5/11/2016

Commentary - Setting record straight on volunteerism

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News>CommentarySettingrecordstraightonvolunteerism

Settingrecordstraighton
volunteerism
Posted5/6/2016Updated5/6/2016

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CommentarybyCol.RobinE.Fontenot
60thDentalSquadron
5/6/2016TRAVISAIRFORCEBASE,Calif.Recently,therehasbeena
videomakingtheroundsonsocialmediawhereChiefofStaffoftheAir
ForceGen.MarkWelshisseenstating,"Promotionisnotaboutwho
volunteers."
HegoesontosaythatthebigAirForceisnotdrivingthis,soitmustbe
comingfromtheunits.
"IftherearelocaldriverspushingAirmentovolunteer,weneedtostop,"he
said.

CommentarybyCol.RobinFontenot,60th
DentalSquadronCommander

DownloadHiRes
Thechiefofstaff'smessagehasbeentakenwildlyoutofcontext.Likethe
soundbitesthatpresidentialcandidatesuseagainsttheiropponents,itis
reallyeasytotakeaclipandturnitintowhateveryouwant.Let'stakeadeeperlookatwhattheCSAFwasactuallytalkingabout.

OnMay21,2015,Welshhostedatwohourtownhallwithsixbasesrepresentedonavideoteleconference.Headdressedthe
upcomingchangestotheEnlisted
PerformanceReports,whichwerebeingfinalizedatthattime.Hedetailedhisdesiretohaveatrueperformancebasedevaluation
system.Thepreviousevaluationsystemhadevolvedintoapieceofpaperthatequatedto1percentofapotentialpromotee'soverall
boardscore.Heenvisionedareportthatwassubstantialindocumentingperformanceonthejob.
Aquestionthencameconcerningthetimewe,asanAirForce,wererequiringofAirmen.Amastersergeantstated,"Our
maintainersputina12hourday,thenareexpectedtopreparefortheirPTtest,volunteer,dotheiroffdutyeducationandnowthey
arebeingaskedtocomplete504hoursofonlinePME,inadditiontotakingcareoftheirfamily."
Welsh'sreplywastodisagreewithsomethingsonthemastersergeant'slist.Referringbacktohisoriginalcomments,herestated,
"Promotionisaboutjobperformance.Promotionisnotaboutwhovolunteersthemost."Hewentontosay,"IamlookingforanAir
Forcethatvaluesjobperformanceaboveallthings."
ManyAirmenhavetakenthesoundbitestoheart,claiming,"CSAFsaidIdon'thavetovolunteer.AslongasIdoagoodjob,Iwillbe
promoted."
Notexactly,buckaroo.Promotionisstillreservedforthosewhodemonstrateanabilitytoperforminthenexthighergrade.Airmen
arestillgradedonthewholepersonconceptoutlinedintheLittleBrownBook(AFI362618).ForAirmen,readparagraph3.1.8.For
NCOs,readparagraph4.1.8.ForAirmen,thatmeanstherearesevenparagraphspriorthatlayouttheexpectationsofjob
performance.ForNCOs,thelistgrowsto17items.VolunteerismisonepartofthetotalAirman.
Wearingtheuniformisnoteasy.TheAirForceasksalotofeveryrank.Itnevergetseasier.Therewardsaremanyandvaried.One
ofthegreatestrewardscomesfromthejoyandappreciationfeltbyotherSoldiers,SailorsandAirmenwhentheirbrothersinarms
cometotheiraidthroughvolunteerism.Don'tleta30secondsoundbitedepriveyouofthatreward.

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