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Show COMMENTARY TIMES August 10, 2006 Those who aren't challenged don't set the bar high enough TIMES but if it's not, what is the gu id epost by which to steer? To start, I ask myself, "Am I solv- BY COL ROBERT MCMURRY 508th Aircraft Sustainment Group commander Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Col. Scoll Chambers. ..... 75lh ABW Commander Charles Fraoman ... Chief. Public Allotrs Barbara Fisher Editor Tech Sgl- Crystal Roblas .. . Assislani Editor Belh Young. Much Shaw. Airman 1si Class Jenny Chong ond Airman 1st Class Cloyton Murray Stall Writers Shannon Smith .. Pago Layout & Design Deadlines: Editorial and news Items. 3 p.m. Friday. For moro Information call 777-4598. Published by g Publishing Corp.. a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air [;ORX, under exclusive written contract with Hill AFB. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members ol the U.S. military services. Contents of the Hilltop Times arc not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by. the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Department ol the Air Force. The appeumme of advertisements in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department ol the Air Force or Ogden Publishing Corp., ol the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall he made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age. marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit lacior of the purchaser, user or patron Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office staff in Bldg. 152. Call 777-4598 with story ideas or comments, or send e-mail to "hilltop. timcs(ahill.af.mil". Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are U.S. Air Force photos. I don't like it! Every time I hear it, I don't like it. Even if someone says it with the best of intentions, I still don't like it. You've probably heard the phrase before yourself: "My job just doesn't challenge me." I've never quite understood the source of this statement. Maybe it's because I've never had a job that 1 didn't think was the hardest I've ever had. Never have I felt unchallenged. When I was growing up, perhaps the most commonly heard quote was John Kennedy's, "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." That charge is as valid today as it was at the 1961 inaugural address. So have you examined your own service lately? Have you asked yourself about your job performance? If so, do you think it's perfect? I bet it isn't. Mine isn't and never has been. I don't think perfect is possible; Col. Robert McMurry !J c c^ problems?" If I can answer yes, every day, then I'm probably doing about as well as anyone could expect. Now here's where I always find the challenge: to solve my boss's problems, I have to think like his boss. That's right; I have to think two levels above me in the organization. Piece of cake, right? Not usually. The challenge is that the boss's boss knows a lot more about what's going on than I do. It's tough to understand things from his perspective, but I have to try. What does he want from my work? Let's take the easy ones first. Error-free, timely, efficient - the list goes on and you can probably fill it out better than I can, But remember to think like you're a couple of steps up the chain. That person is trying to prepare for work or issues that are coming our way in the next months or years. How are you doing now? • Still getting an A+? The work we are doing today at Hill sets the stage for tomorrow. What we do well makes or breaks our reputation, and makes tomorrow's plans viable or kills them off in their infancy. Our ability to see in our current work the seeds for tomorrow's successes, to really learn today's lessons, prepares us to take advantage of opportunities. So what do you need to do? Are you a true expert at your work - the person who everyone turns to when they have a question about how the job should or could be done? If not, why not? That should be your first goal every day. I don't care what line of work you are in, you should strive to become an acknowledged expert in the field. And don't forget, an expert always knows how his efforts fit in the bigger picture. To become an expert has always been my goal. I don't think I've ever made it, but I keep trying. That's why every job I've ever had is the hardest one I've ever had. To me, a person who says they're not challenged by their job isn't setting the bar high enough. They're falling short of Kennedy's demand for service, and falling short of our core values of service before self and excellence in all we do. It's not a sin. It's probably not a failure of character. But we can do more. Set the bar high. Become the expert in your field. Think about things from the perspective of your boss's boss. Build the foundation for Hill's future. If you progress toward these goals your service will be a point of pride for Hill, the Air Force and your country, 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill.af.mil No boats allowed Q accommodate me. Why was I cited? Hill's Last DUI: l was recently cited at my base residence for having a boat parked in my driveway. The boat was not blocking or protruding onto the sidewalk. I have resided in base housing almost my entire career. In all instances, tenants have been allowed to park recreational vehicles at their residences between the months of May and August, as long as pedestrian and vehicle traffic were not obstructed. I have reviewed my current lease agreement and it states that recreational vehicles are permitted in driveways. Furthermore, I attempted to place my boat in base storage and they are unable to Unit Involved: When you call or send an e-mail, your comments will be recorded and staffed through the agency responsible for action. Please give your supervisor and chain of command the opportunity to work with you in answering questions and solving problems before calling the Action Line. This will help me better serve your interests. Items of basewide interest will be published in the Hilltop Times, THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2006 DUIs: 21 Airmen Against Drinking find Driving provide ritktf when designated drivers arc unavailable. Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: The policy of allowing short Photo by Jennifer Moore term parking (48 hours) Airman 1st Class William Seaton, 729th Air Control Squadron, loads the fiof recreation vehicles for box of candy into a HMMWV before the Roy City Parade began Saturloading/unloading (as indicated nal day. Col. Scott Chambers, 75th Air Base Wing commander, served as parade in your Boyer Hill Military Hous- Grand Marshal and was accompanied by his wife, Suzann, and sons, Zack ing lease) is not unique and is and Brock. commonly used in tnilitary housing. Although that is the presently who have large boats or RVs that RVs, boats, etc. We are looking standing order, they have not en- do not fit in their driveways, they now at enlarging our present storforced it until recently... will be asked to park them outside age lots and the priority system we Frankly, we agree with your as- of base housing. The rationale is are using. We are very hopeful to sessment that our folks who live that when those large vehicles or be able to provide all personnel on base should be able to park boats are parked on the street, it who live on our base long term boats and RVs in their driveways makes it difficult for Fire Depart- storage at the end of September. during the months from April ment personnel driving their big If you have additional questions through October as long as they trucks to pass around safely. or concerns, you are asked to condo not extend to the sidewalks im- We also agree with your view tact BHMH at 776-5001 or the peding pedestrian traffic. That is that we should have sufficient base housing office at 775-4325 now the new policy. For those folks long-term parking on the base for or 586-6246. A Security Forces 777-5550 24-hr. Crisis Information 777-3056 Services 777-4134 Base Restaurants 777-2043 Retirement/Compensation.., .777-6142 (civilian) Social Actions 777-3516 Employee Relations 777-7129 Military Pay 777-1851 Civilian Pay 777-6246 Air Force Suggestion 777-6901 Program !G Complaints 777-5305 (for appointment) IC Complaint* 777-5361 (alter hours) Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5361 (recording) 75th Medical Croup 777-4918 Civil Engineering 777-1856 Hill Pride Hotlfne 777-7433 Public Affairs 777-5201 Public Affairs Information 777-9696 Control Line Military Housing 777-2963 Maintenance Safety Office 777-3333 Union 777-3257 AF0S1 Narcotics Hotline 777-1852 Family Assistance Center 775-3090 (when activated) Call 777-11II any time to rrquat a ride. What is your work section doing to help keep up the inside and outside appearance of your work area? Stan Davis Adam Jurkiewicz 526th ICBM Systems Wing 84th Combat Sustainment Wing "We have office clean up days and we like to "Of course we have the keep things as clean as clean up days, but we also possible. With the little periodically walk around garden outside and some to pick up trash and pull other decorations we try weeds." to make things look very nice." Paula Godfrey Ogden Air Logistics Center "A few of the things we do are window and wall washing, weeding, mulching, gardening and sweeping or washing the patio. For all of these functions office support is always great." Belgian air force Adjudant Didler Grosemans 508th Aircraft Sustainment Wing "We typically clean the office and pull weeds or pick up trash. Sometimes we may even rearrange our office." Janet Sanders 388th Fighter Wing "Hill Pride Day is a unit cleaning day we take part in, but on Fridays we also go around to straighten up and dust off surfaces." Debbie Oaks 75th Air Base Wing "Instead of doing physical training sometimes we split the duties like picking up trash, raking, or weeding. We do a little at a time to keep it looking nice." |