Anonymous
12-26-2000, 11:04 PM
As the facilitator of the Air Force portion of this site, I occasionally go through all the messages and delete those that don’t apply to the majority of users. You’ll find some of the messages are over a year old—that’s because those questions are asked most often. I do want to take some time and tell you about the Air Force. Please read the whole thing if you’re considering a career in the world’s greatest aerospace (yes—that includes space) force. +++For the record, these remarks are not made on the behalf of the Air Force, but of my own experience and opinion.+++
First. Whether you become an officer or enlisted member, your number one priority in life is national defense; your personal needs become number two. Do NOT confuse this statement with the Air Force taking precedence over your family. Nothing is further from the truth. (Note—your family could be you and your cat…you don’t have to have a spouse and 2.5 children to be a family) The Air Force recognized many, many years ago that the well-cared-for family is directly proportional to the excellence of the Air Force member. To that end, the USAF has taken the lead over all the Services to ensuring the quality of life is the single, most important aspect of retention—and have spent the money to back up those words. You need to know, however, that taking care of your family and personal sacrifice is NOT mutually exclusive. A good example is the airmen crying foul when the Air Force cannot station their spouse at the same base. You need to plan your career choice accordingly. Don’t become a pilot if it’s more important for you to be home for dinner with the family every night.
Second. When considering a career in the USAF, please carefully consider our three core values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do. Integrity means not lying, cheating, stealing OR tolerating those that do. If you think sneaking by your entrance physical by not telling officials you have a debilitating medical problem is OK, think again. You’ve just broken the first value. Integrity also covers courage, honesty, responsibility, accountability, and self respect. Service Before Self means just that. You may not get that assignment near HomeTown USA or you may have to serve more than one remote assignment. The needs of the Air Force (that means National Defense) take precedence over your personal needs. You also need to consider respect for others, discipline, and self control. Lastly, Excellence in All We Do means you strive to be the very best at whatever job is handed to you. You may be given tasks that have absolutely nothing to do with your primary job. Your response is to do the best you can—not “it ain’t my job.” This value also considers product, service and community excellence in addition to personal excellence.
Third. Basic Training or Officer Training School. I’ve done both and can tell you the only difference is in the degree of leadership and discipline. Both schools have the same outcome: to find out if you are able to lead, follow, and be a team member. Let me say that last part again—BE A TEAM MEMBER. Our Air Force is comprised of individuals; but we are a team. That pilot doesn’t get the aircraft off the ground without all those maintenance people keeping the aircraft flying. We don’t move gross tons of supplies without the logisticians calculating and preparing the goods. Bear in mind, when you enter the schools no one expects you to know how to brief, march, or do anything the “military way.” The instructors are there to teach you these things—they want you to succeed, not fail and will help you every step of the way IF you put your 100% into the process. The military has no room for those that don’t have initiative.
Fourth. Continuing Education. Once you’ve completed basic training or officer training school, your education never stops – neither military nor civilian. You’ll be constantly eligible for continuing education in your chosen profession, both technical and professional enhancement. As for civilian opportunities, once you have reached a skill level commensurate to your rank, you’ll be encouraged to seek higher education. As an officer, and to some extent Senior NCO, it’s pretty much a done deal that you’ll need to obtain a master’s degree to advance to the level of field grade officer (major through colonel). The Air Force is pretty much the technical branch of the four Services—you can’t become technically competent without continuing education.
Next. Medical conditions. Lots of the messages posted ask about coming into the military with known medical problems – diabetes, epilepsy, heart murmurs, etc. You need to realize the military is not a civilian agency. You need to be deployable, world-wide, at a moment’s notice. Consider this scenario: you’re flying at 30,000 feet providing surveillance of an air campaign (call it Desert Storm) to friendly forces – the information you provide is critical to their survival. Suddenly you’re struck with an epileptic seizure and due to your incapacitation that information is no longer transmitted to ground forces; they are caught in enemy fire and are killed. This is the reason the military is so strict about medical conditions—if you feel the military should waive its policy and accommodate your medical problems, then you’ve violated an Air Force core value – Service Before Self. You should choose another profession than the military. Loss of life is not acceptable.
Last. Conflicting priorities. I’ve read too many messages where individuals are concerned about the length of their hair, the length of their fingernails, what the Air Force can do for them, etc. People…..if you’re considering a career in the military, you need to adjust your priorities. You must understand that the military means protecting our country – it means national defense – it means following our senior decision makers into war if necessary – it means giving your life. Long fingernails and driving cars at basic training just aren’t important. You need to look at the big picture and realize a commitment of this magnitude is bigger than you and your personal needs; you are committing to our future. You are committing to ensuring we maintain the United States as a sovereign nation – you are committing to protecting your parents and grandparents as well as your children to the level of freedom you enjoy today.
To sum it up, President Kennedy said it best in his speech – “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” Those words are still as relevant today as they were in the early 1960s. Life in the USAF is extremely rewarding if your priorities are in the right place – take care of your family, then take care of your nation.
dimills@email.msn.com
First. Whether you become an officer or enlisted member, your number one priority in life is national defense; your personal needs become number two. Do NOT confuse this statement with the Air Force taking precedence over your family. Nothing is further from the truth. (Note—your family could be you and your cat…you don’t have to have a spouse and 2.5 children to be a family) The Air Force recognized many, many years ago that the well-cared-for family is directly proportional to the excellence of the Air Force member. To that end, the USAF has taken the lead over all the Services to ensuring the quality of life is the single, most important aspect of retention—and have spent the money to back up those words. You need to know, however, that taking care of your family and personal sacrifice is NOT mutually exclusive. A good example is the airmen crying foul when the Air Force cannot station their spouse at the same base. You need to plan your career choice accordingly. Don’t become a pilot if it’s more important for you to be home for dinner with the family every night.
Second. When considering a career in the USAF, please carefully consider our three core values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do. Integrity means not lying, cheating, stealing OR tolerating those that do. If you think sneaking by your entrance physical by not telling officials you have a debilitating medical problem is OK, think again. You’ve just broken the first value. Integrity also covers courage, honesty, responsibility, accountability, and self respect. Service Before Self means just that. You may not get that assignment near HomeTown USA or you may have to serve more than one remote assignment. The needs of the Air Force (that means National Defense) take precedence over your personal needs. You also need to consider respect for others, discipline, and self control. Lastly, Excellence in All We Do means you strive to be the very best at whatever job is handed to you. You may be given tasks that have absolutely nothing to do with your primary job. Your response is to do the best you can—not “it ain’t my job.” This value also considers product, service and community excellence in addition to personal excellence.
Third. Basic Training or Officer Training School. I’ve done both and can tell you the only difference is in the degree of leadership and discipline. Both schools have the same outcome: to find out if you are able to lead, follow, and be a team member. Let me say that last part again—BE A TEAM MEMBER. Our Air Force is comprised of individuals; but we are a team. That pilot doesn’t get the aircraft off the ground without all those maintenance people keeping the aircraft flying. We don’t move gross tons of supplies without the logisticians calculating and preparing the goods. Bear in mind, when you enter the schools no one expects you to know how to brief, march, or do anything the “military way.” The instructors are there to teach you these things—they want you to succeed, not fail and will help you every step of the way IF you put your 100% into the process. The military has no room for those that don’t have initiative.
Fourth. Continuing Education. Once you’ve completed basic training or officer training school, your education never stops – neither military nor civilian. You’ll be constantly eligible for continuing education in your chosen profession, both technical and professional enhancement. As for civilian opportunities, once you have reached a skill level commensurate to your rank, you’ll be encouraged to seek higher education. As an officer, and to some extent Senior NCO, it’s pretty much a done deal that you’ll need to obtain a master’s degree to advance to the level of field grade officer (major through colonel). The Air Force is pretty much the technical branch of the four Services—you can’t become technically competent without continuing education.
Next. Medical conditions. Lots of the messages posted ask about coming into the military with known medical problems – diabetes, epilepsy, heart murmurs, etc. You need to realize the military is not a civilian agency. You need to be deployable, world-wide, at a moment’s notice. Consider this scenario: you’re flying at 30,000 feet providing surveillance of an air campaign (call it Desert Storm) to friendly forces – the information you provide is critical to their survival. Suddenly you’re struck with an epileptic seizure and due to your incapacitation that information is no longer transmitted to ground forces; they are caught in enemy fire and are killed. This is the reason the military is so strict about medical conditions—if you feel the military should waive its policy and accommodate your medical problems, then you’ve violated an Air Force core value – Service Before Self. You should choose another profession than the military. Loss of life is not acceptable.
Last. Conflicting priorities. I’ve read too many messages where individuals are concerned about the length of their hair, the length of their fingernails, what the Air Force can do for them, etc. People…..if you’re considering a career in the military, you need to adjust your priorities. You must understand that the military means protecting our country – it means national defense – it means following our senior decision makers into war if necessary – it means giving your life. Long fingernails and driving cars at basic training just aren’t important. You need to look at the big picture and realize a commitment of this magnitude is bigger than you and your personal needs; you are committing to our future. You are committing to ensuring we maintain the United States as a sovereign nation – you are committing to protecting your parents and grandparents as well as your children to the level of freedom you enjoy today.
To sum it up, President Kennedy said it best in his speech – “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” Those words are still as relevant today as they were in the early 1960s. Life in the USAF is extremely rewarding if your priorities are in the right place – take care of your family, then take care of your nation.
dimills@email.msn.com