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Show 12 . Hilltop Times 1 Aug. 8, 1 COMMENTS 989 SDgJDDGoDs W(3??D? Professionals who deter war, protect nations by Col. Doug Melson Nellis AFB, Nev. W, earing the uniform of the U.S. Air Force tells the world you are a member of an organization with a tradition of service, sacrifice and success, dedicated to protection of the freedoms which make the United States a great nation. As "bluesuiters," we should be proud of this heritage and our role in its preservation. Yet, the basis of our pride, however on our achievements and those of our predecessors, goes deeper than the single fact that well-found- ed we belong to the distinguished organization. What is equally important is an awareness that we are all members of a profession, a profession that has influenced human endeavor since the dawn of civilization. H Certainly, the specialized knowledge required to wage war, if necessary, to protect our way of life qualifies the military as a profession and its members as professional warriors. We are all professional warriors, not just the fighter pilot who engages the enemy in aerial combat or the airman responsible for air base perimeter defense. This revelation may come as a surprise to many who have not reflected sufficiently on their role in society as military members. To a few others who may believe war is unacceptable in any form, the thought of, being a professional warrior may be not only a surprise, but also an unpleasant shock. It is important for those in this latter group to understand that, in the words of an unknown patriot, "A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of men better than himself." The label "professional warrior" should not car- - . ry with it the implication that military members look; forward to war. Gen. Douglas MacArthur said, "On the con- trary, the soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." However, professional warriors do share a common, noble purpose to deter war and protect our nation should war become inevitable and a code of standards which governs our conduct. Again, General MacArthur: 'The code (of the military professional) embraces the highest moral laws and will stand the test of any ethics or philosophies ever promulgated for the uplift of mankind. Its requirements are for the things that are right, and its restraints are for the things that .. .... are wrong." So, the next time things aren't going your way arid you find yourself questioning the wisdom of your decision to join or remain in the military, take a look at that uniform you wear every day and remember what it symbolizes. Think about the heroic men and women who have worn it in the past and those who are wear--in- g it now. Think about the tremendous contributions all of them have made to the preservation of our nation and its ideals. Think about the code of honor and duty that binds those who wear it. And think about what it means to be a part of this great heritage. Remember that you're a professional, a professional warrior, and proud of it. Editor's note: Colonel Melson is the deputy commander for Adversary Tactics with the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing at Nellis. Article courtesy of Tactical Air Command News Service. iiyii iuw Ljuuiiiy wui helps, hurts se Ives most I by Susan Storer ; Newark AFB, Ohio The quality or state of being productive. One who purchases a commodity or service, usually systematically or frequently. . Cus-tom-- our customers. And consider for a moment who are our customers? In a very real sense, we are our own customers. Who is dependent upon the aircraft and missile guidance systems to support the instruments of our defense? We are. Who pays our salaries? We do, with our tax dollars. Who do we cheat when we turn out less than acceptable work, extend lunch or break times or use sick leave without discretion? Only ourselves Conversely, who do we benefit when we do the best, most productive job that we can do? Ourselves, that's who. When we begin to understand that we are responsible to ourselves and that we pay for the work that we do, then it becomes clear that we need to be alert to doing better work and achieving a higher level of productivity. The customer we hurt will be ourselves if we give anything less than our best. er: . Source: Webster's Seventh, New Col- legiate Dictionary. While the words can be defined with relative ease, it is infinitely more difficult to nail down their true . meanings. Most of us strive to be productive in our endeavors. Being productive can be as simple as doing a good job of sweeping the floor or as complex as testing a new fighter aircraft. How about turning out a quality product on the job? Is that productivity? You bet it is. Quality products mean less rework- and more reliability. Less rework means savings in labor and material, freeing resources for other workloads. More reliable products mean more flying hours and more time between failures for - ; . ' Editor's note: Susan Storer is productivity principal at Newark. Article courtesy of AFLC News Service. Td say you've been the victim of a cat burglar.' Use example, integrity, discipline o to build leaders from enlisted ranlcs by SMSgt. Anthony Orsini McGuire AFB, N.J. is an Air Force noncommissioned officer. of one your major responsibilities' is to build en listed leaders. To do this, NCOs must set the example for airmen to follow; ensure airmen maintain high standards; take corrective action if needed;! andr finally have the integrity to rate airmen fairly. In recent years, basic training and technical schools have increased their standards. We are receiving highly motivated and quality airmen. Too often the first permanent duty station shop chief will tell them, "You can forget what you were told in tech school, you're at 'X' Air Force Base now." Another similar problem occurs when the shop . chiets or other NCOs set the standard with a first impression filled with substandard appearance or behavior. Nothing else will immediately get the wrong message to new airmen. Once we set a proper example the next step is to ensure airmen are meeting and maintaining acceptable standards, such as appearance, fitness, bearing and behavior, performance and financial responsibility. These are just a few of the standards we are all responsible for maintaining.' If airmen do not meet and maintain these acceptable standards, we, their supervisors, must take appropriate action to put them back on track.' If substandard performance is left unchecked, it may be perceived as acceptable and can become the normal or new standard. If standards are not maintained, NCOs must take corrective action promptly or the problems will grow and adversely affect our mission. Promptly is the key word here. One tool available to help make these important decisions is the new Enlisted Performance Report. Supervisors must fairly evaluate performance and behavior. In the past, inflation in the old system diluted its effectiveness. This time, the slate is clean. By not evaluating honestly, we will set a new standard-t- he old standard -i- nflated ratings! Inflation in the evaluation system must stop.. Today's Air Force is faced with 5 percent manning almost everywhere. Working with these restraints it is more important now than ever to have quality leaders. Supervisors are determining who these leaders are right now via the new-- . t evaluation system. Use integrity when evaluating your subor- dinates' performance under the new system. The future of our Air Force depends on it. Editor's note: Sergeant Orsini is the 438th Supply Squadron first sergeant at McGuire. Article courtesy of MAC News Service. ' 85-9- ; . |