CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
You can probably bet you will hear this countless times during the next month. These are the words that seem to go hand-in-hand with the month of December. There are the squadron Christmas parties, the office gift exchanges and the other social get-togethers that are usually always going on during this time of year. This is also the time of year where many people will display huge amounts of generosity. Sometimes, it's so much generosity it takes months for them to financially recoup.
Much too frequently, we as a society associate the quality of a gift based on the cost of the item, name brand or store it was purchased from. Many people also only focus on gift giving during the holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. However, I believe we are able to give gifts throughout the year. They might not have any monetary value, but they're gifts nonetheless. Sometimes even the tiniest things to you may make a big difference in someone else's day. A sincere "good morning" or "how are you today" are perfect examples of what I want to convey. Sincerity, of course, is the key.
Try giving yourself a quick quiz. Ask yourself how many people you have working under you. Then, from that number, how many first names do you know? How many have children? Are they married? Where are they originally from? You have to be honest with yourself when doing this. Being in the military isn't always easy and there are many hectic days associated with our jobs. Many of us face several deadlines on a daily basis. At times, we tend to get so wrapped up behind our computer or working on a jet engine or what have you, that we distance ourselves from our subordinates and overlook what's going on in their lives.
Look back on your careers and think about the positive guidance and direction you were given and view this as what you can bestow upon your Airmen. Sit down with them and find out if they are aware of some of our military benefits. Ask them if they know of the different agencies on base that are here for them.
Don't forget to reflect upon the not-so-memorable points of your careers as well. Remember that supervisor who only came out when his boss was around, or the one who you only heard from when there was a problem somewhere. I'm sure the majority of us who have been around the Air Force a while can relate to this.
Sometimes, just not being "that supervisor" and helping steer another Airman in the right direction is better than just about anything you can buy from a store.