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ORI Professionalism – Key to success!

  • Published
  • By Col. Gary Goldstone
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Commander
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Last week, we sent about 250 of our finest men and women to a Forward Operating Base to simulate operations in a wartime environment. Our task was to move the troops and cargo to the FOB at Volk Field, Wis., and I'm pleased to report that we did a tremendous job doing just that!

We worked through some initial challenges with weather and air transportation, and while we determined alternate routes and means to get to the fight, I want to commend you for your outstanding display of professionalism during this process. There is no doubt that the fog and friction associated with military operations will drive us to "call the audibles" and maintain flexibility as we execute our mission.

Chief Master Sgt. James Suttles, 375th Air Mobility Wing command chief, checked on our troops during this time, and he found most everyone in good spirits and ready, willing and able to be flexible--the key to Air Power!

This sense of professionalism and military bearing is crucial as we execute our missions, both for exercises, inspections and real world deployments. How we conduct ourselves speaks volumes about our attitudes and understanding of our role in the fight.
I watched you display professionalism and military courtesies throughout the exercise last week, and I encourage your teams to keep the momentum going through these next several weeks. We have another mobility exercise coming up in mid-February, and then we will perform our wartime tasking under the watchful eyes of the Air Mobility Command Inspector General in late March.

As mentioned before, the IG professionals will be there to help us. Their role is evaluator--not to coach, coax, suggest or provide solutions. How you react to their directions and inputs, coupled with demonstrating a sense of urgency and an outstanding attitude of being "All In," will make the difference between just passing the test and exceeding expectations.

Remember that at every step of the way, you are representing the 375th AMW. The IG observes our behaviors and our interactions with each other both on and off duty. Having a sense of professionalism comes from pride in your unit and believing in the work we do. I have seen too many participants in other venues--after all this time--demonstrate that these exercises "are a bother and waste of time." That is simply not acceptable. Use this time to prepare yourselves so that when the "tap on your shoulder" comes, you are ready to execute!

Professionalism is also displayed in our personal appearances. Our uniforms, hair standards, etc., must be sharp and in accordance with regulations. Just because it's a deployed environment does not mean "anything goes" and the standards are relaxed. Discipline is required to maintain good order, unity and excellence in all we do, and taking care of personal standards reflects dedication and commitment.

As professional Airmen, here are some other points to consider:

- Professionals learn every aspect of the job instead of skipping the learning process whenever possible.
- Professionals carefully discover what is needed and wanted, not assuming what others need and want.
- Professionals look, speak and dress sharp, while unprofessional people are sloppy in appearance and speech.
- Professionals are focused and clear-headed, not confused and distracted.
- Professionals don't ignore or hide mistakes.
- Professionals jump into difficult assignments, instead of trying to get out of difficult work.
- Professionals complete projects as soon as possible, while unprofessionals are surrounded by unfinished work piled on top of unfinished work.
- Professionals remain level-headed and optimistic; they don't get upset and assume the worst.
- Professionals persist until the objective is achieved, when others give up at the first opportunity.
- Professionals produce more than expected, and are not satisfied with just getting by.

If we conduct ourselves professionally on a daily basis, then it will be second nature as we execute under hostile and extreme conditions. Having a professional attitude and demeanor is key to ORI success--and key to Enabling Combat Power!