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Show COMMENTARY TIMES October 11, 2007 In the finest Air Force in the world, be the example examine those words in a greater context. In an Air 75th Air Base Wing Force that's transitioning to a leaner, more agile ILL AIR FORCE BASE — Let's be fighting force, those are honest with one another. Have you two phrases that need ever felt your responsibility for to be banished from our the minor daily nuisances and infractions vernacular. you experience in your Air Force life are Let's take me as an inversely proportional to your rank? Really example. Say I decide to beneath your level to take any action? Col. Chambers walk right past a piece Ever tempted to think that as a master of garbage tossed on the sergeant, a captain, a colonel or a senior ground in front of the headquarters building. ainnan, that you've got such important things A seemingly benign indiscretion. No harm, no to deal with that you've sort of unofficially foul. I'm a wing commander, I don't have to "earned" the right not to concern yourself pick up trash, and no one is going to make me with the cigarette butts lining the sidewalk in ... right? front of your unit, the soda can in the middle Right! Bet you thought I'd say "wrong," of the running trail or the sloppy uniform of a but you're right. No one is going to "make" colleague? me pick up the trash. That is not the issue at Tell me that the thought has never crossed your mind, and I'll tell you I don't believe you! large. Nor is the fact that the garbage is still on the ground. The worst part of the entire And it's not because we're slugs — we situation is the fact that by ignoring the represent the finest fighting Air Force in the world. It's just human nature. We like to solve problem, I have condoned it, and in doing so, granted everyone who witnessed my neglect big problems — you know, the ones we can the right to the very same inaction. put into our officer and enlisted performance Let's take our scenario to the next level and reports. We like to focus our attention on add insult to injury. What if I head back to my "important" actions and decisions and every single one of us is guilty of rationalizing away office and ask one of my staff to go out and responsibility for peripheral issues from time pick up that trash? It's a "solution" with worse to time. ramifications than the problem itself. I've not only demonstrated that the issue wasn't We've all been tempted to say or important enough for me to deal with, but think, "That's not my job; that's not my I've also implied that that there are somehow responsibility." But, I challenge you to BY COL. SCOTT CHAMBERS HilltOR TIMES H \\,vl;k Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter... Standard-Examiner publisher Andy Hovvell Standard-Examiner managing editor Tom Busselberg Hilltop times editor Mitch Shaw Military affairs reporter Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail hillloptimesSjtandard.net or call 629-5250. For advertising, call 625-4300. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corp. in cooperation with Hill Air Force Base. Ogden Publishing is a private company in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force and is solely responsible for the content and advertising. Contents of the Hill Top Times are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Air Force. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Air Force. Everything advertised in this publication shall be 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 factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Standard-Examiner's Davis County Office, 67 S. Main St., Suite 104, Layton, Utah, 84041. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call 629-5220 with story ideas or comments, or send e-mail to Editor Tom Busselberg at tbusselberg® standard.net. Call 625-4300 for advertising needs. echelons of personal responsibility that exist .,. tiers of entitlement at which you can stop taking action. False and infectious! When you ignore a problem, you bless it When you ask someone else to correct something you could easily rectify yourself, you breed cynicism. Leading by example isn't always glamorous. In fact, very often, it's the simplest gestures of goodwill that send the most profound messages to your Air Force team and family. It is absolutely your job, and it is absolutely your responsibility not to turn a blind eye to the things that are wrong in our daily Air Force life. You fix them every hour of every day. Do not walk past a problem. Yes, we know everyone else might have, but you shouldn't. I challenge you to be remarkable by doing the right thing — always! Whether picking up trash, holding others responsible for their actions, providing critical, honest feedback to a subordinate or boss or providing disciplinary action to someone who needs it. Do not walk by like everyone else — you take action and be the example. Don't give anyone else permission not to act. Whether it's picking up a cigarette butt, or throwing out a soda can, or giving a tactful reminder that the uniform is a reflection of our entire organization, go ahead and take action. The lesson you can teach by being the example is the best medicine possible — as said before, leadership is best seen! 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill.af.mil 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. Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: CAPT. GENIEVE DAVID/U.S. Air Force Col. Scott Chambers, 75th Air Base Wing commander, is among those welcoming home more than 40 security forces airmen from their deployment to Bucca, Iraq. Employer Relations 777-7129 Military Pay 777-1851 Security Forces 777-5550 24-hr. Crisis Information..777-3056 Civilian Pay 777-6246 Air Force Suggestion 777-6901 Services 777-4134 Program Base Restaurants 777-2043 Retirement/Compensation.. 777-6142 IC Complaints 777-5305 (for appointment) (civilian) IG Complaints 777-5361 Social Actions 777-3516 (after hours) Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5361 (recording) 75th Medical Croup 777-4918 Civil Engineering 777-1856 Hill Pride Hotline 777-7433 Public Affairs 777-5201 Public Affairs Information. 777-%% Control Une Military Housing 777-2963 Maintenance Safety Office 777-3333 Union 777-3257 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline....777-1852 Family Assistance Center..777-3090 (when activated) What is the weirdest place you have been stuck during an operational readiness exercise attack? 4WC Nest Fitncii Tip from the Health and Wtllntii Center The purpose of training (whether training for an athletic goal or just to function better with daily activities) is to find and strengthen the weak links. Training is not for practicing your favorite activities or strengthening your strongest muscles. THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2007 DUIs: 16 Hill's Last DUI: Sefit. 29 Unit Involved: Tech. Sgt. Joanne Sosa 75th Mission Support Squadron Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Ca// 777-1111 anytime to request a ride. "I got caught outside a Porta Potti waiting for my wingman." Chief Master Sat Randy Blanch) 386th Maintenance Operations Squadron "On a bus between the toxic free area and the BORTA for about three hours." Master Sgt. Robert Trickey 775th CM! Engineer Squadron Philip Ryan 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron "As an EET, I had to watch' "I got stuck in a benjo ditch at people do bunker runs from their Osan Air Base during a ground tents in Southwest Asia." attack for about two hours." |