Page 2 - Nellis AFB Bullseye 9-11-15

2 September 11, 2015
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Excellence: The often overlooked core value
By Master Sgt. Anthony Thompson Jr
27th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron first improvement and innovation that will propel the
sergeant
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M — From the
moment we enter the U.S. Air Force, our unique
set of core values are instilled upon us by numer-
ous leaders.
Regardless of how we enter — the Air Force Acad-
emy, basic military training, the Reserve Officers’
Training Corps, or Officer Training School — in-
tegrity first, service before self and excellence in all
we do are some of the first principles we learn as Air
Force members.
While these core values are discussed frequently,
I have noticed during my time in the military that as
we progress individually in our careers, “excellence in
all we do” does not receive the attention it deserves.
I believe it is this core value that separates “good”
Airmen from “great” Airmen, and distinguishes the
“above average” from those who truly are among
the best.
According to Air Force Instruction 1-1, Air
‘We’re all in this together’ — A senior NCO’s five constants
By Senior Master Sgt. Rodney Bernard
52nd Munitions Maintenance Group
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Ger-
many — Service in the Air Force today
means different things for different
people. Depending on your unique cir-
cumstances, such as family dynamics,
job or upbringing, how you navigate
through those dynamics can have a sig-
nificant impact on your time serving and
significantly help you prepare for the day
you no longer wear the uniform, whether
that’s after four years or 30 years. Integrity and respect: Without them, supporting — a cause that is important quickly and can have significant effects
Through a series of both positive and
negative experiences, as well as some
great counsel over the years, I’ve gained
insight and perspective that have served
me well for more than 22 years. I’m
proud to share the five most important
constants I’ve learned over the course
of my career in the hopes they may help
someone else navigate through their own
individual circumstances, and maybe
have a positive affect for someone. ever before, militarily, economically and also provide networking opportuni- Everyone’s priority is THE priority, but
I’ve been fortunate enough to have
some good supervisors, mentors, friends
and family who have looked out for me.
They’ve collectively helped me to take
Bullseye News Staff
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Commentary BULLSEYE
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Force Culture, “Excellence in all we do directs us pride and care we show for our uniform, reflects
to develop a sustained passion for the continuous the excellence or lack thereof we have in our lives.
Air Force into a long-term upward vector of ac- It is amazing to think back to when we first re-
complishment and performance.” ceived our uniforms what great care we took of them
and what pride we wore them with, but over the time
Additionally, Merriam-Webster defines excel- that care and pride fades away. Excellence should
lence as “extremely high quality, very good, or ex- compel us to treat our uniforms with the respect and
tremely good.” So, how do we as Airmen practically dignity we did when we first earned them.
apply these explanations of excellence to ourselves?
These examples are just a few tangible ways of
I believe it is as simple as this: We give our very how excellence can be displayed by military mem-
best, both on and off duty, to the responsibilities we bers. It can also be shown in the performance of
have been entrusted with. work, completion of career development courses,
and individual physical fitness levels.
For example, excellence decrees punctuality for
duty and scheduled appointments. If duty hours are Do we give our best to our assigned duties? Do
from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., excellence dictates you should we aim to truly learn and absorb our CDCs or
show up for work between 6:45 a.m. and 6:50 a.m., just complete them? Do we attempt to excel in our
and not leave until after 4 p.m. physical fitness or simply do the minimum to get
a 75 percent?
Being “excellent” doesn’t mean showing up to
work at 7:05 a.m. and leaving at 3:50 p.m.; you show These are all questions we should ponder to help
up early and give 100 percent until the job or mis- us determine whether or not we are living our last
sion is complete. core value to its fullest potential. Integrity first is
paramount. Service before self is vital, but let us
Another applicable example of excellence is dis- do our best to not forget “excellence” in all we do!
played in one’s personal dress and appearance. The
advantage of the opportunities the Air that could significantly improve your suming significant amounts of alcohol
Force has presented to me over the span earning power and lifestyle for years, very frequently, regardless of your age or
of my career, which in turn helped me long after you lace up your boots for rank, and you feel like you’ve got it under
prepare for life after my service. Gener- the last time. control, just be honest with yourself. It
ally speaking, time and experience yield Get involved in your community: usually catches up to you, either physi-
clarity; here are some things I’ve learned Seek out and get involved in a com- cally, mentally or legally. Alcohol-related
and learned to value through the years: munity organization that you believe in problems can spiral out of control very
you may not even get through the door of to you. The key is to do it because you on you, your organization and your
an organization; in fact, it could be one of genuinely want to do it, not because you family.
the quickest ways out of an organization. believe someone else wants you to do it. Balance: Find balance in your life. It’s
We live in an extremely global world to- Aside from the personal satisfaction of difficult to go full speed 24/7 without
day with information moving faster than doing so, community involvement can eventually breaking down at some point.
socially. Many times, as we’re presented ties, experience outside of and a break there needs to be a balance. With today’s
with challenges, the best path to a viable from your primary job, and help you to challenges of less people, time and mon-
solution will be rooted in mutual integ- develop significant personal and profes- ey, you have to recognize when you’re out
rity and respect. sional relationships. of balance. Find things that will make
Invest in yourself, both financially Be careful with alcohol: Keep your your life more efficient. Be proactive
and academically: Understanding the alcohol use in check. If the bar tab starts as best you can. Maintain your family
relationship between time, money and to become a major expenditure on your responsibilities as one of YOUR priori-
interest can be one of the most impor- budget or waking up each morning ties. Stay physically active to help relieve
tant, lifelong-benefitting lessons one with a headache has become the norm, stress. Eat well. And most importantly,
can learn. Similarly, understanding the it may be time to look in the mirror and ask for help when you need it; no one is
doors that a college degree could open ask yourself some honest questions. in this alone.
for you toward achieving your goals is Although many people believe they can I hope someone finds my message
equally valuable. The Air Force offers hide hangovers, people do notice when helpful, and maybe this sparks an op-
exceptional benefits, assistance and you’re not at full speed. If you need help, portunity for further conversation.
opportunities in both of these areas get help. If you still find yourself con- Once again, we’re all in this together.
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