CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
I like being a first sergeant because it is both challenging and rewarding. One of the biggest challenges before our enlisted force is molding today's Airman into tomorrow's leader. As a first sergeant, I get to know the enlisted members of my unit on a professional and personal level by engaging in face-to-face conversations. This close personal contact helps me distinguish between leaders and followers in today's Airmen.
I strongly believe that our enlisted force will be better prepared for the challenges ahead as long as we continue to encourage our Airmen to pursue their education. Each time I greet a member of my unit I ask them three questions: How are you doing? What can I do for you? Where are you with your education? When a member tells me that they're not working toward a degree, I immediately let them know that their decision is not conducive with their position as a future leader. I ask the question, do you believe that leaders should be smarter than the group they are leading?
Just the other day I had a conversation with an Airman about the importance of an education. His response was that he does not feel as though he needs an education because his folks made it just fine without one. I asked him if his folks were active-duty enlisted Air Force members to which he replied, no. I then proceeded to let him know the challenges he will face as a servicemember are very different from the challenges his parents faced back home.
The most rewarding aspect of being a first sergeant is watching today's Airman develop into tomorrow's leaders. Each supervisor develops their own leadership traits according to their past experiences but one thing remains the same, Airmen of today are exactly the same as Airmen of the past. How many times do we engage in the conversation around the water cooler and the question is what's wrong with our Airmen today?
My first sergeant mentor helped me understand that Airmen are exactly the same regardless of the generation in which they enter the Air Force. As my mentor guided me through the days of our first supervisors and how we were challenged to meet their expectations and conform to Air Force standards the only difference from "back-in-the-day" compared with today is the supervisor. Supervisors must toe a hard line and continue to challenge their subordinates. There are few certainties in life other than death and taxes and I am a firm believer that without an education and outstanding supervisors, today's Airman will not be prepared for tomorrow's challenges.