Respect, the tie that binds the NCO corps

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Mark Haviland
  • Air Combat Command Public Affairs
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) --  The transition to noncommissioned officer, and later, to senior noncommissioned officer can be a daunting experience for any Airman, but Chief Master Sgt. David Popp, Air Combat Command's command chief, has words of advice for those who make the journey.

The key to success, Chief Popp says, is respect -- not only earning it and keeping it, but also understanding the fundamentals behind the word itself. It's a message he delivers regularly to new NCOs and SNCOs:

R = responsibility
"Winston Churchill once said, 'The price of greatness is responsibility.' The "r" in the word "respect" stands for responsibility. As an NCO in the world's greatest air and space force, we expect you to stand up and step up to your responsibilities," the chief said. "It is your responsibility to ensure the Airmen are housed properly, trained properly, equipped properly and ready to deploy to carry out the mission."

E = example
"What you do speaks so loudly, your Airmen may not hear what you're saying,” the chief said. Gen. George S. Patton once said, 'Troops, you're always on parade!'

"You're an example to your fellow Airmen when you're in the shoppette Saturday night when you've got your earring in and are purchasing those three cases of beer. You're an example to your fellow Americans when you deploy to fight the hurricanes, floods, or forest fires," Chief Popp said. "And you're an example when you wear this uniform overseas, driving that convoy or working at the Camp Bucca Internment Center. To earn respect, you must set the right example."

S = standards
"If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything! If you don't enforce the standards, then who will? Never, never, never apologize for enforcing our high standards. When we don't enforce the technical orders, the Air Force Instructions, the general orders -- equipment gets wrecked, people's lives are placed in jeopardy, and our fight to win the global war on terror gets set back. To earn respect, you must stand up and enforce the standards."

P = performance
"There is no second place in war; you either win or you lose. NCOs are responsible for their individual performance, their team's performance and the overall outcome of the mission. This war on terrorism is much bigger than Iraq or Afghanistan. When you put on our team's jersey, this is a joint fight -- that's why it says, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines.

"Many NCOs now are familiar with 15 straight years of deployments to Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Operations Northern and Southern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. As we move ahead, we will be asking all Airmen to step up and perform at 100 percent of their ability. To earn respect, you must continue to perform."

E = evaluate
"How do you evaluate those daily crisis', issues and problems brought to you?

"I believe every NCO shows up to these fiery situations with a bucket in each hand. In the left is a bucket of water and in the right is a bucket of gasoline," the chief said. "Which one do you use? The water to extinguish the situation or the gasoline to get it roaring out of control? I challenge NCOs to get the facts before they use either bucket -- evaluate the situation before you empty one of those buckets. To earn respect, you must evaluate before you take action."

C = communications
"I have found that Airmen are always down on what they are not up on. How well do you share the 'big picture' with your Airmen? How well do you provide your performance expectations to your Airmen? Do you share: the who, the where, the when and most importantly the why with them? To earn respect, you must keep the lines of communications open."

T = Taking care of Airmen

"Your Airmen do not care how much you know -- until they know how much you care about them!

"If I asked you to tell me about your top three performing Airmen, could you? Could you tell me the: date they arrived on station, their family status, hobbies, goals, their career development course score or their physical training score? Could you tell me what they did last weekend?

"Sadly, what I routinely find across our Air Force are supervisors who can only tell me these things after a suicide, a fatality, or serious accident has occurred.

"To earn respect, you must know and take care of your Airmen."