Air Force members are part of the “uniformed services”, but everyone has a unique experience during their time of service. Specifically, for enlisted Airmen, we can all relate to our rite of passage at Lackland AFB, including our joyous march down the “Bomb Run” during graduation weekend. From that location, we all dispersed into our assigned career fields, and learned from our first supervisor and subsequent chain of command at our first duty station.

These unique experiences build upon an individual’s inherited traits, ultimately influencing a person’s character. The “uniform” qualities from all levels become a part of our genetics, to include an exclusive objective of a Major Command all the way to a specific installation with a diverse mix of people, and its climatical challenges!

During my upbringing in the Air Force family, I have served with members born from at least 16 different countries and worked alongside members of our sister services, including Airmen who previously wore the uniform of a sister service. Perhaps the greatest asset of this family is the continuity and experience shared from our civilian counterparts. For example, I recently gained lasting insight and long-range viewpoints from a retired Chief, who in fact also mentored a handful of Chief’s currently serving within the civil engineer enterprise. Ultimately, we forge friendships, challenge and develop each other, and at times discipline one another to correct and mold a better professional.

Life as enlisted requires daily calculated tradeoffs. There are more tasks and requirements asked of us than we can skillfully complete. As military professionals, we balance the tasks and constraints to complete the priority. To put things simply, as big “A” Airmen, we execute. A cost is always incurred from any accomplishment or achievement, and we do our best to remedy and reduce those costs. We solve problems and find solutions. As a family, we make it happen and get it done!

Thanks, fellow family members for your service, additionally, thanks to our families at home who selflessly give all the support we need in order to serve!