Command Perspective Published Nov. 10, 2009 By Col. James Cocklin 436th Medical Group deputy commander and 436th DS commander DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- All military commanders have a philosophy of command, sometimes called a commander's intent. The over-arching purpose of this command philosophy is to provide a snapshot of what is important in the running of a squadron. I try to keep things simple and straight forward so my commander's intent is a few simple ideas. It can be summed up by the acronym D4T3. D4 = Do your best every day; Do your duty; Do the right thing (always); and Don't do dumb things! T3 = Taking care of our people and their families; Teamwork; and Technical Competence. Let me expand these items. Do your best every day. This applies to all areas of your life, not just your work in the Air Force. Take pride in yourself and what you do. Create an attitude of excellence in all you do. Do your duty to your family, to your job, to your Air Force and to your nation. Do the right thing (always) - Even when your supervisor, wife, children or your mother are not around. If you have integrity this one is easy. Don't do dumb things! Think before you act. Think through the consequences. Every decision has consequences - some good and some bad. If you take a moment to make the right decision, you can avoid many of these bad consequences. Taking care of our people and their families - This requires the commander's vigilance to ensure personnel and their families are fully supported. The commander will recognize deserving personnel by submitting them for Stripes to Exceptional Performer promotions, quarterly and annual awards, and decorations. The commander will foster a strong family commitment for continuous in-garrison and deployed support so everyone is comforted in the knowledge that their spouse will be taken care of while they are deployed. Teamwork requires individual and supervisory vigilance to ensure all personnel work together to ensure safe and professional mission accomplishment. The commander will ensure all personnel have the proper tools, equipment, and training to perform their mission. The squadron will work smarter by developing streamlined processes so we are efficient in the delivery of our mission. Finally, we will foster a wingman culture to look out for each other, as we would in our own family. Technical Competence is required to ensure the mission is successful. All personnel are encouraged to complete certifications, professional military education, Community College of the Air Force and advanced degrees so they can grow in their chosen career path. The commander will delegate duties and allow freedom of performance so each Airman is able to run with their programs. The commander will also encourage the front line workers to propose changes. I use D4T3 to guide my actions in commanding my squadron and encourage all of my officers and enlisted personnel to incorporate these items into their lives.