Being an Airman is a way of life

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Dan DeVoe
  • 570th Global Mobility Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  It has been said that if you love what you do, then it is not really work.

Many times in my career, I have been fortunate enough to find myself saying, "I can't believe I get paid to do this."

Being an Airman is not just a job, it is a way of life. We have all been told we are not just in the Air Force when we are on duty, but we are in the Air Force 24 hours a day, seven days a week. How many of us have fully embraced that truth? During a recent Wingman Day visit, Robert Wicks highlighted the value of taking a few moments every day to personally regain and maintain perspective.

I suggest being an Airman is an essential part of the foundation upon which you build that perspective. No matter how long you serve, whether for a single enlistment or for 30 years, once you become an Airman, it changes you forever.

It becomes a part of your character and your character in turn helps shape the U.S. Air Force. You have given something of yourself to serve your country, but when re-caging your perspective each day, do not forget that your sacrifices are exchanged for something much greater in return - a great way of life.

Being an Airman means not just accepting the standards and values of the Air Force, but embracing and internalizing them. The Air Force's core values- our core values, the Airman's creed, the Air Force mission, vision, and priorities- they are more than mere words to be memorized and recited. Reflect on their meaning as you reset your perspective each day.

At the core of our customs, courtesies and traditions lay the notions of excellence and mutual respect, an understanding of the interdependence required for anyone in the Air Force, regardless of specialty or rank, to successfully accomplish the mission. Our customs are grounded in teamwork, recognizing each and every Airman has a critical role to play. As such, we must all be experts in our role at all times. That is what it means to be an Airman.

Being an Airman is being better than the norm, better than being average. Sometimes our standards and traditions may seem odd or restricting when viewed by members of our society outside of the Air Force. I maintain they should be different as we are not merely a reflection of that society, but rather a collection of professionals who have answered the call to serve, derived from the best our society has to offer.

Embrace being held to a higher standard of conduct and expect no less from your fellow Airmen. Being an Airman is a profession, a call to service that requires considerable personal sacrifice not asked of those other members of our society. Given the sacrifices voluntarily made by both you and your family, why wouldn't you commit yourself to being all in?

When you have fully internalized the Air Force profession of arms, when you have truly become an Airman, you feel a kindred spirit with others who wear the uniform. You see your fellow Airmen as an extension of your family; you see them as brothers and sisters first and foremost. This familial perspective shapes how you interact and relate with your fellow Airmen. It drives you to take care of them- whether they are subordinates, peers or superiors. This Airman perspective is what gives strength to the United States Air Force. It must be maintained daily.

Being an Airman shapes who you are, what you choose to do and how you interact with others. Let it shape how you view the world each day and guide you in your continued service and quest for excellence. Being an Airman is a way of life, live it to the fullest.