First sergeant discusses 'why we serve'

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Russell Hastings
  • 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (USAFENS) --  In my travels as a first sergeant, I’ve had many conversations with Airmen as to why they want to be in the Air Force.

Sometimes this question comes in my car in the early hours of the morning, after a less-than-brilliant act has occurred. “Just why do you want to be in the Air Force?”

I’ve heard a lot of good and bad answers to this question. So, why do we serve?

We do not serve to further our education. This is a great benefit, but it should not be the only reason, or even the most important reason, we wear the uniform. If it is, we should serve to the best of our abilities, be proud of our service and separate honorably after four years.

We do serve to protect our country, even if it isn’t perfect. We serve to protect everyone, even those who don’t support us, and to give them the freedom to express their opinions without fear of reprisal.

We serve to give our citizens the right to vote, even if they don’t exercise it. We serve our fellow Americans, even if they eat too much fast food and watch too much television.

We do not serve for the money. I dare say even our general officers can do better financially in the civilian world.

If an Airman wants to argue money with me when it comes to re-enlistment, I will refuse to engage.

I know there are formulas out there that show how great we are doing with our pay and benefits, but it should never be the driving force behind military service.

We do serve to bring the concept of democracy to the oppressed people of the world. I know this sounds hokey, but there it is.

We do not serve because we need a job. The Air Force provides us with employment, of course, but these days we have no room for mediocrity.

We should all be constantly looking for a challenge, no matter what our level of experience or responsibility. We should never rest on our laurels, or be content with the status quo.

When we begin to look at the Air Force as “just a job,” it’s time to move on to a job on the outside. I don’t want an Airman that’s only going to do their job going into a combat zone with me.

We do serve to come to the rescue when the world needs us most -- to mobilize in times of humanitarian catastrophe or natural disaster.

Despite what the rest of the world may think -- even some Americans -- we are the good guys. There is no Spiderman or Wonder Woman to save the world. We’re it. If we wear the uniform, we must believe this.

When it comes to serving, the most important thing to remember is this: You can’t reach a point in your career when you expect to “get your dues” for your service.

The more you progress in your career, the more responsibility you incur, and the more you are expected to serve. It may sound pessimistic, but it’s not. Serving is what’s it’s all about. If you strive for greatness, you’ve got to serve.