TOP STORY >>Moving 'Can do' attitudes to 'Will do' plans

By Lt. Col. Jeffrey Collins
314th Services Squadron commander

Bless our Air Force blue hearts — we accomplish wonders at break-neck speed. We’re brought up to be “men of action” and “get ‘er done.” And in large measure, we do. Ray Bradbury implores risk-taking in business with his words, “You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build wings on the way down.”

Believe me, there’s a time for quick action, and I believe fortune favors the bold. But, sometimes and, probably more-often than not, there is actually time to think and plan before you jump.

My middle school principal told us, “No one plans to fail, but many who fail, fail to plan.” He was right. Since taking command, I’ve found a unit of individuals dedicated and ready to jump to try to give you what you say you want. That’s a “can-do” attitude and every services squadron needs it.

My challenge to my squadron has been to raise our chins to look down the road and adopt a “will-do” attitude. The difference between the two is a plan to plan.

I’ve been asking questions like these: What should we be programming for March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day and African American Heritage month? How are we going to get the wing WARFIT and rested for the operational readiness inspection and Air Expeditionary Force 6-7? What should the club look like in three years? How can we prepare to help a project officer who gets tapped to produce a commander’s call? How should we respond to new ideas?

Answers to those last questions are critical to my squadron’s future success. We will win whenever we are able to help you plan and help you succeed. We want to jump off cliffs with you, but we want to have a plan in hand to get the wings built on the way down.