CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Team Charleston ... we are just 38 days out from our unit compliance inspection and only weeks away from beginning to see the changes inevitable with the military during the summer months.
One of the many things affecting each of us one way or another is permanent change of stations, causing Airmen and their families to move to other bases in order to fill the needs of the Air Force. For those of us who will remain at Charleston AFB, we will be introduced to new co-workers, commanders and different leadership styles. This can often be a stressful time for all parties involved, whether you are moving or gaining a new team member, there are always challenges that come with change.
This change can be felt even extending beyond the summer months, as Charleston AFB continues to delve deeper into becoming a joint base with our Naval Weapons Station Charleston counterparts. By fall of 2010 we will be expected to operate and perform as team, regardless of the uniform we wear and we will face the challenges that come with merging two services under a new way of operating.
Despite the transformations ahead for individual units, Charleston AFB, the Air Force and DoD as a whole, it is vital we don't allow these momentary setbacks or difficulties to hinder the way we operate as a team and as a expeditionary force. Our first and foremost mission here is to provide world-class airlift and combat ready forces wherever our nation calls us to be.
There will always be changes in leadership, how offices operate and the environment in which we work. However, the way we respond to these variables in spite of a high operations tempo and demanding workload shows real character.
For example, since Sept. 11, 2001, there has been more than 78,000 Charleston AFB C-17 departures and more than 1.25 billion pounds of cargo moved to provide support where it is needed most. Over the span of those years there were most certainly changes in leadership, policies and the Air Force's role in the fight. However, the fact we have provided such enormous support despite changes that may have caused momentary setbacks shows we are capable of accomplishing our mission, even in the midst of transition.
We can either embrace change as an opportunity to make ourselves better Airmen and an Air Force as a whole, or we can be resistant to it and possibly miss out on the doors that open because of the change. In the end, it's not about whether or not the change is going to happen, it's what our role is in it and how we contribute positively to it.
Team Charleston ... the next time you are reaching a significant transitioning point in your career, remember how you contribute to the mission and how your efforts and the way your react to challenges helps determine the overall outcome.
Team Charleston ... Take the fight to the enemy!