COMMENTARY>>Airmen are all in

By Chief Master Sgt. Gary Wynn
189th Airlift Wing command chief

I have been to five conferences during October and November. I got to hear and visit with some of the United States Air Force and Air National Guard Senior Leaders.

General Craig McKinley, Chief, National Guard Bureau, Gen. Stephen Lorenz, Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Muncy, Command Chief to the Director of the Air National Guard, and Chief Master Sgt. Stephen Arnold, State Command Chief, Arkansas, hosted these conferences. Lieutenant Gen. Harry Wyatt, Director, Air National Guard, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy, and Chief Master Sgt. Robert Tappana, Air Education and Training Command command chief, were guest speakers.

As these leaders spoke on the future of the world’s best Air Force, I knew they were all in. They are committed to providing our great nation with highly trained and capable Airmen. Each one spoke of the needed quality of life improvements for all airmen and their families. They know their mission and what part it plays in defending our way of life. Yes these airmen are all in. I know you’re thinking, Chief Wynn these airmen are General Officers and Chiefs. They have to be all in. Just hold that thought while I tell you about another group I met that is all in. The individuals in this group are called trainees. I spent two days at the 37th Training Wing, Lackland Air Force Base, with our future Airmen. Each trainee I came in contact with was “all in.”

I observed trainees at the Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training course work as wingmen to complete the final phase of the BEAST.

I was amazed as two trainees disassembled a training weapon in 28 seconds and then assembled and function checked it in 38 seconds. The time allowed is two minutes for disassembly and two minutes for assembly. I had lunch with Trainee Thomas Ortiz. He said he had wanted to join the Air Force after graduating high school, but had promised his family he would complete a four-year college program.

In the spring of 2009, he completed his bachelors’ of science degree and enlisted. Airmen Ortiz graduated basic military training November 6, 2009; he is all in. I listened to over 600 airmen recite “The Airmen’s Creed”; I knew they were all in as they shouted the last line “And I Will Not Fail”.

You don’t have to be a general officer or chief to be all in. Being all in is a responsibility we have to our nation, mission, wingman and family. Just remember, everything you need to know to be all in you learned at basic military training from a kind person in a “Smokey the Bear” hat.