CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Team Charleston, we serve in the greatest Air Force, in the greatest military, in the greatest nation in the world. We are committed to defending our country and protecting the American people, and we do it without hesitation or complaint.
As we serve, we seldom consider the trust our country places in our ability to fly, fight and win. We, and our sister services, should be ever mindful that this trust is a sacred one. The nation's trust represents its assured reliance on our character and professionalism. Americans genuinely believe in and rely on the power we project throughout the world, even when they find it difficult to understand the cost.
In addition to our nation's trust, we have trust relationships in almost everything we do. Trust is a foundational element of our interdependent working environment. You know the environment where we fly and fix aircraft. The same environment where crews have to trust pilots, pilots have to trust maintainers, and maintainers have to trust ... well, you get the idea. Trust is the confidence we have that people will perform as expected.
There are many aspects of trust in our work. As professionals, we need to know we can rely on our leaders, subordinates and co-workers. We build trust when we keep our word, when we do as instructed and when we do what we say we will do. Being trustworthy honors our oath. Those who fail to honor their own word are foolish to expect anyone else to do the same.
Once established, trust promotes productive interrelationships, yet when broken it can erode the best of them. Trust in communication up and down the chain is important, but confidence in the information one receives is invaluable. When you speak, can people believe what you say? Reliability is a vital aspect of trust. We should speak when we have credible information to share and be silent when we do not. Unreliable information is, in effect, worthless. The absence of trustworthy information frustrates decision making and delays action. This is not good. We expect subordinates, supervisors and leaders at every level to act with integrity and trust.
The Air Force cultivates people who can be trusted to deliver. We surround ourselves with teams of professionals we can trust. Because of this trust, we excel at our work to the extent we are the best in the world -- if airlift was an Olympic event, we would be solid gold.
Also, this week we kicked off the Combined Federal Campaign, the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity. The campaign is a great opportunity for federal employees and military members to contribute to local and national nonprofit organizations. The choices are almost limitless. CFC is a success because most of us, in some way, identify with those who have need. Through the campaign, we can support charities that provide service to others and necessary research.
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Our last "yard of the month" for this season goes to Staff Sgt. Anthony Bettilyon from the 437th Aerial Port Squadron and his spouse, Brook. Their hard work and green thumbs add visual value and beauty to the atmosphere of the entire base.
Team Charleston - Take the Fight to the Enemy!