CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
I bet most of you have heard about the book All I really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten written by Robert Fulghum, and if not the book, at least some reference to it.
The theme centers around several ideas such as share everything, play fair, clean up your own mess, when you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, stick together and warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. In a nut shell, it's a guide of basics to live by.
Even though it was ages ago, I still remember the classic complaint at basic training about why we had to fold our underwear in 6-inch squares and how the training instructors would spout the wisdom of, "if you can't fold your clothes by the book, how can the Air Force trust you to work on airplanes or weapons?" At that moment in time, most trainees deem the answer ridiculous, but in reality it is dead on. However, all around us, people are neglecting the basics while trying to tackle the big ticket items.
Maintainers live by several very basic, but extremely vital maintenance disciplines, such as tool control and technical order usage to protect themselves, safeguard the equipment and provide aircrews the safest aircraft to fly. Aircrews live by the Dash 1, their detailed checklist on actions from start-up to shutdown to ensure safe operation of an aircraft ... and the list goes on. Unfortunately, most problems occur when the basics are overlooked or deemed trivial by individuals.
Anyway, let's look at the references above that bring this all together.
Share everything - This is as easy as sharing your care package from home with your fellow dorm members or coworkers. You could and should be sharing your work successes and failures with others so all can benefit. Not many like to share their failures, but don't forget, "we learn more from our mistakes." We are all too busy to try solving a problem when somebody has already found a solution or figured out what doesn't work.
Play fair - Pretty simple really ... don't cheat and play by the rules. In our military microcosm, that includes evaluating performance by a standard, maintaining one's integrity and placing the common good above one's own self-interest.
Clean up your own mess - How many parents reading this immediately equate this to teaching their children to pick up their toys? But this simple example sets the stage for our adult life. I have far more respect and admiration for an individual who steps up and says, "I messed this up and I'm going to take care of it," versus letting it slide.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together - Nobody, and I mean nobody, is alone in this world unless they want to be. With bias aside, the Air Force is by far the best at providing the tools needed to succeed in both your personal and professional life. Whether enlisted or officer, your successful career is mapped out in black and white if you choose to follow the map. If you need help financially, spiritually, socially or whatever, there are people to turn to. There are even whole programs that formalize sticking together, such as, you guessed it ... the Wingman.
Psychotherapist Kali Munro summed it up by stating that all of these simple ideas are the basis of everything in our adult lives, regardless of how sophisticated those lives are. My favorite though is his observation of, "Think what a better world it would be if all -- the whole world -- had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap." Impossible I know, but then again, what is stopping you from sharing a cookie, a cup of coffee or picking up your mess?
On a final note, I still fold my clothes the same way at home as I did 26 years ago in basic training -- disturbing, I know. Also, nothing beats a fresh peanut butter cookie ... except two of them!