RAF Mildenhall -- The Marauder staff sat down Wednesday with new Command Chief Master Sgt. Mike Warner, 100th Air Refueling Wing, to discuss the Air Force, today's Airmen and his personal philosophies. The following is a transcript of the interview.
Marauder: As the new command chief here, what are your top priorities?
Chief Warner: My priorities are to focus and support the priorities we're given by the Air Force Chief of Staff - to win the Global War on Terrorism, recapitalize the force and develop and care for our Airmen. The piece that's my primary focus is to develop and care for our Airmen. And in that vein, the areas that I'm going to focus on are: Where Airmen live, to include dorms, off-base housing, military housing; how our Airmen are trained, particularly First Term Airman's Center, professional military education, and professional development courses; and lastly, how our Airmen lead and develop their Airmen - and how we prepare them for the first levels of responsibility when it comes to leadership.
I'll also be focusing on readiness ... which contributes directly to our efforts in winning the Global War on Terrorism. I'll be focusing on how ready and prepared our Airmen are to do their mission, both here and while deployed.
Marauder: What duty station was most conducive to your progression through the ranks?
Chief Warner: I think every assignment gives you something, and you learn something of value from every assignment. If you don't, you're not paying attention. Not only have I moved quite a bit, but I've been in a lot of different units and each unit has presented different opportunities, challenges, and leadership examples - some good, some bad - and you learn from both of them.
I guess if I had to pick just one assignment most influential in shaping how I am today; it would be my first one. Something I think first-line supervisors ought to take to heart is just how critical the first assignment is in shaping our Airmen. My first assignment happened to be the Strategic Air Command Elite Guard, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. It was an elite special-duty security-forces unit where I was hand-picked right out of technical school. That unit forced upon me the importance of discipline, customs and courtesies, and being proficient in those areas that are inherently part of the military profession. It also instilled in me the importance of always striving to be the best I could be, and making sure those in my team are as successful as they could be.
I also met my first mentor there - a staff sergeant who's now a lieutenant colonel. At the time he wasn't my boss, but he took an interest in me as an airman first class. He focused on helping me become him- an NCO. That was pretty critical to shaping how I was going to lead and how I was going to progress. Again, I've learned something at every one of my duty assignments, but that assignment was very important to shaping who I am today.
Marauder: What's the best advice you've received during your career?
Chief Warner: I think the best advice is "Don't forget those who are going to be with you through your career and beyond," meaning, "Don't forget your family." We're only given the pleasure and opportunity to serve in the military for a definitive period of time. At the end of that, we have to have our families behind us and they have to be with us during our career to be successful. There's a saying that an old boss used to say, and it just sticks so well: "The military doesn't issue you a family, so you don't need a family to be successful." That being said, if you choose to have a family you have to have their support and their backing to be successful in the military. I think in the Air Force, we're dedicated to doing the best we can, to serving our nation. And, it's easy for us to get caught up in the daily grind and forget to appreciate and recognize the family that's giving us the support to do what we do so well.
Marauder: What is one thing Airmen do today that bothers you?
Chief Warner: Attitude. Attitude is contagious ... and I hate seeing a negative, pessimistic attitude that brings everyone down. Each and every day we're given the great opportunity to put on the uniform and defend our nation. We're given the opportunity to work with outstanding professionals each and every day. We're blessed with leaders who care about us. We're allowed to travel and to see the world and to make a direct impact on our way of life. It doesn't get any better, and our attitude should reflect that all the time. To me, there's nothing worse than being around an Airmen who always has a sour disposition. And that isn't something confined to the today's Airmen, as I don't like it in any Airman. I ask that we all remember that our attitude affects others, and as a leader people will model your attitude. So make it positive!
Marauder: What is one thing you think Airmen today do well?
Chief Warner: Airmen do everything well. Airmen are better today than when I was an Airman.They come out of basic training better trained and better equipped. They know their stuff. They're ready to deploy. They're ready to accomplish their wartime mission. Airmen do their jobs extremely well, so I can't pick just one thing. What I can tell you is each and every day I go around in this wing, I'm more impressed with the professionalism, dedication and performance of our most important resource - our Airmen.
Marauder: What do you think is the most important thing Airmen should focus on?
Chief Warner: Readiness. Unlike the Air Force I first came into where Airmen didn't deploy, today deploying is the norm ... it's what we do all the time. Deploying is normal ops, it's part of our culture, and as such it's a priority to be ready at all times to go where the Air Force needs us.
Being ready means always being prepared to do your wartime mission and having the plans in place so your family is well taken care of when you're gone. It means knowing your job, knowing your war skills, being proficient, and not hesitating when tasked to go forward.
The military's a team. You can count on the person to your right and the person to your left. It doesn't matter what race they are, what gender, what religion, what unit they come from ... you can count on them because they're on the same team you are - the U.S. team. Readiness is about being ready for the mission, for your teammate. It's about knowing if a tasking comes down for Airman Warner and I can't do it, I know this person's got my back, and they can do it. I know if we get out to a wartime environment, I can count on those people to my right and my left to protect my back, to protect the mission, to do what we're out they're being paid to do. That's why readiness is so important. If you're not ready, then someone has to pick up your slack. If you're not ready, then the team's not 100 percent able to accomplish the mission.
Marauder: Is there anything you'd like to add?
Chief Warner: Yes. I'm proud to be the command chief for the 100th Air Refueling Wing. I've been here two months, and I'm so impressed with the professionalism, pride and performance of not just the 100th ARW, but the partner units. I'm impressed with the relation-ship and the way we come together and make things happen at this base. It's just wonderful to be a part of this team.