Chief calls for integrity in supervisors, decrease in EPR inflation at Lunch ‘n Learn

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tonnette Thompson
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Lunch 'n Learn at the Sheppard Club Sept. 19 spelled out the expectations for supervisors with the new Air Force forms for feedbacks, enlisted evaluations and officer evaluations.

"The bottom line is you must have integrity as a supervisor, and thoroughness in your feedbacks," said 82nd Training Wing Command Chief Chief Master Sgt. Jeannie McLean.

Chief McLean and Master Sgt. Maxine Abeyta, 82nd Mission Support Squadron, reviewed the changes to the officer and enlisted feedback and evaluation forms. However, while Sergeant Abeyta focused on the technicalities of each change, Chief McLean chose to speak about the mindset changes that each supervisor must make, so the revisions in the forms will translate to revisions in the rating process.

Chief McLean stressed the importance of utilizing the feedback forms to spell out what a subordinate must do to earn their ratings. When the time comes for their evaluation, how well they achieved their feedback goals will determine their rating.

Chief McLean said some Airmen may not be receiving written feedbacks and receiving no indication other than occasional verbal reminders of their work performance. When the time comes for an evaluation, with no detailed written proof of the Airman's successes and setbacks, supervisors often feel pressured to give the Airman a '5,' marking them as an exceptional performer when that may not be the case.

"I'd say a the new word picture for an overall '4' is exactly where the majority of the Air Force is, and since a '4' means 'above average,' a '4' is pretty good," Chief McLean said. "Many will continue to rate under the belief that you have to have a firewall '5' to retrain or receive a decoration and a '4' will hurt your career."

The chief acknowledged that many other wings and bases may not recognize this opportunity to shift the rating inflation trend. Still, she plans to push for the 82nd TRW to spearhead the movement, and the way to do it is through the feedback forms.

"You must clearly establish to your subordinates in their feedbacks exactly what they must do to earn a 5, or a 4, or even a 3. Don't give them their ratings; they have to earn them," she said.

The addition of fitness scores to the forms, with a 'meets standards' or 'does not meet standards' scale, stands in stark contrast to the stricter ratings the chief demands. While she agrees that a complaint of someone who scored 75 on the physical training test receiving the same credit as someone who scored 100 has some merit, she believes it's a rule that may be reworked in time. Besides, she reasoned, anyone who doesn't push to be the best for their PT test may not be pushing in other areas of work performance, either, and those discrepancies will likely show up on their evaluation.

82nd Training Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Richard Devereaux, who attended the luncheon, provided more advice on the subject.

"We are not a pass/fail Air Force," he said. "One of our core values is 'excellence in all we do.' Not everyone is a '5,' a '4,' or even a '3.' We must use these new forms to tell the difference."

The next Lunch 'n Learn is Nov. 16.