CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Taking care of Airmen sounds like an easy task, but ask yourself, is it really as easy as it sounds?
Throughout our careers, we all have learned many things and have shared many experiences that have shaped our thought processes and actions. Many of those experiences have dealt with leadership and all had one thing in common -- a unit. People make up the unit, and taking care of the people while taking care of the unit is not easy and requires focus areas: teamwork and discipline.
When talking about teamwork, there are a few factors we should consider. First, balance of professional and personal lives sometimes may be hard to master. Now what do those have to do with unit? Well, finding the medium will aid you in staying focused on your unit and family ... they both have to be balanced in order to function as a team. Second, understand the strengths each person brings to the fight. Each member brings something unique to the team, whether it is their ability to work with computers or analyze information, it all makes the unit stronger and better equipped to handle any task. Also, with those differences, there is now the ability to learn something new, again, adding to the concept of teamwork ... and teamwork is what accomplishes the mission.
With teamwork comes discipline. Discipline is better known as a corrective tool some would call tough love. Unbelievably, most of the time, discipline is meant to save rather than hurt our Airmen. Discipline is necessary in order to maintain a top-notch unit. It is appreciated by all from the bottom to the top. There is another side called self-discipline, knowing right from wrong, making smart choices or whatever term you choose ... the meaning is still the same.
We, as leaders and followers, have a responsibility to each other to maintain the high level of discipline that has come to be expected in today's Air Force, "The best Air Force the world has ever seen."
Building the perfect unit takes a lot of work; practicing good teamwork and maintaining discipline are two of the ways we establish this. Every day is a learning experience as we navigate through our careers. We all have a lot to offer and a lot to learn. Pass those experiences on and talk about what it means or share what it means to be part of a unit. Charleston AFB has achieved many accomplishments as a result of teamwork ... as our wing commander always says, "We are ... Team Charleston."