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Show March 14, omiceirinis off Is anyone listening? Does the Air Force care about the feelings, the perceptions of its enlisted people? You better believe it! The Air Force has a vital stake in how all of its people feel about their jobs and the people they work with. Can one small voice make a difference? One airman here is finding the answer to that question. Air- - irDllSsted HILL TOP TIMES 1980 Page 15 to b heoirdl by chw He was concerned that "nobody was listening" to the real concerns of many airmea He voiced his opinions to the Air Logistics Center Senior Enlisted Advisor, CMSgt. Jerry Riordan, and the stage is being g set for a channel of communication. The airman is concerned about how the Air Force recruits and maintains its people, yet how some of the understood promises don't free-flowin- seem to be upheld. He islso concerned that he wants Chief Riordan to listen directly to a larger group of airmen and their concerns about the Air Force. Chief Riordan has reserved Thornton Hall Recreation Center for Monday, March 24. Spouses are invited, but no children please. Other senior enlisted people will be there when the session begins at 7:30 p.m. . "This is not a Yap session,' and it's not for screamers," said Riordan. "We're responding to a real concern of our people. First, we have to listen and that's what we're going to do on March 24. We'll see what follows." The chief noted that the session is open to all enlisted people, especially those concerned about their careers, their responsibilities and their services. Force miiroflaoimim) needed number of enlisfed (From page 1) He stated that the Air Force does have retention problems with some of the senior people and middle management people. "It is lacking in certain grades, such as staff and tech sergeants and there is great potential for people to move into these positions. However, the Air Force does retain people longer than any of the other services and there is a lot of utilization of the NCOs, especially the future ones. They are the ones who are going to pursue the positions of management for those who are leaving or those who are going on up." He noted that there is no shrinking enlisted force. "We are maintaining the number of people in the Air Force that we want to maintain. However, we are losing some of the talent, some of the supervision." McCoy did announce that a program may be coming out where there will be a longer tenure selection for all grades, staffs, techs, masters, senior masters, similar to the current 33 year tenure program that chief master sergeants now enjoy. "Based on a competitive basis, the lower grades could stay longer than their current high year tenure. If the program goes through, it will keep our people longer." Talking on benefits for the enlisted force, McCoy said he preferred to call them compensations. Whether it is health care, commissary or exchange services, educational opportunities, or retirement, they were all forms of compensation to overcome the difficulties of military life. "Military life is difficult," he said. "It is not an job. It is a life that requires constant TDYs, PCSs, alerts, ORIs, deployments. Whenever we get into these types of situations, we can't pay people enough to do those types of things. We, the Air Force, then tries to develop some compensations. However, they have been cut. But we are constantly looking at these things and constantly trying to employ better ones." Concluding his remarks, McCoy said that today everyone must ask himself or herself who they are in the Air Force. "They must ask themselves if they are willing to accept the challenges, willing to serve, to face the hardships of military life. These are the challenges the young men and women in the enlisted force must face. -5 "We have great people in the Air Force. General Allen, Secretary Mark, myself, we all are satisfied with the people we have. "We have problems, we don't deny mat. We are no different than any other segment of society. We have some people that don't like to conform to maintenance standards, not follow tech data, but by and large, our track record proves that we have good people. "There are people, and I usually refer to them as the three or four percenters, who make the headlines. They are the drug users, the alcohol users, the nonconformists. They ones that supervisors and commanders have to contend with, so that are the many times they don't recognize outstanding efforts of others. the "That's why I'm so glad to come to Hill today, just to recognize these few. We are singling out only a few who are indicative of that 94 or percent who are doing that fantastic job and are very sincere in what they are doing. "I don't compare one base or one unit with another. We are all one mighty Air Force. "The only thing I like to compare against is the Soviet Air Force, and I'll put our guys and gals against them any day. If push comes to shove, we know we have guys and gals out there that are ready to go. They are trained, they are ready to do whatever they can to insure we can insure our lifestyle continues as we would like." Must ask for services IMPORTANT NOTICE : To insure you will receive Red Cross blood during hospitalization, YOU MUST REQUEST RED CROSS ASSISTANCE from the hospital blood bank upon admission to the hospital. In the event of emergency admission, a request for service must be made as soon as possible after admission and prior to hospital billing. Da Da Da Da Da Da l ANNOUNCES Tho Arrival of '79 & '00 A ECONOMY CARS Including: O Chov Citation O Toyota Corolla O Toyota Colica O Ford Mustang Our lowest Michelin prices in -- recent years and definitely lower than they'll ever be again. mm.,, . 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