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Enjoy the journey

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Leif Eckhom
  • 457th Airlift Squadron commander
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  In 1983, college professor William Least Heat-Moon published his instant classic "Blue Highways: a Journey into America", which chronicled his 13,000 mile journey along the U.S. back roads in a beat up old van. 

Steering clear of the major cities and interstates, Mr. Moon toured 38 states along the small state and country roads on his road map, exploring small towns, dining at local cafés and meeting hundreds of interesting people across America's heartland. He met people with intriguing stories who would have otherwise gone nameless and unnoticed while living quiet lives off the beaten paths of America's mainstream. 

His expedition was circuitous, ending where it began and reaching his destination was never the focus. The richness of the story instead was laid into the voyage itself, interwoven with tales told by a modern-day explorer discovering that there is more to life than plodding headlong on the most direct route toward a pre-set goal or destination. The reader discovers that the journey itself is most important: it's the people we meet, the bridges we build, the experiences we gain along the way that paint the tapestry of our lives. 

This is a powerful message, very relevant, in my opinion, to leaders who mentor young Airmen coming up through the ranks, and to anyone charting the course for his or her own Air Force career. In a culture that is mission-focused and success-driven, where individual success is often defined by rank and title, and competition is intense, it's an easy message to forget. 

Furthermore, in a culture where service before self is more than a core value, but in actuality an essential pillar on which continued mission accomplishment and sustainability firmly rests, prioritizing job satisfaction and personal enjoyment can at times be contradictory to Air Force needs. Nonetheless, it's imperative that leaders and listeners alike understand and promote the concept that having fun and enjoying your time in the Air Force is not only vital to the individual health and well-being of our members and our families, but also to the Air Force's ability to sustain operations in today's environment with an ever-increasing operations tempo. 

This may not be as simple as using our leave, recharging our batteries and taking part in activities that we enjoy outside the work place. Although balancing work and play is absolutely vital, I think there is more to this message. The real meaning, in my opinion, is the significance assigned to enjoying the jobs we do, valuing the teams that we build and cherishing the relationships we establish along the way. 

The Air Force experience is just that--an experience--one full of opportunities, friendships, training, travel and one of great significance to the country we serve and the world we live in. Taking pride and pleasure in this experience is the ultimate goal. A career's success is not determined by how high we climb up the ladder, but rather, by the contributions that we make, by the people that we've influenced positively, by the worthwhile change we've helped create, and ultimately, by whether or not we have truly enjoyed the journey.