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ABERDEEN CITY, England (6/25/2012) - "I am an American Airman.
Wingman, Leader, Warrior. I will never leave an Airman behind, I
will never falter, And I will not fail."
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Staff Sgt. Kelly Adler, right, goes over customer service
training with Petty Officer 2nd Class Evan Seller at the Defense
Courier Station here Feb. 14, 2012. Adler is one of six airmen and
Seller one of four sailors currently assigned to the DCS. Photo by Jerilyn Quintanilla, 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
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Airmen recognize these words as part of the Airman's Creed. They
recite these words, promising to answer the call to be good wingmen,
leaders and warriors at all times.
This is a promise made to
their fellow airmen. But it is also a promise they make to all
military service members: soldiers, sailors, Marines and Coast
Guardsmen.
The mission of the U.S. military has always been
a joint effort. Each branch of service has its own part but they all
work, strive and fight for the same things, national security and
freedom of the nation and its people.
Although the mission is
clear, there are definite lines distinguishing one service from
another. Those lines are blurred when working in a joint assignment
or environment. It's one way steal a glance at how your sister
services work and offers a unique learning opportunity.
At
RAF Mildenhall, the Defense Courier Station is home to just a
handful of sailors all of whom |
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can be easily spotted in their ocean-blue navy uniforms, among the
airmen in green. |
Yeoman Chief Petty Officer Kelvin Holloway, the
most senior ranking sailor in the DCS and station
superintendent, has worked on Air Force and Marine Corps
installations with all branches of the U.S. military.
"I've had the pleasure of working at a few locations
where all branches were assigned," he said. "The overall
working environment [in the DCS] is excellent. With the
community being so small we become closer and have developed
a great working relationship."
Prior to coming to the DCS, his joint
assignments include serving on Joint Forces Command Naples,
Italy and Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa,
Japan.
"In working with my sister services, and in
this case the Air Force, I've learned that we all work and
serve according to the same values," Holloway added. "The
Air Force has the core values of integrity, service and
excellence and the Navy has honor, courage and commitment;
the wording is different but how we apply those values to
our work and our lives is all the same."
The junior
sailor on deck, Petty Officer 2nd Class Kniko Armstrong has
far less experience, but reaps all the same benefits.
"I have the opportunity to work directly with members
outside my branch of service and although it has its
challenges, they're not as significant as I expected,"
Armstrong said.
Holloway echoed the sentiment.
"One of the advantages of a joint assignment is that it
provides both services the chance to see how the other
operates," Holloway said. "It also provides the service
member with a larger scope of the direction the military is
going. As for me, it helps me to grow as a leader and
mentor; through these guys I've learned to listen and
empower them with opportunities that promote growth."
Joint operations can be found on virtually every
military installation. And putting the differences in
uniform aside, all service members stand side by side.
"We're alike in a lot of ways," Armstrong said. "I was
pleasantly surprised to see that we are truly brothers in
arms."
By Jerilyn Quintanilla, 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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