COMMENTARY>>New year…Fresh look

By Chief Master Sgt. Richard Turcotte
314th Airlift Wing command chief

Isn’t it funny how the New Year brings excitement, new challenges, a sense of renewed purpose and an opportunity to make a fresh start? It’s like setting the game clock back to zero for the chance to win.

For most of us, 2009 brought many challenges and success stories in and around our Air Force. However, I believe most of you will agree that as the premier Air, Space and Cyberspace force, we can and must do better. In my opinion it’s a simple
“resolution” of maintaining discipline. No, I do not mean discipline in the derogatory sense. I am referring to discipline as Airmen.

More specifically, we need to maintain discipline in the three P’s – personal, professional, and performance. As Airmen, we sometimes get sidetracked in our day-to-day lives completing the mission. We may settle for a minimum passing score on our fitness test. We may put off completing that Community College of the Air Force degree for another semester. We may overlook someone’s substandard performance. We may forget to provide valuable feedback to those we lead. We may take for granted the metrics we follow to ensure performance. We may even find an excuse to delay a class start date for professional military education because we are busy with other things but at what cost? In my opinion, the cost is exponential.

As we enter 2010, we must continue to develop our personal discipline and hold ourselves accountable. Every time we fail to accept or execute our duties, fail to follow an instruction or technical data, or fail to correct conduct or behavior that places ourselves or others at risk we jeopardize our mission success. With regard to professional discipline, we must excel in and demonstrate those items that reinforce and validate our institutional and occupational competencies.

An example is by following instructional guidance, completing career development courses with an above average score for that respective Air Force specialty code or securing PME within the required time. We must seek out opportunities for growth and not become complacent in our roles. We must continue to see every challenge as an opportunity to succeed. Performance discipline will only happen after deliberate repetition of known and accepted skills. Accepting these disciplines will drive performance and ensure our success as the premier Air, Space and Cyberspace force.

Our strength comes from our people, not our technology. My challenge for 2010 is simple. Embrace the three P’s. Strive for personal discipline...get in the books and know what is expected, grab a friend and get to the fitness center and be the standard for others to emulate. Increase your professional discipline by completing that CCAF degree within your Air Force specialty code, taking the time to train and educate the force, and always thirsting for development opportunities.

Be a factor in driving positive performance instead of chasing negative indicators, and by all means have fun doing it.