VOL. 47 NO.33 AUGUST 17, 2007 Enlisted aviator career fields open for retrainees HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFPN) — Opportunities for Airmen to retrain into one of eight career enlisted aviator career fields have been released by Air Force officials here. The Air Force has openings for first-term Airmen to retrain into the flight engineer, flight attendant and aerial gunner specialties. Plus, the retraining quotas have been released for staff sergeants and technical sergeants to retrain under the NCO Retraining Program into the boom operator, flight engineer, load- master, airborne mission systems, airborne battle management, aerial gunner and cryptologic linguist career fields. “This is the news many Airmen have been waiting for,” said Master Sgt. Randy Scanlan, the Air Force Special Operations Command career NASA courtesy photo enlisted adviser in-service recruiter Grad in space at Hurlburt Field. Astronaut Alvin Drew, STS-118 mission specialist and 1984 Academy graduate, poses Sunday in the comman- The official release of the fiscal der’s station on the flight deck of Space Shuttle Endeavour while docked with the International Space Station. 2008 NCO Retraining Program The Air Force colonel’s flight engineer duties involve launch and re-entry, space walking, remotely operating the retraining objectives are available on mechanical arm to deploy and retrieve payload bay stores, performing ship engineer maintenance and fabrica- the retraining advisory located in the tion duties in orbit, medical officer duties and load mastering. virtual Military Personnel Flight. Academy NCO ranks swell by 54 staffs RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, The newest Academy staff sergeants Amos Davis 10th MDOS Bradly Bricker 10th SFS Texas – Fifty-four Academy senior are: Chalonda Davis 10th MDOS Nicholas Collazo 10th SFS airmen were selected for promotion to Monique Bowens 10th AMDS William Ellis 10th MDOS Travis Dunbar 10th SFS staff sergeant, the Air Force announced Erik Gallion 10th AMDS Samuel Farris 10th MDOS Faris Flournoy 10th SFS Wednesday. Benito Huron 10th AMDS Matthew Forzley 10th MDOS Alexander Hickernell 10th SFS They are among the 15,130 selected, Jeremy Rhodus 10th AMDS Emmrid Gilbert 10th MDOS Jarrod Jett 10th SFS from 36,608 eligibles, for pormotion David Tewksbury 10th AMDS Enjoli Hayes 10th MDOS Fernando Maldonado 10th SFS to staff sergeant. The selection rate of Andrew Carrick 10th CES Latasha Holmes 10th MDOS Gail Rasor 10th SFS 41.33 percent is up 5.46 precent from Horace Conney 10th CES Chritine Jestice 10th MDOS Gary Resta 10th SFS last year. Norman Henderson 10th CES Julius Lendof 10th MDOS Samuel Perez 306th OSS The average staff sergeant select Joseph Honsberger 10thCES Dwayne McDowell 10th MDOS Tanya Bell 557th FTS score for the 07E5 staff sergeant test Kevin Baxter 10th CS Kelley Simpkins 10th MDOS Ashley Wasinger 94th FTS cycle was 270.71 points, based on: Jeremiah Bess 10th CS Ashley Thompson 10th MDOS Anndrea Sanders Cadet Group 2 — 131.72 Enlisted Performance Reports Michael Messer 10th CS Jonine Woods 10th MDOS Amber Casey USAFA/FM — 55.99 Promotion Fitness Exam Benjamin Sosa 10th CS Nicholas Igl 10th MDSS Darick Alexander USAFA/HC — 54.33 Specialty Knowledge Test Christopher Wise 10th CS Bruno Lima 10th MDSS Maxwell Guin USAFA/HC — 2.15 Time in Grade Danielle Cabran 10th Dental Michiyo Litynski 10th MDSS Vincent Weathers USAFA/HC — 4.72 Time in Service Natasha Campbell 10th Dental Megan Rodriguez 10th MDSS Natasha Sloan * USAFA/JA — 0.85 Decorations Ann Colon-Oliveras 10th MDOS Karvin Vega 10th MDSS * Inbound to the Academy I N News Feature Sports S Parents club Sponsors Softball champion I aids cadet adopt cadets -ship on hold D Page 4 Page 16 E Page 10 Academy Spirit 2 COMMENTARY August 17, 2007 Adapt or die,the choice is yours By Lt. Col. Patrick Reese that phrase with two officers in his career and neither 354th Medical Support Squadron commander of them stayed in the Air Force for very long. He went on to note that he hadn’t processed them out of the Air EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFPN) — Force. Neither officer was able to adapt to their next Three words stood emblazoned on a small plaque in leader, at which juncture they were encouraged to seek the colonel’s office: Adapt or die. their fortunes at venues outside of the Air Force. What’s your favorite place In the colonel’s typical freight-train style, he A corollary to the adapt or die principle became or site on the Academy? explained his philosophy to me — the new lieutenant. evident when the colonel organized staff work. He We have those moments early in our careers when we would calmly announce to all of us young officers, hear something from a senior leader that sticks with “I’m not writing the response. That’s what captains and us. I was having my moment. lieutenants are for.” “The view near the over- Heard well before the flat world described by At first, this caused a lot of choice words uttered looks on Academy Drive. Thomas Friedman or Spencer Johnson’s movement of It’s so pretty and green under our breath, but I began to realize the power the cheese, the adapt or die philosophy has been an invalu- and peaceful.” colonel was placing in our hands. A well-prepared able guideline for me since that first assignment. memo was often signed quickly. A well-thought plan Adapt or die is simple. Every new leader we received his enthusiastic backing. In short, he gave us encounter has a unique style, interlaced with likes, the power to shape policy and make things happen in dislikes, pet peeves and idiosyncrasies. Your job is to his name. What once sounded like a flippant remark Senior Airman Jacqueline Buller figure those out and chart a course through them to turned into how I decided what the response will say, I success. Don’t expect the leader to change their style wrote the memo, and the colonel signed it. I helped 10th Mission Support Squadron to accommodate you. shape policy. Work hard to make your end-product suit your Too often we are more than willing to abdicate our leader. That is when smiles begin and once you get the responsibility to be an active voice for our leaders. The boss smiling, that is a good day. attitude of “send it through and the boss will bleed all “The Cadet Chapel. It’s Adaptation is also important in dealing with over it, then we’ll write it the way they want” can bring just beautiful on Christmas colleagues. Knowing the environment you’re entering organizations to a screeching halt. Soon, the entire unit Eve.The glass is gorgeous, before wading in with a request can mean the differ- adopts a passive posture, waiting for the leader to give too, with the light stream- ence between hitting brick walls and hurdling them in- direction before they do anything. ing in.” stride. See the issue from both sides, orient yourself to Don’t fall into this trap. Adapt to the leader’s style the different points of view involved, and then adapt and forge ahead. In many units, there is the Airman, your attack to achieve your ultimate goal. Smashing NCO or company grade officer who always seems to through a door with a big hammer will get you through know what’s going on. He is the person to whom Nancy Byram Spouse of retired Air Force chaplain the door once, but figuring out how to turn the handle everyone else is willing to listen and value his judg- and open the door will allow you to use it many times. ment. The challenge is to be that person — the one CI onceha askedr athe ccolonelte if rhe hadD evere saidv eto lopwhom makese thingsnt happen, not wonder what happened. anyone, “You’re not adapting!” He said he had used Adapt or die. Do one or the other. “All of the Academy itself is just beautiful, especially CharacterCharacter CCornerorner near the cadet area.” By Center for Character Development Repetition is the key to learning. The goal of repeating the character and Repetition can also be detrimental. When honor mantra is to keep us thinking about it, we hear the same things over again we so when choices are faced, the stop C listeningad becauseet weS figure,ig “Ih knowt …Plessonsict uwill rleade us to make the right Don Spence I’ve heard it a thousand times.” We no choices. Repetition also demonstrates Air Force retiree longer have to listen to it or think about it. the importance of character. If it wasn’t, Character is repeated in lessons, sem- character wouldn’t be in our vision and mis- inars, conferences, symposia and so on. sion statements. Character wouldn’t be Why are some lessons repeated so often? emphasized for every Airman and DOD We all know what is right and wrong; we all civilian through the AF Core Values. have integrity and will do the right thing all Cadets, Airmen and civilians “Just seeing the mountains the time, right? No. We’ve all come up short stationed here have the luxury of being is what I like best.All of at some point. But we know the lessons, reminded about character. When away Colorado is just beautiful.” right? from the Academy, remin-ders will The lessons are repeated because we not be there and we must rely on don’t want anyone to be complacent. The the lessons we heard a thousand vast majority of those who do the wrong times and the habits we formed thing aren’t bad people.