My advice to Airmen would be to take advantage of the opportunities to spend time with your Air Force family. This does not mean show up and eat a burger and leave, but take the time to socialize and talk about subjects other than work.
As a supervisor, this gives you a chance to learn more about your Airmen's personalities, plans, goals and interest which can help you when you are helping them with a personal issue or when making decisions in the work section that effect personnel. You may be surprised to find you have a lot more in common with a fellow Airman than you know. You may find someone who also shares your interest in fishing, surfing, photography, biking or any of the endless lists of activities we like to participate in.
So, while you are planning your summer activities with family and friends, don't forget your Air Force family. Make the effort to get to know more about your fellow Airmen while attending base functions or events within your squadron.