Team, Time, Train

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Doug Jackson
  • Commander, 436th Operations Support Squadron
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  If you are like me and you enjoy participating in any of myriad events and ceremonies throughout Team Dover, you have probably observed that many organizations have outstanding cheers and chants that they bellow to recognize their members in public forums. It is quite easy to notice, for example, the succinct yet powerful call and response of, "MAINTENANCE...PRIDE," or "LRS...READY TO ROLL." My personal favorite of these Eagle Wing chants is that of the members of the 436th Communications Squadron: "ACCESS...DENIED." I prefer this call and response because it seems to perfectly blend two of my favorite things--esprit de corps and snarkiness.

With all those cheers echoing throughout the base theater, The Landings Club, or any other venue, you might have occasionally wondered why you never hear organized calls from any of the three squadrons of the 436th Operations Group. This is not a phenomenon unique to Dover AFB, but rather seems to be consistent among Operators throughout the Air Force. Just like global warming, Stonehenge, and the popularity of "Jersey Shore," there are various theories to explain the lack of organized cheering from Ops personnel. Regardless of the theory that you accept as fact, please know that just because Ops personnel don't create synchronized sounds to celebrate their members, doesn't mean we don't model our organizations with similar, straightforward principles. In the 436th Operations Support Squadron, for example, we focus on three pillars of excellence that unite each of our nine unique flights: team, time, train.

Of the three pillars, team is preeminent. We believe that for an organization to reach its potential, the members and sections must be greater than the sum of their parts. We develop this needed force multiplier through teamwork and a sense of connectedness. I believe this holds true throughout our installation and our entire Air Force. Whether your responsibility is to change the tire on the aircraft, to treat and heal the crewmember that will launch on the combat sortie, to transport the crew to the flight line, or to operate the aircraft itself, for us to perform optimally, we must all recognize our essential, individual roles that enable our collective team to deliver.

The second of the three pillars we emphasize is time. In the Operations world, just as I suspect throughout the Air Force, everything runs according to a deliberate schedule. In order for us to efficiently execute that schedule, all of us must be 100 percent committed to punctuality. If the Senior Airman that is tasked to provide a Combat Survivor Evader Locator to a crew launching on a combat mission fails to do so in accordance with the schedule, the maintainers can't ready the aircraft on time, the air traffic controllers can't release the aircraft on time, the crewmembers can't meet the tanker on time, and ultimately much needed supplies and reinforcements will not reach the Combatant Commanders when planned. Because of the rippling impact of tardiness, we highlight the importance of time in everything we do. Meetings begin on time, deadlines are met on time, and recognition is provided...you guessed it...on time. We believe that timeliness is not only crucial to operations, but also is the most articulate way that we demonstrate respect for our teammates, both up and down the chain of command.

The final of the three pillars of excellence that we highlight is train. On our team, we are wholly-committed to all facets of training. This includes skills training for all of our diverse AFSCs, professional development for our burgeoning Airmen regardless of rank, and year round physical training and fitness to ensure we maintain readiness and healthy lifestyles. Perhaps the most important element of training that we stress is a dedication to constant self-improvement, irrespective of our rank, our age, or our position. Our best Formal Training Unit instructors must become more effective trainers every day; the most seasoned weather forecasters need to become more proficient with every changing season; and Commanders need to constantly enhance their leadership skills throughout every shared success and owned failure. We believe this is necessary because the instant we stop evolving, developing and improving is the simultaneous moment that our skills erode and our human weapon systems atrophy.

Team, time, train--simple guiding principles that we believe create a shared pathway of success for all of our teammates. These pillars are briefed to all ranks in our Squadron as a means of outlining a vision and prioritizing competing obligations. I offer these simple tenets for consideration in your organizations if you are struggling to find overarching concepts to unite the force. In the interim, next time you see a member of the 436th Operations Support Squadron earn a Wing-level award, an 18th Air Force-level distinction, or even an Air Mobility Command-level honor, you need not wonder why there are no choreographed dances, no air horns or whistles, and no organized chants. Instead, please know that a host of proud and dedicated Ops personnel, in accordance with their professional heritage, are applauding politely to congratulate their teammates and at least one is thinking to himself, "team, time, train."