Being a responsible Airman in today's Air Force Published March 15, 2006 By Lt. Col. Anita Wolfe 52nd Medical Operations Squadron SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (USAFENS) -- As the 52nd Medical Group’s chief nurse, I have the privilege of meeting with each of the nurses for annual career counseling. I take this opportunity to get to know the nurses better, determine where they are in their personal and professional growth and find out what their goals are. One of my main duties as chief nurse is to mentor, counsel and help each nurse reach his or her goals. I also take the opportunity to share my philosophy of being a responsible Airman in our great Air Force. -- First, live and breathe the core values -- Fortunately for me, my mom taught me core values long before either of us had ever heard them labeled as such. As a child, I learned to always tell the truth, do the right thing, and do my very best at whatever project I was given. Twenty years of service in the Air Force have reinforced the wisdom of my mom’s words. If you truly embody the Air Force’s core values of “integrity,” “excellence” and “service before self,” you will be firmly planted in the right direction. Though I used to struggle with the value of service before self, this is no longer the case. I thought it meant family wasn’t important to the Air Force. On the contrary, family is important to the Air Force, as witnessed by the many programs that have dramatically improved the quality of life for the military family. Ultimately, the commitment of all Airmen to the Air Force mission must remain absolute. When we raise our right hand to serve in the military, we promise to do whatever is necessary to protect and defend our nation. We are held to higher standards by virtue of serving in the Air Force. Our nation’s leadership and our fellow Airmen count on that. Service and commitment are the forces that unite us in the drive to accomplish the mission. Sometimes that means staying after a 12-hour shift to help our co-workers, coming in on a day off to do training, or volunteering for an additional duty because that’s what it takes to get the job done and the mission accomplished. -- Secondly, learn your job and become the expert -- Aristotle said “We are what we repeatedly do; excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” Every job in the Air Force is important and has value to accomplishing the mission. We need to do it well and do what it takes to become the expert. Be actively involved in your job orientation. Ask questions, show enthusiasm, and become the best you can be. Growing up on a farm, I learned early on that no job is unimportant. Every task, even the most simple or mundane one, was important to ensure we had a good crop. The same is true in the Air Force. The success of our organization, like any other, ultimately rests on the daily accomplishments of its people -- not on its organizational structure, technological advantages or other factors. The Air Force’s success is dependent on each individual consistently doing their job in a timely and productive manner while constantly striving to become better. When we all work together, we guarantee the success of the 52nd Fighter Wing. -- Lastly, have fun -- I tell the nurses, “you’re no good to your patients if you don’t take care of yourself.” It’s important to use the leave the Air Force has given us and spend time with family and friends. We all need to take time to rest and recharge our batteries. It’s a simple formula. Tell the truth, always do the right thing, do what it takes to support the mission to the best of your ability and finally, have fun.