Take time to recognize positive contributions

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Michael Williams
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing command chief
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  We're experiencing some difficult times. Operations tempo is high, alcohol-related incidents are on the rise and some of our Airmen still don't get it.

We spend an enormous amount of resources educating our Airmen on the importance of making responsible choices, being creative and thinking outside the box in an effort to modify the behavior of a small few that don't truly understand what it means to be an Airman.

This past weekend was indicative of our cleverness; we orchestrated an Operation Nighthawk event in conjunction with a dorm sweep, imposing upon our commanders' and first sergeants' time, exhausting countless man-hours.

The two or three percent of non-conformists consume about 95 percent of our time. In fact, every week I mentally beat myself up desperately pursuing a suitable topic to share my perspective with you and sure enough, the majority of my articles are focused on unacceptable behavior. This is the time of year when our energy and focus should be on recognizing our very best.

We're so focused on mission accomplishment and the small percentage of irresponsible and immature Airmen, that we sometimes forget the personal and professional sacrifices our professionals make every day for this great nation. It's a shame that lack of recognition remains amongst the top 10 reasons people depart our Air Force.

Recognizing our Airmen for their outstanding contributions must be of primary importance.

As stated in this week's roll call, "Recognition comes in a variety of ways; supervisors who take the time to submit their Airmen for local awards. An Airman who points out a job well done at an office meeting, a commander or chief who walks the halls applauding Airmen for their work are examples of ways we can recognize the great things that happen every day in our Air Force on the backs of our Airmen."

A simple pat on the back or merely telling your Airman they are doing a great job inspires them to repeat the behavior which garnered recognition. Recognition not only stimulates professional pride in the recipient but those that witness the recognition as well. It's a means to reinforce our organization's core values, and to retain our top performers.

"People First, Mission Always" must be more than just a slogan, those four words must become a means of existence in our Air Force. The idealism of people being the top priority should permeate from the wing commanders down to the lowest ranking individual.

Our Airmen don't expect or desire recognition. They do what they do because they're proud Americans. Some of us are too busy to draft an Air Force Form 1206 and become a board member, while others approach attending an awards banquet as if it's a chore to don the uniform to dedicate a couple of hours acknowledging the efforts of our comrades ...that's a shame!

The next time you're providing written or oral counseling to modify inappropriate behavior, remember saying thank you for a job well done reinforces appropriate behavior. As always enjoy your weekend, make responsible choices and I'll see you around campus.