Commentary – How a chat with ‘the chief’ reblued me Published May 4, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Cynthia A. Haughton Nellis Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- I recently had the privilege to sit down and talk with the new 57th Wing command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Michael Klintworth, previously the command chief for the 432nd Wing. I will admit that at first, I was nervous, but when he came out of his office with a smile and shook my hand, I was instantly put at ease. I could tell that he was also excited to have the opportunity to sit and chat with a young Airman, and that made me feel special. I sat down on the couch in his office, pen and paper in hand, recorder ready to record, and before I had the chance to start asking him the questions I had laid out for him, he beat me to the punch, asking me where I was from and about my family. He asked why I had joined the Air Force, what I liked about it, and what I didn't like about it. He could tell that the last question made me a bit nervous as I looked side-to-side and stumbled over my words, trying to find the "correct" answer to a question that few people are comfortable answering, especially when being asked by a chief. Nevertheless, Chief Klintworth was genuinely interested in what I had to say. After chatting with the chief for about 15 minutes, it was my turn to interview him. "How do you hope to represent the enlisted force of the 57th Wing as its new senior enlisted leader?" I asked. He said that he wants to lead by example, know the needs and concerns of the enlisted force, know the state of their wellbeing and readiness, and remain abreast of the issues that affect our enlisted force. "I will accomplish these things by utilizing my strengths in communication, standards of excellence and discipline, and by building relationships," he said. "I'm excited to get to wear this uniform every day. I love having the ability to serve and do things for other Airmen. No matter our rank or pay grade, whether we're wearing this uniform or civilian clothing, it's a privilege to serve and we can't take that for granted. It's something I love and believe in, and I'm passionate about it." Next, I asked the chief about his expectations, both personal and of the Airmen in the wing. He explained to me in detail his three main expectations: remaining focused on the mission; remaining grounded in discipline and customs and courtesies; and maintaining a balance between the professional, physical, emotional and personal or family aspects of life. "For Airmen to remain focused on the mission we need to understand how what we do ties directly to [our mission], and for Bullseye Airmen, it's preparing our forces to win tomorrow's wars," he said. "Do everything with that in mind; otherwise we're just showing up to work. "Remaining grounded in discipline and customs and courtesies directly transfers to how we execute our duties every day; it's our foundation and our basis of what makes us so great and so strong," the chief continued. "If we're not willing to wear the uniform correctly or extend appropriate customs and courtesies, how is that any different from skipping steps on a checklist? You may say to yourself, 'yeah, that never happens, just skip it and go to the next step.' If that's our mentality, we're setting ourselves up for failure and we can't afford to do that. It's imperative that we do the basics without fail--consistently--and that will transfer to us executing and duties consistently and by-the-book every time." Chief Klintworth's third and final expectation is about developing oneself as a whole person, and is essential in order to accomplish his first two expectations. "To become the best-skilled Airmen that we can be, we need to be focused on developing ourselves professionally through career development courses, professional military education, on-the-job training, and off-duty education," Chief Klintworth said. "The Air Force offers 100 percent tuition assistance. Take advantage of that!" Chief Klintworth also explained how physical fitness contributes directly to how we are able to perform our job. "Exercise and being fit gives us energy, and if we don't deliberately set time aside for physical fitness, it's easy to get busy doing other things, and by the end of the day, be too tired to exercise," he said. "Taking time to relax is just as important as taking time to exercise. It's important to address the needs of our minds and emotions, whether it's through spiritual activities, relaxation, reading, or doing anything that we enjoy and relaxes us." The chief also explained how we can't forget about the people supporting us as we support the mission. "Our family contributes to our service and we need to ensure that we set aside time for them," Chief Klintworth said. "It's not enough to just hope that it happens--we need to make it happen. Many Airmen don't have family living close to them, but we all have friends and family somewhere. It's important to pick up the phone and say, 'hey, I just wanted you to know I'm thinking about you and I love you.' We need to let them know we appreciate them." Watching and listening to Chief Klintworth talk about his expectations, it was clear to me that he's passionate about what he does and he cares about the Airmen he represents. Their success as Airmen and as people in general is important to him. "Success isn't about money or doing what someone else can do," the chief said. "It's determined individually, by you reaching your full potential. Measure success against yourself and what you're capable of doing. You should never settle if you're capable of doing more. Seeing another Airman who's excited about what they do... my pride overflows. That's what moves me and motivates me." As I was leaving Chief Klintworth's office, he told me he wanted me to come back and see him. I was more motivated and encouraged than I ever imagined I would be prior to the interview. Talking with him about his experiences and expectations helped me understand that what I do everyday directly contributes to the Air Force mission, and it's just as important as any other job in the Air Force. I felt refreshed as I walked back to my office with a new attitude and perspective about what I do as an Airman, and I fully intend on paying Chief Klintworth another visit soon. If you see him around and have a few minutes to chat with him, don't pass up the opportunity. It could change your life.
