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ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. – Amongst first-term Airmen, it is
not uncommon for first sergeants to be looked upon as those one only
meets when things go wrong. The perception seems to be that their
only duty is helping to enforce disciplinary measures, but this
could not be further from the truth, since the responsibilities of
those who carry the diamond goes so far beyond that.
To help
better understand what the first sergeant duty is all about, Master
Sgt. Patrick Hill, 28th Medical Group first sergeant, volunteered to
be shadowed for a day, sharing a glimpse of his daily
responsibilities.
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Master Sgt. Patrick Hill, 28th Medical Group first sergeant, updates paperwork and responds to base personnel inquiries at his workstation at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Nov. 13, 2014. As a first sergeant, much of each day is dedicated to staying informed and properly responding to Airmen's needs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Anania Tekurio)
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“The first sergeant's creed, ‘Everyone is my business,'
really hits the target on what my job is all about,” said
Hill. “As a first sergeant, I dedicate my time and energy to
Airmen's needs – be it health, morale, [or] discipline and
welfare.”
According to Air Force Instruction 36-2618,
The Enlisted Force Structure, a first sergeant is a special
senior noncommissioned officer position. A first sergeant is
one who is there to provide a dedicated focal point for all
readiness, health, morale, welfare and quality-of-life
issues within his or her organization.
“When an
Airman pulls me aside and asks, ‘Hey shirt, you got a
minute?,' then no matter what taskings I have at that time,
my number one priority will be [that] Airman,” said Hill.
Hill added that, he has learned to understand that
taking time to listen is the most important thing a first
sergeant can do when interacting with Airmen and their
families.
In addition to being there for Airmen,
first sergeants work closely with the command chief master
sergeant to prepare the organization's enlisted force to
best execute all assigned tasks. Commanders are presented
with the advice of both the chief enlisted manager and first
sergeant, which helps maintain a sound decision making
process.
“I have the responsibility of being the
eyes, ears and mouth for the commander,” said Hill. “A big
part of my job is making sure I brief leadership on their
Airmen and [what's] going on within their units.”
From First Sergeant Council meetings to unit executive
leadership meetings, Hill attends to do what he can to help
fellow first sergeants, his leadership and, most
importantly, his Airmen.
“My job relies heavily on
trust,” said Hill. “Even if an Airman is in my office ... for
a disciplinary reason, they should trust that I will do all
I can to help them remedy the situation or, if anything,
that I will guide them to what will be the right decision
for them. If not, then the whole unit would eventually
crumble.”
Being a first sergeant also means taking on
a 24/7 duty.
“As a first sergeant I am on call 24
hours, 7 days a week,” said Hill. “My duty day doesn't begin
and end at a specific time; it is around the clock,
non-stop. Our on-call phone is with us all the time,
everywhere we go, making ourselves available for Airmen at
any moment.”
From attending meetings and briefing
leadership to visiting with and assisting Airmen, first
sergeants are helping lead the way.
“Coming from a
Military Training Instructor position to a first sergeant
has taught me a lot,” said Hill. “I've learned to adapt and
be more flexible with others as well as being more aware of
people - sometimes people don't want to ask for help, so
I've learned to visit with my Airmen and notice when I need
to step in.”
Although first sergeant duties do entail
enforcing disciplinary measures on Airmen, Hill says his
primary job is making sure Airmen and leadership in his unit
are properly taken care of so that the mission can succeed.
By U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Anania Tekurio
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
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