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Entering the Elite One Percent

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt Joseph S. Netti
  • Defense Information Systems Agency Pacific Field Command
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  When my supervisor, a Chief Master Sergeant asked me if I would be the photographer for the Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Chief Master Sergeant Recognition Ceremony, I happily accepted. I am by no means a professional photographer, but I love military ceremonies. I love celebrating the accomplishments of military personnel. I love reminders that we are part of the profession of arms and not part of a business. I had never been to a Chief's Recognition Ceremony before and this was my opportunity to attend one. I must admit that as the event drew nearer, I began to feel like a fish out of water. I just bore in mind that the ceremony was not about me. It was about sixteen Airmen reaching a tremendous milestone: the top one percent of the Air Force. It was my job to do my part to make their night the best night possible.

I noticed in the final days leading up to the event that I was not the only one with that unselfish mentality. As logistical problems mounted, I watched my chief and his fellow chiefs overcome each one. The largest hurdle: the guest speaker/Medallion Ceremony presenter canceled on Tuesday. The ceremony was Friday. I watched my supervisor act like a chief when I jokingly told him: "Don't worry; I'll be your guest speaker!" He not only laughed at my joke, but at the whole situation and calmly said: "We got this. I just have to arrange another guest of honor, write his or her bio for the program, print 200 something inserts, remove the previous guest speaker's inserts, add the new guest's..." I'm not sure how long this thought continued. It was obvious he wasn't talking to me anymore, but giving himself a mental checklist. Like a good NCO, I hid the glaze in my eyes as I waited until his self-rambling stopped and said: "Let me know if you need anything from me." Then I ran away as fast as I could.

All of the dedication, planning and hard work came to fruition on the day of the recognition ceremony. I attended the practice that morning to figure out camera settings, angles, shutter speeds, lighting and whatever else I could figure out about my wife's camera. It was there that I saw more Chief Master Sergeants and Chief Selects than I have ever seen in my life. I was intrigued as I watched them interact. They tasked each other, helped each other, delegated to each others' Airmen and nobody stopped moving until the rooms were set up and the practice was complete. Everyone knew their assignments. Along the way, several chiefs took the time to mentor the younger Airmen that were there as part of the setup crew. That was where I learned that "training our replacements" did not just mean teaching Airmen the job. It meant understanding the lives, motivations, and thought processes of our Airmen. It meant working together. It meant leading by example. During the ceremony's practice, I watched all of those chiefs lead, follow and manage all of the people and resources at their disposal to get the job done. I was excited for the ceremony to begin.

The recognition ceremony itself was amazing and I was proud to be a part of it. The "fill-in" guest speaker, Major General McGillicuddy was no fill-in. He was spectacular. It was obvious he held the rank of Chief Master Sergeant in very high regard even before he told us why. Still, I couldn't help but think about those that may be wondering: "What's the big deal? Why so much emphasis and so many resources on a ceremony? Don't we have a job to do?" These are tumultuous times for the DoD, as the business side of our profession is presently in the process of a significant manning and budget reduction. McGillicuddy hit the nail on the head as he explained to our new Chief Master Sergeants that their importance can never be overstated, especially now. He reminded us that for every E-9 in the Air Force, there are at least 99 Airmen behind them. We 99 need the leadership of our one Chief now more than ever. It is ceremonies like these that remind me that the United States Air Force will continue to be the best in the world because of the leadership and mentorship of those that went before us. Thank you Chiefs for trusting me to be part of this monumental celebration. We should all be proud of each other's accomplishments, as they continue to separate our profession from the businesses of the world. That, to me is priceless.