CHARELSTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Team Charleston, one of the opportunities I make available to Airman on base is the chance to shadow the command chief for a day.
My first shadow was Airman 1st Class Maria Proano from the 437th Comptroller Squadron. Airman Proano and I had a great time on a very busy day; she did well to keep pace.
We started with a brisk early-morning run and then we were off to our first appointment of the day with the wing's first sergeants. As we moved from one event to the other, I sensed that Maria was intent on capturing the keys to what it takes to be the command chief. As the activities of the morning quickly flowed into lunch, we discussed the tempo of the day, the importance of staying on task and the need for making informed decisions.
My time with Airman Proano reminded me of the importance of influencing the growth of our Airmen. Just as it takes a village to grow a child, it takes a committed community of professionals to grow a supervisor, manager or leader. As we advance in our careers, commitment to help subordinates grow increases as our responsibility increases. That is just as true for a staff sergeant as it is for a chief.
The essence of this commitment is to grow our Airmen to the point where they are ready to take on greater responsibilities. Our charge is to challenge them to put their potential to work so they can see the ability we see in them. This process of growing people is fondly referred to as mentorship.
We are all familiar with mentorship -- the developmental relationship between one who is experienced and one who is less experienced. Simply put, mentors are those who possess the wisdom of experience and are willing to share it in practical and meaningful ways.
That doesn't mean mentors are always those who outrank us or even in the same career field. In some cases, our peers mentor us in areas where we are lacking. Those who know, mentor those who don't. Those who are smart see the value in being quick to latch on to a meaningful lesson when it presents itself. The benefits of mentorship can be great for everyone involved. The mentor gets the chance to give back, and the mentee gets the opportunity to grow.
I extend my thanks to Airman Proano for spending the day with me ... you have the spirit of an excellent mentee, someone with the desire to learn. I enjoyed our time together and I hope your glimpse of my day was as rewarding for you as it was for me.
Finally, congratulations to all our quarterly and warrior winners for the period of March through June. Your selection in your perspective category culminates your many achievements. All of the nominees represented their group well.
You have every right to be proud of your accomplishments. Continue to work hard and it will continue to show.
Team Charleston - Take the Fight to the Enemy