Thank You For Your Service: Airmen In The United States Air Force

Thank You for Your Service Airmen in the United States Air Force are losing the ability to properly complete their duties. Either they are frustrated with their leadership and/or are not able to make any headway for appropriate change or they are too indoctrinated in the system that this new Air Force has created. Airmen are given unrealistic standards they must try to meet that detract from the mission by creating a fabricated environment that demands not one’s personal excellence, but rather a branded checklist that serves as a guide to progressing in the Air Force. The current promotion and performance reporting system inadvertently strong-arms reliable airmen to leave the Air Force due to its focus on the ideology of a harder working yet

It is not uncommon for a mistake to cost an airman their promotion and ultimately their career. (Dr. Kuhn story). However, Air Force officers use a slightly different method of rating than enlisted as well. The enlisted performance report (EPR) is comprised of bullets and a few sentences whereas the officer performance report (OPR) utilizes a similar format and includes a concept called stratification. This tool provides commanders the insight to see how a certain officer is measuring up compared to their peers. Most officers will rely on this and have their bullets be used to read between the lines. (Raffo Quote on distinguishing). But there has been progress; promotion boards are now not allowed to see whether or not a candidate for Major has completed a master’s degree. This was originally part of an initiative to encourage continued education but, much like volunteering, it evolved into an unwritten prerequisite for making rank. This is still prominent on the enlisted side; most will not make Senior Master Sergeant or Chief Master Sergeant unless they are showing advancement in education i.e. getting a Master’s

Airmen doing things to better themselves and Airmen bettering themselves is good for the Air Force is not the same thing as Airmen doing things is good for the Air Force. Essentially the Air Force wants its airmen to want to do these things, but the dependence on doing these things has overcome job performance. One airman noted that a Staff Sergeant continued to point out another one for constantly doing volunteer opportunities and trying to take as many things under his belt as possible. This would have been fine if the circumstances did not call for that Staff Sergeant being away from his already undermanned shop to ensure he would receive good marks for his nomination of Non-Commissioned Officer of the Quarter. This is another reason why so many airmen leave; the frustrations of trying to improve the Air Force, let alone just do their job, are constantly uphill battles. It should be no surprise that a person would jump off when everyone else seems to be shooting more holes in the sinking ship. Some still stay and try to patch and plug the holes, but they are often considered meddlers or micro-managers; someone who is outside of their circle of