Airmen's value of work contributes to 'bigger picture'

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Charles Monk
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing command chief
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  On many occasions, I've heard Airmen say they don't see how their actions are important in accomplishing the mission.

Perhaps they think their work only affects their squadron and the value of their work stops there. This might take the shape of a staff sergeant just doing an equipment check so he isn't written up on the next inspection. It might be a senior airman begrudgingly helping someone who has come to her for assistance in filling out a form.

The truth of the matter is, in our Air Force today, everything you do regarding your day-to-day mission is important. That importance might not be readily noticeable to you, though, because we tend to have a narrow vision when it comes to our daily activities.

Many of you may have joined our Air Force since 9/11. If so, you joined the military with a full expectation that you would be involved in defending our country, but so far, the furthest some of you may have seen is your surrounding community. A wise security forces senior NCO once told me, "Don't judge your worth by your proximity to the fight." He was right.

In management guru Mark Sanborn's book, "The Fred Factor," he states, "When you don't see much meaning in what you do, you don't bring much value to what you do." This is as true in the Air Force as it is in the business world.

So I encourage you to investigate the reasons for what you do. Ask your supervisor to help you understand. The answer might surprise you. Your work may have secondary and tertiary effects you didn't even envision.

The problem is not just with our junior Airmen. Often, it occurs with senior NCOs and even some of our officers who are concentrating on "their piece of the pie" and not the bigger mission. It might take the form of a senior master sergeant deciding he doesn't want to let one of his NCOs break away to teach at the local First Term Airmen Center, even when there are enough people in his shop to get the job done.

He thinks he needs the staff sergeant since she is the best technician he has. To these folks, I encourage you to try to see how your actions might affect the Air Force at the next higher level or outside your organization because I assure you they do have an impact there.

The NCO doing his equipment check might actually enable an aircraft repair to a C-5 Galaxy delivering relief supplies to victims of Hurricane Sandy in the Northeast. The Airman who helps out with the form could ensure preparations for a last-minute deployment to Afghanistan, and aid the nation in accomplishing its foreign policy objectives.

The NCO who gets released to teach at FTAC might just have a positive influence on the person who will one day become the chief master sergeant of the Air Force.

If these actions sound far fetched, I can assure you they are both real and timely. You are accomplishing great things with what may seem to you as daily activities, but that is one of the amazing and wonderful things about the Air Force. We consistently do extraordinary things and make them look easy. I hope you will all take a few minutes out of your day and reflect on the things you do and see their value.