Tell the Air Force story... it's your story to tell

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Ted Davis
  • 325th Air Control Squadron commander
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) --  The American public loves a great story. With that said, the Air Force has that great story and it's your story to tell.

Not surprising to anyone in this day and age as we are fighting a war on terrorism, there are great stories in the making every day, not only in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Pacific theater and a number of countries in Africa, but right here at home.

As amazing as some of these stories are, and as proud as they make us feel to be Americans in the profession of combat arms, they make up only a portion of the Air Force story.

The need to get the Air Force story out to the general public is so important that Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne along with Air Force Chief of Staff General T. Michael Moseley recently created the Office of Strategic Communication to help the American public better understand our daily successes and challenges. Brig. Gen. Erwin Lessel III, who leads the Secretary of the Air Force's Office of Strategic Communication states, "Every Airman can become an Air Force spokesperson at any time."

Airmen are engaged at every level of this conflict in every theater across the globe, and sometimes to a fault, we humbly go about our business taking for granted what we do. We need to do a better job making our entire story known to the American public both on a national level and at the local level.

"By nature, we are quiet warriors," said General Lessel. "We do not beat our chests and talk about what we do. It's going to take a culture change, but it helps the public better understand the Air Force when they hear from the Airmen themselves."

As difficult as it may be for us to recognize our terrific accomplishments, and as humble as we are sometimes, when the American public gets an insight into what we do they are simply amazed. They are amazed at what we take for granted, because the things we do in many ways are indeed amazing.

Maj. Gen. Scott Mayes, commander of 1st Air Force, said it best some time ago when he was a guest speaker at a 325th Fighter Wing Warrior Call. To make his point, he used the setting of a high school reunion to illustrate to us how important our work is and how much the American public wants to hear about it.

He told a room full of Air Force officers how, when compared to many of the jobs and occupations our high school classmates have gone on to be successful at in the private sector, it is our achievements and adventures as Airmen that captivate our school friends and hold their attention. As noble as their entrepreneurial successes might be, and as financially well off as they may become, it is the Airman who defends the nation both at home and abroad who everyone wants to catch up with and hear from.

When I say we need to know our own story as individuals, what this means is we should be able to tell our civilian friends and neighbors about what we do personally in the Air Force and how our roles and responsibilities play into the bigger picture of our squadron, wing and greater Air Force mission. We need to tell what we actually do, what purpose that specialty serves and what that brings to bear on the battlespace.

If the Air Force story can be summed up by "payload, effects and reach" then there must be a lot of detail supporting it. That's where we come in.

One of the best things about being in the Air Force is that every one of us can clearly state, without exception, that we are a part of America's air dominance force. From there, each of us should be able to trace back to our individual specialties and duty titles and explain how we contribute to that honorable distinction.

Whether assigned to the a fighter squadron or one of the tenant units, every one of us is either fighting the war on terrorism directly or feeding that fight. We must learn to articulate the facts to those not versed in "Air Force speak" and welcome the opportunities to do so, while also recognizing that sometimes we tell that story in ways we don't even realize.

Our story is told not only in our words, but in our deeds and appearance. Sometimes we tell the Air Force story not by standing in front of a thoughtful audience, but by our appearance, actions and deeds in the community. 

One small example of how this works is when we go off base. Whether we realize it or not, something as simple as going off base to have lunch creates a forum for the public to form its own opinion of the Air Force story. Off base, like on base, we are constantly in the spotlight, being watched with every move we make. The key point is that we are being watched by the very people we swore to protect and defend when we took the oath of office.

How we wear the uniform, how we behave in public and even how we drive going to and from home all speak volumes about the Air Force story. It illustrates our discipline as individuals and members of a select group of professionals in that respected profession of combat arms. 

Wearing the uniform while driving a car proudly adorned with "I'm in the Air Force" insignia automatically identifies us as Airmen. By following the basic traffic rules in a courteous manner, we send a message that our Air Force is one of respectable Airmen from every demographic of American society and walk of life, and that we are not only guarding freedom, but we are also good neighbors and citizens.

We all know how great our Air Force is. The public hears about the success stories that get publicized in the open media, but those stories don't always tell the larger Air Force story. 

Don't be so humble that you don't recognize how great you are as an active duty Airman, Guardsman, Reservist, Air Force civilian or contractor, and don't take for granted your personal day-to-day routine. Truth be told, it is actually very interesting to the American public. And don't assume that the American public isn't anxiously watching and listening to find out more about this greatness. 

The public enjoys a great story. Learn the Air Force story and willingly tell it. Tell the Air Force story.  Tell your story!