CMSAF gives Osan Airmen credit, respect

Published March 25, 2008
By Tech. Sgt. Matt Summers
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Despite numerous recent changes throughout the Air Force, the top enlisted member said taking care of Airmen still comes down to the basics.

"Our Airmen are fantastic - there's nothing wrong with the quality of Airmen we recruit or the quality of Airmen we train," Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney McKinley said during a visit to Osan Air Base March 25. "It's up to us as leaders and supervisors to make sure we take care of them and keep them on the right path to success."

The chief discussed several Air Force initiatives to improve not only the working environment, but lifestyles of Airmen as well.

One of the major changes for enlisted Airmen is the new enlisted performance report approved in the summer of 2007. Officials have said the new form reduces the time it takes to prepare performance reports, assigns bullets to specific categories and reflects the overall fitness of Airmen.

"I think the EPR is a tremendous success," he said. "I get a lot of feedback from across the Air Force because the new EPR is actually a better evaluation of Airmen than we had before."

Physical fitness is an area the 29-year Air Force veteran will continue to emphasize. The Air Force has made several changes to the current physical fitness test since its adoption in 2004. The way body composition is measured, and the point system for individual components of the test, are two examples. In the fall of 2007, the "marginal" category was eliminated and the test became either pass or fail.

"(We will) continue to be as physically fit as we possibly can be," said the chief. "It is so encouraging here at Osan and Kunsan to see the number of Airmen in the fitness center working out and working to maintain a healthy lifestyle."

More than 1,000 people a day on average use the fitness center at Osan.

In a May 21, 2007 Enlisted Perspective, Chief McKinley said the Air Force spent $3.9 billion on healthcare in 2006. He said by improving overall fitness levels, the Air Force can decrease healthcare expenditures and keep Airmen out of medical treatment facilities and on the job.

The chief said he would also like to see the Air Force continue to improve its anti-tobacco campaign.

"I want that campaign to see if we can convince young Airmen to not begin to smoke or use smokeless tobacco," the Mount Orab, Ohio, native said. "But if they are (a user), tell them all the benefits of quitting, and if they want to quit, be there to help them out.
"Doing tobacco makes you less capable," he added.

The introduction of the Airman's Creed in April 2007 was yet another improvement to the lifestyles of Airmen, according to Chief McKinley.

"The Airman's Creed is really something that helps give us our identity," he said. "It's our creed - no matter if you're enlisted or officer - it's the Airman's Creed."

During his visit the chief took the opportunity to speak to the most recent class at the Osan First Term Airman's Center and was impressed with the caliber of Airmen.

"Every single person in there joined our Air Force knowing we are at war," he said. "You just have to give them so much credit and so much respect.

"They joined the Air Force in the middle of a war, knowing they may have to deploy and they may be in harm's way," he added.

To view more information from the chief, visit http://www.af.mil/library/viewpoints/index.asp.