Taking care of oneself helps take care of mission

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Colleen Blake-Harris
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Office of the Staff Judge Advocate Law Office
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Service before self. Does that mean that I put my physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs last?  No.

It means that Airmen lead a life that balances personal needs and responsibilities while being dedicated to the mission and their fellow Airmen. In fact, Airmen who do not take care of themselves become a liability to the mission. The old flight attendant line rings true: "Please place your oxygen mask on your nose and mouth before you assist anyone else." 

As a technical sergeant, I held the position of the command chief's executive assistant.  I was elated when I was hired because I was going to work directly with the Top 1 percent of the enlisted force.

From the outside looking in, the chiefs made it look easy. They were able to meet unrealistic short suspenses, overcome manning shortages and produced flawlessly written enlisted performance reports all while taking care of their people and making the mission happen.  What I didn't know was that a few of the chiefs were so invested in the health of their squadron and wing's missions that they repeatedly neglected the personal needs of the rock of the squadron - the chief.

As a first sergeant and law office superintendent, I have worked with Airmen who seemingly are "squared away." They are the go-to Airman, never request leave, back-fill when fellow Airmen fall short, all for the success of the mission and to the detriment of their personal needs. Their desire to continually go a 100 miles per hour is unrealistic and quite frankly not sustainable. 

At some point, those who try to sustain this lifestyle begin to forget things, miss deadlines, and neglect family members and their own personal health. The very thing these Airmen are striving to support, the mission, also is adversely affected. 

Being a healthy Airman is multidimensional endeavor. While completing the annual Physical Health Assessment is important, it alone will not build a healthy Airman. However, taking time to intentionally care for your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health will facilitate the development of a focused and resilient Airman. 

Don't confuse self-care with being selfish. It's quite the opposite. You are a better Airmen and a better person when you take care of yourself.  Most days are manageable, however, there are days, weeks and in some cases months that the struggle is real and the light at the end of the tunnel seems a little dim.  It is during this time that you need the fortitude and resilience you have built over time to sustain you to produce great results.

As wingmen, we have a responsibility to look out for those who seem to burn the wick at both ends.  Experiences throughout my career have helped me develop a keen eye, supportive demeanor and listening ear to simply ask my fellow Airmen. Are you taking care of yourself?  The power of those five words cause a fellow Airman to reflect and examine their personal decisions in regards to their physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health. Remember, Superman and Superwoman only exist in the movies. Airmen take care of themselves and each other.