Photo By Master Sgt. John Hillier | SrA Zachary Thompson, 113th Logistics Readiness Squadron, DC Air National Guard,...... read more read more
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The Air Force has a longstanding tradition of commanders and chiefs presenting their personal or unit coin to outstanding enlisted performers. Until recently, however, there was not an established process for the enlisted corps to pay tribute to each other for their efforts that otherwise go unrecognized.
To provide an avenue for this type of enlisted-to-enlisted recognition, Senior Master Sgt. Robert Thorpe, with the Air National Guard Manpower, Personnel and Services Directorate, and SrA Zachary Thompson, from the 113th Logistics Readiness Squadron, District of Columbia Air National Guard, created the Airman to Airman Coin Project.
The project started in May 2016, when Thorpe and his son happened to see an Airman being reprimanded for a uniform malfunction.
“My younger son asked me why it is that NCOs are so negative,” Thorpe explained. “My initial reaction was to say ‘no, we’re not,’ but I put myself in his shoes and I could see his perspective. So I brought it up to SrA Thompson, who I carpool with, and we brainstormed on ideas to give positive recognition to Airmen. Through that, we came up with the idea of a coin that would let us pay it forward for Airmen.”
At its core, the project is about promoting enlisted recognition. But rather than being display, these coins aren’t intended to be kept. Each recipient of the coin is encouraged to pass it on to another deserving Airman, and spread the idea of focusing on positive things to reward rather than negative things to correct.
Thorpe and Thompson were able to secure funds to mint 100 unique Airman to Airman coins, each bearing its own serial number. While the concept of the coin is for Airmen to recognize each other without involving unit leadership, Thorpe and Thompson saved coin number 12 to present to ANG command chief master sergeant Ronald C. Anderson.
“When we were trying to get support for this project, we brought it before the Guard Bureau Chiefs’ Council, who loved it,” said Thompson. “They encouraged us to go further and take it to the [Enlisted Field Advisory Council].”
“After talking to Chief Anderson about the project, he had us in front of the EFAC within an hour,” added Thorpe. “As a dad, it was amazing to see my son up there presenting our idea to EFAC, and getting a standing ovation.”
In addition to the physical coins, each of which bears the shields of the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command, and the Air Force wings, the project also includes a website which tracks each coin’s journey through the Air Force enlisted corps.
“The social media aspect makes sense for me, because as long as we’re paying it forward, why not track them to see how far it goes?” said Thompson. “As Airmen pass the coins along, and move around to other bases, everyone will be able to see how far these coins travel and can see their stories.”
Because his presentation to the EFAC was instrumental in getting the project off the ground, Thorpe presented Thomson with the first coin. Since then, Thorpe and Thompson are distributing coins across the Air Force to colleagues in other units who support the project and are ready to see their own Airmen be recognized.
Follow the Airman to Airman Coins online at https://www.facebook.com/airman2airmancoin/
| Date Taken: | 10.14.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 10.18.2016 13:58 |
| Story ID: | 212298 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD, US |
| Hometown: | BALTIMORE, MD, US |
| Hometown: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Web Views: | 94 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, ANG Airmen begin enlisted coin tradition, by MSgt John Hillier, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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