COMMENTARY>>NCOs our greatest assets

By Maj. Sean Robertson
314th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander

Last Thursday we celebrated a big event: the selection of the Air Force’s newest staff sergeants. While the pay is nice and the extra stripe looks good on the uniform, there is one thing even more important: the latest selects will become the next generation of front line supervisors and noncommissioned officers.

For a commander, this is a huge event. The noncommissioned officer is where a majority of the critical tasks of a squadron get done. This is where primary training happens, discipline and personnel issues get nipped in the bud and where the general tone of the squadron is set.

Here are some big-ticket items I think are truly important to front line supervisors and ultimately the success of the mission and the squadron. Those items are: know your people, hold the line and have a positive mental attitude.

As a supervisor, you need to know your Airmen. This is critical. You’re typically the first individual to see Airmen when they get to work and generally, you are the last to see them as they step out for a long weekend. NCOs are my greatest asset.

They are the ones to look those Airmen in the eye and make sure everything is fine. If things aren’t right, they are the one that can nudge them in the right direction whether it be to the first sergeant, Family Advocacy, or maybe just some “been there, done that” mentoring. Knowing your people is more than knowing their favorite sports team or color. Is the Airman married?

Any hobbies? How’s training progressing? Where were they born and raised?

Those are the things that will drive people’s hearts and minds. The better you understand them, and they understand that you care about them as a person, the more apt you are to connect and have a positive impact on that individual.

As is any NCO’s duty, holding the line and maintaining standards is one of the most important. It’s a responsibility that will most often fall on you first because you are typically the first to encounter the discrepancies or issues. You are also the most visible because you are almost always amongst Airmen. Whether you believe it or not they look up to you, if for no other reason than you were most recently sitting in their shoes.

Maintaining standards such as passing physical fitness test and wearing the uniform correctly is just beginning. Living up to the Air Force core values should not and is not anything new for our newest NCOs. However, holding individuals accountable may be one of the most difficult things you do, possibly because the person you are correcting today was your best-friend the week before. While maintaining the standards may sometimes be difficult it must be done. There must be a separation between duty and personal life. As an NCO, the responsibility falls on you to step in and ensure that you represent and maintain the standard you have sworn to uphold. If you know you’re Airmen and fairly and consistently hold the line the last focus area is positive mental attitude.

Having a PMA is contagious. As an athlete growing up PMA sounds a little bit “cheerleady” to me – nothing against cheerleaders, I married one – but I can’t think of any other words to describe it. It is this type of mentality that drives the words of our Airman’s Creed: “I will not falter, and I will not fail.” As a supervisor your attitude, demeanor and how you react to different situations will drive how your airmen react. Be mindful that they are always watching whether you want them to or not. As a commander, I need you to be the energy that drives the squadron.

The daunting task of becoming an NCO may not appear as exciting as the pay raise and the new stripes first look, but understand that this responsibility has been levied on you because you can do it. There is nothing more satisfying in this world than to teach the folks coming up behind you to replace you. To the newest frontline supervisors, if you focus on your Airmen, hold the line, and provide a positive mental attitude, the journey will be a great one.

Congratulations to our newest staff sergeants.