Here is the next round of Q&As from my most recent Commander’s Call.
I posted these responses and previous Q&A to our wing Sharepoint site and our public website, www.scott.af.mil, for future access and review.
Please keep the questions coming!
PERSONNEL ISSUES
With the elimination of TIG/TIS, when will the members selected for promotion actually sew on their new rank?
Good question. The elimination of TIG/TIS is/was strictly tied to the “weighted components” under WAPS and does not correlate to the way the actual promotion increments are calculated.
There has been no change to the way in which enlisted line numbers are calculated. It is based first on TAFMSD, then DOR and then lastly on DOB (regardless of AFSC). The number of personnel promoted each month is based on end-strength as DoD limits the number of Airmen the Air Force may have in the top 5 grades and public law (10 U.S. Code § 517) limits the daily average of Airmen who may serve in the top 2 grades (Senior Master Sgt. and Chief Master Sgt.) to no more than 3.5 percent of the enlisted force.
What can I do to encourage my supervisor/leadership to give feedback, both formal and informal?
Thank you for your question. Feedback sessions are a shared responsibility between both you and your rater.
Not only is feedback an important part of personal and professional growth ... but it is also mandatory! If your supervisor is not providing feedback, sometimes it can be beneficial to try different ways to communicate your request, such as verbal or written requests.
If you have tried several methods to accomplish feedback and have been unsuccessful, notify the next person in your chain of command to assist. If your immediate flight leadership is still not able to meet your feedback needs, contact your Squadron leadership such as your First Sergeant or Unit Commander.
Why is it so hard to get members to attend or document training?
That’s a great question! This was actually a finding during our last UEI in 2015, and we’ve been working to correct the problem across our Wing. One of our initiatives has been for our Wing Training Manager to engage one-on-one with every Unit Training Manager and every Group and Squadron Commander in our Wing.
However, we could use everyone’s help to fix an enduring problem not just at Scott but across the Air Force.
Supervisors need to ensure they are properly trained on the systems and upgrade also ensure trainees take an active role in ensuring upgrade training requirements are accomplished and properly documented. If you have specific questions or have specific problems within your unit, please contact your supervisor, unit leadership, or our Wing training manager Perry Gaskill at 256-6874 for assistance.
As a junior enlisted member, I feel as though I have no voice. I’ve tried escalating attention to the dysfunction within my section. What do I do?
Thank you for speaking up and highlighting areas for improvement inside your work center. There are many challenges in large organizations and one of them is the feeling your voice is not being heard. Discussing your concerns with your chain of command should always be your first source of addressing problems. If your immediate supervisor is not open to discussing your concerns, I encourage you to speak to the next supervisor in your chain of command. In addition to your leadership, the First Four Council provides a platform of open communication between Jr. Enlisted members and leaders across Scott AFB.
Additionally, the Inspector General is also available to help resolving complaints.
INSTALLATION & FACILITIES
With the air show coming up are we going to have more volunteers at the gates?
Great question! We will actually “open the gates” for the air show weekend June 10-11. However, we will need many volunteers to help with parking and a variety of tasks associated with the event. We’ll be working with units in the very near future to solicit volunteers. However, for normal operations, if your unit is interested in participating or increasing their participation, please contact Master Sgt. Greg Riley at DSN 256-6920, or at gregory.riley.4@us.af.mil.
Considering fitness is so important, what is being done to improve the gyms?
We are nearing completion on a significant overhaul of the Fitness Center (adjacent to the Parade Field) which includes lots of new equipment, new flooring, painting of the entire facility, roof repair, and multiple other improvements throughout the facility such as installation of free WiFi. We’re also renovating flooring at the James Gym and installing small lights on the rubberized track that goes around the flightline. We expect to have all repairs completed this spring. We do care about your needs and customer experience, so please contact the Fitness Center Staff to provide specifics so we can best support you and the community.
MISCELLANEOUS
With regard to the Annual Awards, if Wing nominees are being honored for their annual achievements, why are they required to pay for their own meal at the Annual Awards banquet?
That’s a great question. Our goal with the Annual Awards banquet is to recognize our top performers for their outstanding efforts. However, the costs associated with hosting an Annual Awards banquet can be quite expensive. In fact, there are 13 categories in which all five of our Groups may nominate a member. If each Group provides a nominee, that equates to 65 individuals. If the committee were to sponsor all 65 nominees at $25 per person, for example, that would cost $1,625 just for those members to eat. Other associated costs for the banquet include: the venue rental, medallions and mementos for all nominees, and trophies for the winners. You can see where the costs really add up.
Unfortunately, there are no funds allocated to provide for an annual awards banquet, so the planning committee and private organizations do their very best to offset the costs through fundraising. Some Groups and Squadrons also generously purchase tickets for their own nominees, which helps tremendously. We do our best to make the annual awards banquet a memorable experience for all who attend, and we will definitely consider paying for, or subsidizing meals for nominees in the future. Thank you again for your question.