82 TRW/CC addresses recent base Health and Wellness inspection

  • Published
  • By Brig. Gen. Michael Fantini
  • 82nd Training Wing commander
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  

Team:

It's been almost two weeks since we conducted our wing-wide health and wellness inspection. As you probably know, this was a Secretary of the Air Force and Air Force Chief of Staff-directed inspection that happened at every wing in our force. Part of my assignment as a wing commander was to report our inspection findings back up the chain, and I thought it was important to share some of that report with all of you.

First, I'm happy to report that nothing illegal was found. I'm not surprised by that, but it's always good to have your expectations confirmed.

Inspectors did find a number of items of an inappropriate or questionable nature, but to your credit there was nothing particularly egregious and as far as I am aware, all were removed voluntarily. Here's a short summary of the kinds of things I'm talking about:

· Inappropriate unit patches, hats, mugs, signs, plaques, novelties and other items with lewd or sexually suggestive themes and messages. Most of these were provocative or suggested a double meaning, but a few were more blatantly sexual.

· Racy magazines such as Maxim, Allure and various fitness magazines featuring men and women with very little clothing in common areas or waiting areas.

· Calendars with men or women featured nearly or partially nude in office cubicles and general work areas.

· Alcohol advertisements such as bottles on walls, signs and pictures.

· Ceiling tiles with sexually charged writing in training classrooms.

I want to stress here that our intent is not to be the "morality police." None of the items above are illegal and if individuals have or use these items in their personal lives that is frankly none of our business. But we have to think differently about what is appropriate for the workplace - we are changing the culture, and that means changing how we think about what is and is not "OK."

Bottom line, if an item detracts from an environment of mutual respect and professionalism, it doesn't belong in the workplace. If you're not sure, talk about it with your coworkers and your chain of command. If we're going to change the culture we have to be able to talk frankly and openly about these things.

Which leads me to the second part of the inspection, interviews. Again, much of the feedback was positive, and it's heartening to hear that for the most part we're doing pretty well. But there was definitely some feedback tells me we still have work to do.

· The overall perception of the chain of command seems to be positive. Subordinates generally expressed a feeling of trust and feel leaders are open to feedback and communication. Most felt leadership genuinely cares for people, promotes a positive environment and has made an honest effort to prevent sexual assault as well as less serious improprieties.

· However, some indicated that some Airmen -- especially females -- sometimes tolerate questionable or offensive behavior to fit in and do not always have confidence in leadership. This is a significant issue and one that leaders at all levels must work hard to change. This is not just top leadership, but every element of leadership, most importantly the front line supervisor; our Military Training Leaders, our Instructors, our Flight Chiefs. No Airmen should feel they have to tolerate unprofessional behavior, and leaders need to create a cohesive environment where people are confident that issues will be appropriately addressed when brought forward.

· Many felt the environments at previous units they had been associated with were not as positive as the environment here at Sheppard, and felt concerns would be appropriately handled.

· However, some felt there were inconsistencies and some unfairness correcting poor behavior, and that some supervisors place blame on subordinates rather than taking ownership of problems. These are not new issues, of course--they are and have always been part of the challenges of leadership. But we have to continue to work on these things.

· Other concerns we heard included a lack of respect by Airmen toward supervisors; frequent use of profanity in the workplace (though not around customers); sexual or racial joking or "ribbing" that fell short of being blatantly offensive, but still was inappropriate; and displays of alcohol-related items in the workplace.

So, while I am encouraged that overall we have a fairly positive environment to build on, there are areas of concern. A priority for me is addressing the feeling some of our Airmen have that they must "go along to get along." That is NOT how it should be. Everyone is entitled to respect and more importantly to feel respected, significant and equal part of the team - because they are and you are. That's really the essence of the culture change we're seeking.

Another area I want to emphasize is feedback and the fact we need more of it. I realize the feedback we got as part of the inspection wasn't anonymous, and that some people may have felt uncomfortable raising issues for one reason or another. But there are always multiple avenues available for people to provide information to leadership - your supervisor, your commander, your first shirt, the chaplain and the wing inspector general to name just a few. If there is something you didn't feel comfortable sharing with the inspection teams, I hope you'll take advantage of one of these channels. Another option is to use my personal feedback boxes in the Solid Rock Café and the Base Exchange - these are locked and I read the contents. I read every message dropped in those boxes and I assure you they get my personal attention.

Finally, I want to thank you all for the manner in which this inspection was handled. From the leadership teams conducting the inspection to the men and women whose workplaces were being looked at, everyone handled themselves like professionals. There was no gnashing of teeth or griping that I heard about - you all just did what was required in a challenging situation. That as much as anything is a reason to expect that we will be successful here at Sheppard in carrying out the Chief of Staff's intent to change our culture immediately, and for good.