TOP STORY>>CHAMPS program: A day with a chief

By Staff Sgt. Russ Scalf
19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

So you want to be a chief master sergeant? If you’ve ever wondered what that entails, it just so happens that the 19th Airlift Wing has an app. for that.

You won’t find this application through iTunes or your smart phone; the only place you can find this one through your chain of command. It’s called the Chief to Airman Mentor Program (CHAMP).

CHAMP is intended to introduce noncommissioned officers to the daily life of a Chief, and observe the strategic side of wing leadership and its role in our mission. The program was launched in October and selects a small group of Airmen each month to shadow a Chief or superintendent from a different unit on base.

The program, created by 19th Airlift Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Margarita Overton, came about from a combination of sources.

“CHAMP originated from two sources,” said Overton. “The first was from a question asked during a Senior Airman below the zone board where nominees were asked, ‘If you were Commander for a day and could change one thing, what would it be?’ Several Airmen indicated they wanted more exposure to different mission sets across the base, so they could see how others fit into the message. This thought resurfaced again during Col. Rhatigan’s first All Call when he introduced his three priorities of Mission, Airmen, and Partners and emphasized that all of us are critical to mission accomplishment. He emphasized our partnerships and how important it is to work as a team.”

The nominative selection process is designed to provide sharp Airmen a deliberate developmental opportunity. If selected, the Airman will tail a Chief or superintendent for an entire day, gaining an unfiltered view of the many facets that comprise the day of a senior leader.

The most recent group of CHAMPs contained a widespread representation of Team Little Rock units. In total, 12 participants from nine different units shared in the mentorship opportunity. The Airmen and Chiefs were paired together with the help of Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Hauprich, the 19th Airlift command chief executive assistant.

“The CHAMP gave me the unique opportunity to partner with a senior NCO from TLR,” said Tech. Sgt. Andy Gilbert, a 19th Civil Engineer Squadron structural craftsman. I shared his day and saw how the Comptroller Squadron handles business from a strategic level. Being in the NCO tier can sometimes offer a capped level of experience. Seeing the next level and its impact is a means of motivation to strive for the next level of responsibility. My long-term goal is to be a Command Chief and every chance I get to receive mentorship is one step closer to achieving it. The feedback session we had afterwards was also another key factor of the day. The informality of the discussion offered a means to let everyone’s voice be heard and feel comfortable amongst the Chiefs. I recommended this program to all my Airmen.”

The program doesn’t offer incentive singularly to the Airmen. The mentors have the opportunity to pass along countless years of lessons learned.

“What the CHAMP does for me, and I know it sounds corny, but it re-blues me,” said Senior Master Sgt. Keith Munroe, the 19th Airlift Wing Director of Staff and 19th Comptroller Squadron superintendent. “I’ve had a lot of jobs in the Air Force, but mentoring, on every level, has been the most rewarding job of all. The only way to ensure we have a great Air Force tomorrow is to pass along what we’ve learned to those coming up behind us.”

Chief Overton’s hope for the program is that Airmen can appreciate how everyone, regardless of unit or specialty, performs a critical role in our Air Force. Additionally, by shadowing a Chief or senior leader in another organization, Airmen are made aware of some of the decision-making that occurs and the “why” behind those decisions.

“Our enlisted force is the envy of the world because of the investment we make toward enlisted development,” said Overton. “That development doesn’t have to come from the classroom, and the best lessons come from real situations. CHAMP allows Airmen to gain some first-hand leadership insight and be exposed to other scenarios, versus just their day-to-day ops. I had the opportunity to shadow my senior enlisted advisor, Chief Finch, who went on to be the 13th Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, and it was an experience I never forgot!”

CHAMP is also a way of passing down the heritage and traditions of the enlisted corps. The mentors share knowledge and stories that reach back almost as far as the Air Force itself when 29-year Chiefs share the knowledge and stories told to them by the 30-year Chiefs who were their mentors.

The program occurs on the second Wednesday of every month. The next iteration is scheduled for Dec. 11. In January, CHAMP is expected to expand to allow shadowing opportunities to special duty positions such as military training leaders, Airman and Family Readiness NCO, Honor Guard NCO and first sergeants.