Photo By Staff Sgt. Nicole Wright | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mario Lopez-Casas from the 146th Airlift Wing’s Civil...... read more read more
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One year ago, California Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Mario Lopez-Casas, a caring and friendly HVAC technician from the 146th Civil Engineers Squadron (146 CES), never imagined himself as a 1st Sgt. (also known as a shirt). However, that would dramatically change as his commander would appoint him to take on the role after the previous shirt departed before a replacement could be named. With the rising tension within the squadron now at an all-time high, Lopez-Casas found himself right in the thick of it all,
Typically, those who wish to serve as a 1st Sgt. must attend a 20-day course at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. The class is divided into four weeks of demanding curriculum that includes roles, responsibilities, maintenance, discipline, negotiation and dispute resolution, resiliency training, and proper orientation. It's the best training to help prepare those entering the most people-oriented positions in the military. There is no question that the course would prepare Lopez-Casas for the mounting tasks ahead of him. However, there was just one problem.
They don't send "temp shirts" to school.
As a "temp shirt," Lopez-Casas would not be afforded the benefits of attending the course but was still expected to perform in the same capacity as a shirt would. Lopez-Casas says he knew that he would need to seek counsel from previous shirts without the formal training customarily afforded.
Lopez-Casas relied heavily on the guidance from two Chiefs (Chief Master Sgt.) from within his squadron. However, as time went on, Lopez-Casas developed confidence in his abilities and strived in his new role.
According to California Air National Guard Master Sgt. Riza Myers, a 146 CES unit training manager, recalls being impressed by how effective Lopez-Casas was as a "temp shirt."
"He deployed, came back, and had to act as a shirt, and he handled it very well. He was a perfect liaison between the members and the commander if someone had family issues or personal issues," said Myers.
According to Myers, Lopez-Casas became a fixed pillar of support for the squadron, and they adored him for it.
"We gave him the nickname "T-Shirt" since he couldn't take the title of 1st Sgt. officially. We'd joke that he was like an undershirt or understudy instead of a shirt, but really he did everything a fully appointed shirt could do," said Myers.
"We loved having him as our shirt; he did such a good job that we didn't care if he had the formal training or not. He was a 1st Sgt. to us as far as we were concerned," said Myers.
Myers said she made an early observation that Lopez-Casas was never "off-duty" in his new role, and he proved that many times. Once driving many hours to celebrate a baby gender reveal party for an airman in the squadron.
"I thought it was very admirable of him to drive up to show support like that, especially on his day off. It didn't matter that he was off duty. He wanted to be there because he cares and is connected," said Myers.
Lopez-Casas says the decision to drive up to the party was never a hard decision.
"I wanted to be a part of that happy moment because it was important to me to celebrate those good moments together. Those types of days are what make the squadron a tighter-knit family. So not only was it a great opportunity to share a moment and relax, but we built on the relationships within the squadron," said Lopez-Casas.
Commander of the 146 CES, California Air National Guard Lt. Col. Shane Patty, also shares Myers' sentiments. Believing that the squadron needed somebody to come in and mold the unit back together, he appointed Lopez-Casas to help ease the tension. Attributing the leap in increased morale entirely to all of Lopez-Casas' hard work.
"Soon after appointing him as the acting shirt, the squadron's bickering had seemed to settle. The sense of cohesion and family felt like it had returned; he really turned it all around for us," said Patty.
Patty's decision to appoint Lopez-Casas as the "temp shirt" came after returning from a recent deployment. Feeling the rising tension inside the squadron, he knew Lopez-Casas could mediate issues and repair the cohesion between the airmen.
"We were going through a tough time; it felt like we were letting little things make us more upset. Then, it began to compound with other issues, and everything began to overlap with administrative issues that were frustrating already on their own. That's when I realized we needed somebody like Lopez-Casas to drive the focus on helping our airman. He jumped in front of everything and made it his business to make sure everyone was taken care of," said Patty.
"To have somebody go above and beyond as he did with no formal training was amazing, but it was vital to helping us out during those times," Patty added.
Lopez-Casas says that the role of being a temp shirt had ironically assisted him in the areas of his life where there was room for improvement. For example, he felt he was never a very organized person before. However, he discovered that his new position demanded high organizational skills.
There is an old expression that the universe often places us exactly where we need to be. But Patty says, Lopez-Casas' experience as a "temp shirt" would be the necessary force to help him to improve in areas of his own life. Not for himself, but to better serve others.
"Problems would come at him full-speed, and he had to be able to handle those situations. So he focused on becoming more organized, which was hard for him at first, but he rose to meet the challenge not for himself, but for the airmen," said Patty.
Switching gears and pivoting to help assist airmen at any time regularly meant juggling multiple issues simultaneously. It forced Lopez-Casas to prioritize and handle the situations quickly as best as he possibly could. He says it helped mold him into the 1st Sgt. his squadron needed him to be.
"I am happy that this opportunity happened for me; being a shirt really helped me grow as a person. There were long late-night calls, consoling airmen after they had a family member's death, helping airmen with their financial struggles, and many more things I would have never expected. Something always popped up, and I needed to be able to switch gears fast," said Lopez-Casas.
"Having the best interest of the airman was always my priority. I was finding that the balance of a 1st Sgt. was determined by the situation. Stern when needed and blissful at certain times," said Lopez-Casas.
While serving as the squadron's shirt, Lopez-Casas says he has learned a lot about helping others. He believes the benefits of becoming a shirt, even a temporary one, are one of the most rewarding experiences serving in the Air National Guard.
"It's very challenging, but it's also gratifying! I think serving as a shirt is something airmen should strive to achieve if they desire to lead or become a chief one day. It serves as a progress report on your ability to help serve others, and that is important if you're going to be a leader," said Lopez-Casas.
Since relinquishing his position as a temp shirt, Lopez-Casas has taken a new job as the NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge) of 146 CES. It's a new challenge that Lopez-Casas says he's looking forward to and feels very prepared for since his service as a 1st Sgt.
"I threw my name in the hat right for the job shortly after leaving the shirt position. Then, I thought to myself how hard it could be?" said Lopez-Casas.
| Date Taken: | 08.08.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2021 22:27 |
| Story ID: | 405743 |
| Location: | PORT HUENEME, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 942 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Baptism by fire: How a "Temp" 1st Sgt. rekindled morale inside a squabbling squadron, by SSgt Nicole Wright, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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