.....A SERGEANT has practically nothing to do except to decide what is to be done, to tell somebody to do it, to listen to reasons why it should not be done, why it should be done by someone else, or why it should be done in a different way;

.....To follow up to see if the thing has been done, to discover that it has not, to inquire why, to listen to excuses from the person who should have done it, to follow up again to see if the thing has been done, only to discover that it has been done incorrectly, to point out how it should have been done, to conclude that as long as it has been done it may well as be left as it is;

.....To wonder if it is not time to get rid of a person who cannot do a thing right, to reflect that he probably has a wife and a large family, and that certainly a successor would be just as bad and may be worse;

.....To consider how much simple and better the thing would have been done if one had done it oneself in the first place, to reflect sadly that one would have done it right in 20 minutes and, as things turned out, one has spent two days to find out why it has taken three weeks for somebody else to do it wrong.

.....Who would be a sergeant?

Many thousands of men and women wear the chevrons of a noncommissioned officer.

Most who wear the stripes are professionals in every sense and perform to the expectations of their superiors. Unfortunately, others have become complacent and/or have lost interest and pride in their job, organization, and leadership responsibilities. Every NCO has the potential; the question is will you demonstrate that potential?

Are you a Noncommissioned Officer?

You are if the faith and trusts placed in you shall not be misused. You will exert every effort, utilize all available resources, and risk any ridicule in successfully accomplishing your assigned tasks. The accomplishment of your mission and the mission assigned your organization is paramount to you.

Second only to the mission is your concern for the welfare, comfort, and education of your subordinates. You will protect their rights and privileges as if they were your own. You will strive to know your subordinates, know their weaknesses and their strengths, and with this knowledge utilize their individual skills to the maximum degree possible; and you shall interfere with their personal lives as little as possible but to the extent necessary.

You shall never look at a person in uniform and see any race, any creed, any color, or any religion, for you shall only see the person. You will never evidence and prejudice nor shall you take any action out of bias or prejudice.

You shall attempt to lead by direction and shall resort to disciplinary action only when required. You will never issue any order that you do not fully understand or which you do not believe your subordinates can successfully accomplish, except with such an order has been issued by a person superior to you having the authority to issue that order.

You will not be a "yes" person, for yours is not a private cause nor a private trust but a public trust of confidence. Thus, you shall say "no" when the answer should be no, and you will maintain that attitude until the person in authority makes a final decision. Once a decision is made you will obey the order willingly, cheerfully, and enthusiastically.

You will never use your office for your own personal betterment, nor shall you every shirk any assigned task�no mater what the risk. You will not wait for support of your commander, but you shall give your commander whatever support you are capable of rendering. If you do all of these things, then truly you can say, "I am a Noncommissioned Officer."

....................

A chief master sergeant sits behind his desk, just down the hall from the Operations Group Commander�s office at Pope Air Force Base, NC. As the chief finishes his second cup of coffee and the last of the morning messages, the commander steps into the chief�s office. "Chief," the colonel says, "I hate to ask you this, but you are needed in Southwest Asia in six days for a 90-day rotation. Can you go?" With no emotion in his voice or without even looking up, the chief replies, "I put on my uniform this morning, didn�t I?" The colonel is taken aback�the chief doesn�t usually talk in riddles. Has this veteran of 28 years finally gone off the deep end? The wise old protector of the enlisted corps smiles and begins to explain. "I made a promise to myself more than 20 years ago that I would only put this uniform on as long as I�m available for duty." While this may seem obvious to some Air Force members, it seems to completely escape others. Available for duty means more than the desire to negotiate and select the premium assignments or choicest TDY�s. A simple transition. Available for duty requires us to go any place in the world that the president or officers appointed over us determines, at any given time. This doesn�t mean we shouldn�t have or receive our preferences. It doesn�t mean we�ll go when and where we�re needed and called. This approach may seem overly simplistic; however, upon further review I think everyone can agree, when it comes to defining service to our country, the answer is just that simple. In today�s world of "what can you do for me?" it�s easy to lose sight of what "service to our country" is all about. Service goes far beyond the individual; it affects the well-being of our nation. Sitting in southern Georgia it�s easy to forget the sacrifices we agree to endure in service to our country. Deployed to Southwest Asia, Italy or Bosnia, the sacrifices become much clearer. The bottom line is today we are an "all-volunteer force." Our force has been reduced by 30 percent in the last five years while it remains a highly-mobilized, continually-tasked organization. Everyone is vital to its continued success.

The Air Force will go on tomorrow with or without any single one of us; however, the efficiency of any one of its specific units may be adversely affected by the loss of only a few. All of us have the responsibility to report our availability for duty. If someone has a family problem or special circumstances that precludes them from being available, they need to report it immediately and especially prior to being asked to deploy. If any single member does not deploy when called upon, another member is forced to fill the slot. Anytime someone cannot or will not deploy, the ripple effect is felt throughout the Air Force. Everyone�s family would like them to be home for the holiday�s. I can�t think of anyone who would intentionally miss their child�s graduation. We�re all aware of the pain of losing a loved one is compounded by the grief of not being at their side in the final moments. Military members are asked to sacrifice all of this continuously. What we must remember is that we are serving our nation and we are all volunteers. It is not easy�no one said it would be. The leadership of our country depends on all of us being as good as our word. I believe each of us need to take a good look in the mirror and ask "am I available for duty?" If the answer is yes, then continue as the true professional you�re expected to be. If the answer is no, you need to immediately notify your supervisor or commander. Your next step is to determine if your non-availability is temporary or permanent. You then face the toughest question: should you resign, separate or retire? There are no pat answers.

Everyone must decide for themselves. Just as the chief. I too put on my uniform today and I am available for duty.

A GENERAL leaps tall buildings in a single bound, is more powerful than a locomotive, is faster than a speeding bullet, walks on water, and gives policy to God.

A COLONEL leaps short buildings with a single bound, is more powerful than a switch engine, is just as fast as a speeding bullet, walks on water if the sea is calm, and talks to God.

A LIEUTENANT COLONEL leaps short buildings with a running start and favorable wind, is almost as powerful as a switch engine, is fast than a speeding BB, walks on water in an indoor swimming pool, and talks to God if a special request is approved.

A MAJOR barely clears Quonset Huts, loses tugs of war with locomotives, can fire a speeding bullet, swims well, and is occasionally addressed by God.

A CAPTAIN makes high marks with trying to leap tall buildings, is run over by locomotives, can sometimes handle a gun without inflicting self injury, can dog paddle, and talks to animals.

A FIRST LIEUTENANT runs into buildings, recognizes locomotives two times out of three, is not issued ammunition, can stay afloat if properly instructed, and talks to water.

A SECOND LIEUTENANT falls over door sills when trying to enter buildings, says "Look at the Choo Choo," wets himself with a water pistol, and mumbles to himself.

AN NCO lifts buildings and walks under them, kicks locomotives off the tracks, catches speeding bullets in his teeth and chews them, freezes water with a single glance. HE IS GOD.