Page 2 - Nellis, Creech and NTTR Bullseye 11-20-15

2 November 20, 2015
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Invest time to help Airmen
By Chief Master Sgt. Shawn Bitton
60th Operations Support Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. —
Think back to when you joined the Air
Force. Did you know everything about
your job, how the promotion system
works, assignments, performance evalu-
ations, deployments and so on? professional and personal lives. We all
I would have to say no, however, I
would bet that at multiple points and
times throughout your career someone
took the time to show you how they
worked and explained the ins and outs. were happening in the Air Force at the
Today, we call it mentorship. Some say
that it’s a catchphrase or a passing fad,
but in all reality it has always been oc-
curring, you more than likely just didn’t
think about them as mentors.
Holiday survival: weathering the financial blizzard
By Airman 1st Class Greg Nash
23d Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. —
It’s that time of year again. As the holiday
season approaches, we will be bombarded
with alluring advertisements, extensive
winter holiday shopping lists from family
members and store holiday sales enticing
us to spend big.
Are you prepared to spend money during
the holiday season? Are you nervous be-
cause you’re still paying bills from last year? saving your money is helpful.
Do you want to avoid last minute holiday
shopping while singing holiday jingles for
the millionth time in long check-out lines?
If questions like these have invaded your
thoughts, several resources are available to
help alleviate stress and to easily experience
a rewarding and relaxing holiday season the
way it’s intended to be.
Every year we have 364 days to prepare
for Christmas, but most people manage to
only gain the shopping and holiday spirit af-
ter finishing the ham during Thanksgiving.
However, everyone can successfully have a
pleasant and financially beneficial holiday
season by being proactive, planning ahead
and budgeting.
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Commentary
I remember back to when I was new
to the Air Force. At my first duty sec-
tion on the last duty day each week, my
superintendent had us join him at the
club, where we would just sit around
and talk about things at work and what
was going on in our lives. Looking back
at what he was doing, I really appreciate
what he did for us. the necessary resources for both their
I understand now that he was mentor-
ing us and it was at these shop gather-
ings that I learned about things like the
assignment system, weighted Airman
promotion system testing and things that
time. Additionally, he learned what was
going on in our lives and it gave him the
opportunity to save me more than once
from doing something stupid. Trust me
As a junior enlisted service member
where money isn’t as plentiful, I look for
various ways to save for holiday spending.
The holiday spirit encourages an aura of
giving and spending at will, which is hard
not to do. I ensure that I pay myself by put-
ting my money in savings before I make
purchases. I use last year’s income tax re-
turn and savings to get reasonable holiday
gifts for my loved ones. On the other hand,
military personnel higher up the rank
structure may face similar problems with
financial decisions despite a higher salary.
Regardless of your income, planning and
The median wage in the United States
is approximately $27,000 per person. The
average American will spend approximately
$700 on holiday gifts, totaling more than
$465 billion, the National Retail Federation
estimates. With that being said, it’s not rec-
ommended for people to spend more than
1.5 percent of their annual income on holi-
day spending, according to practical money
skills. However, if you decide to spend more
money, you can use your savings account to
help meet your spending goal.
Having an estimate on how much you
plan to spend is a good first step. Keep in
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he was a busy guy. I have tried to find
him on several occasions so I could thank
him for his mentorship as he was key to
my success in the Air Force.
Mentorship to me really just boils
down to helping others navigate their
path and ensure they know and have
have a responsibility to develop those
we lead and supervise in becoming our
replacements for tomorrow’s Air Force.
You always hear people say that they
want their children to be better off than
they were. Well, as leaders and super-
visors, we should be saying the same
about the Airmen who we are entrusted
with mentoring. We have to take the
time daily to help people reach their full
mind the costs of things such as gift wrap
and expenses associated with hosting a
holiday party. Using a checklist to budget
for expenses such as shipping costs, new
holiday clothing, baking, traveling and
restaurant dining can also help gauge
your financial plan. From there, you need
to decide what to give. Outright asking is
always a good indicator, but being sponta-
neous and creative can make that gift more
memorable.
Take the opportunity to reflect and
cherish your most memorable holiday ex-
periences. Try to recreate that same holiday
spirit for a wonderful experience with your
family. Additionally, keep deployed service
members in your thoughts and prayers as
they won’t have the opportunity to enjoy
their families. Give something sentimental
that will be valuable to someone. Every-
thing isn’t about expensive gifts. The gift of
giving can be much more impactful when
there’s no price tag attached. Volunteering
to feed the homeless can be therapeutic
and humbling experience. Have a family
day. Call a friend you aren’t on the best
of terms with and be the bigger person to
resolve the situation and take the blame.
Do things that will truly bring meaning
status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other
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potential. That can be by having simple
conversations, joining them in a task,
or just simply explaining to them how a
particular process is performed.
Take the time to guide and teach your
peers and subordinates on a task, about
professional development, things hap-
pening in their personal lives or changes
taking place in the Air Force. Be that role
model that you had when you first joined
the service or when you got to the base.
Don’t sit back, watch and think that
someone else will take care of it. Be that
positive force in someone’s life. If each
and everyone one of us took the time to
mentor someone and help them succeed
in the duty section, squadron and wing,
you will uphold and reflect “excellence
in all we do.”
to your life as you lead up to the new year.
Financially surviving the holiday sea-
son can bring the new year into a positive
light with peace of mind if you don’t have
to worry about extra bills. During the
holiday season, financial stress shouldn’t
be in your thoughts or be an obstacle you
have to overcome. The season is designed
to give people the opportunity to celebrate
their religious beliefs, cherish special mo-
ments with family and friends, enjoy time
off from work and try to figure out how
you’re going to pass your physical train-
ing test after eating seven different types
of macaroni and cheese. I encourage you
to please be proactive and assess your
finances to properly rejuvenate and enjoy
your holiday season.
Whether you’re active duty, civilian, a
Guardsman or Reservist, it’s important to
be financially savvy and in control of your
holiday spending. Think about the future
and value the importance of not being
stressed from money issues. Don’t have a
consumer’s state of mind. You don’t have to
spend money as soon as you get it. Always
remember, today’s holiday gift can be next
year’s credit card bill. Enjoy a successful
winter holiday.
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