How to be a good Citizen Airmen neighbor

Photo By Staff Sgt. Cristina J. Allen | An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, awaits service from maintenance July 5, 2017, in Atlantic City, N.J. F-16’s from the 177th FW are maintained regularly to ensure unit safety and readiness. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Cristina J. Allen/Released)  

UNITED STATES

10.15.2017

Courtesy Story

177th Fighter Wing - NJ Air National Guard

By Lt. Col. Benjamin Robbins, Warren Grove Range Commander

Shortly after joining the 177th Fighter Wing, I received an amazing opportunity to be part of the team at the Warren Grove Range. Due to the remote location and the constant presence of loud aircraft overhead, it took no time to get to know our neighbors. Fortunately, when dealing with challenging situations, I was able to benefit from the years of community outreach that had been paid forward. In the years since, I have grown to appreciate the value of good community outreach and positive messaging. We, as citizen Airmen, have an obligation to our organization to be aware that how we interact with our local communities may have effects lasting well beyond the immediate gesture.

If you are thinking that I am going to tell you to volunteer more of your valuable time, you are wrong. At a minimum, I am going to ask you to be aware of how you interact with your community when you have your uniform on. This may include picking up your kids at school, grabbing some lunch or ducking into the grocery store on your way home. The sight of a uniform in the community may invoke many different reactions from the people with whom you interact. For the most part, these reactions are passive or limited to a heartfelt appreciations for your service. Occasionally, someone will make a deeper connection and want to know your opinion on something specific. Although, this is well intended, we need to know when and how to redirect a conversation.

Anytime that we are in uniform, we are speaking on behalf of a much larger organization than just ourselves. In order to avoid any inadvertent mixed messaging or operational security (OPSEC) exposure, know how you are going to handle these conversations before they take place. A fantastic resource that I would encourage all Airmen to use is the Fighter Wing Public Affairs office. The PA office will help you navigate conversations and provide you with tools to refer inquiries to a suitable sources. Additionally, the office has posted basic guidance that is always available on their SharePoint page.

The Wing PA office can also assist you if you are looking to reach out to the community as a military member. With the 177th Fighter Wing being a large employer in Atlantic County, there is always a demand for positive community outreach. These events are usually in the form of speaking engagements at local schools, community centers or memorial events. The PA and Recruiting offices can help guide you on having a positive and meaningful experience. If public speaking does not appeal to you and you would like to donate your time or resources, there are yet more options to consider.

For those of you who want to organize a public outreach event for a group of unit members, I applaud your generosity. If you are organizing such an event associated with your military status, you need to let your commander know prior to making the commitment. Your commander has an obligation to ensure that your good intentions do not inadvertently misrepresent the organization. These activities must also be coordinated with the Wing and State PA offices. Try not to get discouraged if you do not get an immediate “yes.” Depending on the level of effort and exposure there may be many areas that need consideration. This may require visits to our experts in the family readiness center or the base legal office for concurrence. Lastly, we often find the desire to contribute strongest during the times surrounding a crisis. Often, during these times, the military is trying to coordinate a substantial crisis response effort and volunteering through official military channels may yield the most meaningful impact.

We, as unit members, need to be mindful of our surroundings and have deliberate interactions with our surrounding community while in uniform. Remember that you are representing a much larger organization and you have resources available to help manage your public interactions at every level. Although these interactions may not seem to be impactful at the time, they will help shape public perception and the overall support from our local community. I can assure you from handling noise complaints within our local training airspace, I have experienced the powerful effects of your positive community outreach firsthand. Thank you for your continued efforts!

• Date Taken: 10.15.2017
• Date Posted: 10.15.2017 15:43
• Story ID: 251771
• Location: US