Most, if not all, organizations are guided by fundamental principles as envisioned and espoused by their leaders. These principles may be referred to as focus areas, themes, tenets, priorities, etc. Regardless of the nomenclature, they help provide an organizational compass or framework within which to operate.
“Airmen Always — Yes!” is one of three 86th Maintenance Group tenets and is broken down into the following elements: care/concern/compassion, feedback and recognition, dignity and respect, personal accountability and compliance, and family welfare. The commander’s focus article today highlights recognition, care/concern/compassion, and family welfare while also touching on resiliency and key spouse concepts as well.
It is no secret that recognition of an organization’s Airmen provides that vital catalyst so important for facilitating high morale and subsequent mission excellence. The 86th MXG recently held its Maintenance Professional of the Year banquet, a celebratory event recognizing Airmen for a year’s worth of awesome mission excellence accomplishments. In addition to 20 Airmen recognized at the annual MPOY awards banquet, other Airmen such as Tech. Sgt. Ramiro Gonzalez III, Tech. Sgt. Ryan McGahan and Staff Sgt. Rickey Willard also performed in an exceptional manner throughout this past year. Gonzalez III, an aerospace propulsion craftsman assigned to the Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, maintained a perfect 12 of 12 pass rate with quality assurance evaluations while leading his team in completing more than 3,000 C-130J engine and propeller system repairs.
McGahan, a programs manager in the Maintenance Operations Squadron, was the mastermind behind an MXG-wide facility reorganization project. He constructed an elaborate timeline that outlined relocation efforts of six organizations and three squadrons charted out over a two month period and was able to capitalize on manpower requirements, ensuring the project was completed one month early. And Willard, a precision measurement lab technician from the Maintenance Squadron, conducted 55 annual inspections as a quality assurance evaluator. His efforts facilitated flight training proficiency, directly contributing to an “Excellent” rating during the Logistics Compliance Assessment Program HHQ inspection. These Airmen and their accomplishments are indicative of what all our great Airmen within this group and wing do each and every day — Airmen who are truly deserving of well-earned recognition for all they bring to the fight.
Now, it should come as no surprise that at the same time high points such as recognizing outstanding Airmen for outstanding achievements occurs, there will also be a few low points that occur along the way as well. For example, during the past several months, there were several MXG Airmen who lost loved ones and close friends, not unlike any other organization by any means. Nonetheless, it was a rough year for some Airmen directly and many others as well who also felt sadness related to a co-worker, supervisor or friend’s loss. An elderly mother died and though obviously painful, it did not come as a total surprise as life does come to an end — down here on Earth anyway. It is expected. But Airmen from the Maintenance Group also lost a 17-year-old son who was a high school senior, a precious newborn infant, and a young 26-year-old C-130 aircraft crew chief — losses that all occurred way too early in life and very unexpectedly.
The care/concern/compassion displayed by Airmen helping Airmen was undeniably a powerful force in helping heal the emotional wounds and pain that can knock an Airmen and an organization down. Our great Air Force Airmen demonstrated immense resolve and resiliency. They drew upon their personal faith — a spiritual domain of resiliency. They were there for each other and propped one another up as good wingmen do — a social domain of resiliency. And without missing a beat, these Airmen continued to ensure that mission excellence never suffered.
We’ve all used periodic down days within the past year to “take a knee” while focusing on and participating in resiliency and wingman activities. These concepts are truly more than just downward-directed and mandatory programs wherein we’re simply required to check them off as having occasionally reflected on them. These concepts are “real,” just as the Airmen who so greatly benefit from understanding and practicing them are.
As Airmen within the MXG and the entire wing have experienced time and again, no one knows the time nor place when the untimely and unpleasant cards of life will be dealt. But when they are dealt, a resilient organization with resilient Airmen who possess the capacity to care, to demonstrate concern and to show compassion will carry the day and help our Airmen — and their families, too.
Focus on family welfare cannot be overstated enough as a critical key ingredient regarding any tenet associated with “Airmen Always.”
Families are the proverbial backbone and glue that keep everything together and on solid footing, as active-duty spouses both at home and deployed afar, sacrifice long hours continually doing what is asked and required of them 24/7/365. We all recognize that family members sacrifice a great deal as well — 24/7/365 — and it becomes even more challenging when loved ones are deployed. Yards need to be mowed, homework needs to be accomplished, someone needs to get the kids to the games, bills need to be paid and the list goes on.
For many, the active-duty spouse may also be employed either as a civilian employee or as a fellow active-duty member. It is not surprising at all then when family members find themselves in overwhelming and extremely stressful situations. That said, a vitally important tool in the squadron commanders’ “family welfare toolkit” is the Key Spouse program. This important squadron commander program provides an essential link between the squadron’s leadership team and family members. Key spouses support families during separations and stressful situations while enhancing communication between leadership, spouses and other family members. Once the squadron’s key spouses are identified, the Airman & Family Readiness Center provides them with valuable training. This training equips the spouses with the tools and resources needed to help make a positive difference in the lives of an extremely valuable resource — our Air Force families. There is too much at stake for this family-focus program to not flourish. Key spouses can and do make a key difference. On that note, I am extremely appreciative of the MXG squadron’s key spouses who stepped up to make a difference within the 86th Maintenance Group. Thank you.
So, “Airmen Always.” Hold them accountable and treat them with dignity and respect. Recognize them, show them care/concern/compassion, and facilitate their family welfare. And then watch what an organization with resilient Airmen can do. Watch what an organization with committed key spouses can do. It most certainly will be an awesome sight to behold.
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Most, if not all, organizations are guided by fundamental principles as envisioned and espoused by their leaders. These principles may be referred to as focus areas, themes, tenets, priorities, etc. Regardless of the nomenclature, they help provide an organizational compass or framework within which to operate.
“Airmen Always — Yes!” is one of three 86th Maintenance Group tenets and is broken down into the following elements: care/concern/compassion, feedback and recognition, dignity and respect, personal accountability and compliance, and family welfare. The commander’s focus article today highlights recognition, care/concern/compassion, and family welfare while also touching on resiliency and key spouse concepts as well.
It is no secret that recognition of an organization’s Airmen provides that vital catalyst so important for facilitating high morale and subsequent mission excellence. The 86th MXG recently held its Maintenance Professional of the Year banquet, a celebratory event recognizing Airmen for a year’s worth of awesome mission excellence accomplishments. In addition to 20 Airmen recognized at the annual MPOY awards banquet, other Airmen such as Tech. Sgt. Ramiro Gonzalez III, Tech. Sgt. Ryan McGahan and Staff Sgt. Rickey Willard also performed in an exceptional manner throughout this past year. Gonzalez III, an aerospace propulsion craftsman assigned to the Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, maintained a perfect 12 of 12 pass rate with quality assurance evaluations while leading his team in completing more than 3,000 C-130J engine and propeller system repairs.
McGahan, a programs manager in the Maintenance Operations Squadron, was the mastermind behind an MXG-wide facility reorganization project. He constructed an elaborate timeline that outlined relocation efforts of six organizations and three squadrons charted out over a two month period and was able to capitalize on manpower requirements, ensuring the project was completed one month early. And Willard, a precision measurement lab technician from the Maintenance Squadron, conducted 55 annual inspections as a quality assurance evaluator. His efforts facilitated flight training proficiency, directly contributing to an “Excellent” rating during the Logistics Compliance Assessment Program HHQ inspection. These Airmen and their accomplishments are indicative of what all our great Airmen within this group and wing do each and every day — Airmen who are truly deserving of well-earned recognition for all they bring to the fight.
Now, it should come as no surprise that at the same time high points such as recognizing outstanding Airmen for outstanding achievements occurs, there will also be a few low points that occur along the way as well. For example, during the past several months, there were several MXG Airmen who lost loved ones and close friends, not unlike any other organization by any means. Nonetheless, it was a rough year for some Airmen directly and many others as well who also felt sadness related to a co-worker, supervisor or friend’s loss. An elderly mother died and though obviously painful, it did not come as a total surprise as life does come to an end — down here on Earth anyway. It is expected. But Airmen from the Maintenance Group also lost a 17-year-old son who was a high school senior, a precious newborn infant, and a young 26-year-old C-130 aircraft crew chief — losses that all occurred way too early in life and very unexpectedly.
The care/concern/compassion displayed by Airmen helping Airmen was undeniably a powerful force in helping heal the emotional wounds and pain that can knock an Airmen and an organization down. Our great Air Force Airmen demonstrated immense resolve and resiliency. They drew upon their personal faith — a spiritual domain of resiliency. They were there for each other and propped one another up as good wingmen do — a social domain of resiliency. And without missing a beat, these Airmen continued to ensure that mission excellence never suffered.
We’ve all used periodic down days within the past year to “take a knee” while focusing on and participating in resiliency and wingman activities. These concepts are truly more than just downward-directed and mandatory programs wherein we’re simply required to check them off as having occasionally reflected on them. These concepts are “real,” just as the Airmen who so greatly benefit from understanding and practicing them are.
As Airmen within the MXG and the entire wing have experienced time and again, no one knows the time nor place when the untimely and unpleasant cards of life will be dealt. But when they are dealt, a resilient organization with resilient Airmen who possess the capacity to care, to demonstrate concern and to show compassion will carry the day and help our Airmen — and their families, too.
Focus on family welfare cannot be overstated enough as a critical key ingredient regarding any tenet associated with “Airmen Always.”
Families are the proverbial backbone and glue that keep everything together and on solid footing, as active-duty spouses both at home and deployed afar, sacrifice long hours continually doing what is asked and required of them 24/7/365. We all recognize that family members sacrifice a great deal as well — 24/7/365 — and it becomes even more challenging when loved ones are deployed. Yards need to be mowed, homework needs to be accomplished, someone needs to get the kids to the games, bills need to be paid and the list goes on.
For many, the active-duty spouse may also be employed either as a civilian employee or as a fellow active-duty member. It is not surprising at all then when family members find themselves in overwhelming and extremely stressful situations. That said, a vitally important tool in the squadron commanders’ “family welfare toolkit” is the Key Spouse program. This important squadron commander program provides an essential link between the squadron’s leadership team and family members. Key spouses support families during separations and stressful situations while enhancing communication between leadership, spouses and other family members. Once the squadron’s key spouses are identified, the Airman & Family Readiness Center provides them with valuable training. This training equips the spouses with the tools and resources needed to help make a positive difference in the lives of an extremely valuable resource — our Air Force families. There is too much at stake for this family-focus program to not flourish. Key spouses can and do make a key difference. On that note, I am extremely appreciative of the MXG squadron’s key spouses who stepped up to make a difference within the 86th Maintenance Group. Thank you.
So, “Airmen Always.” Hold them accountable and treat them with dignity and respect. Recognize them, show them care/concern/compassion, and facilitate their family welfare. And then watch what an organization with resilient Airmen can do. Watch what an organization with committed key spouses can do. It most certainly will be an awesome sight to behold.