Chiefs’ Corner: Have you been ‘chiefed?’

I recently became intrigued with the phrase, “You’ve been chiefed.” Apparently, getting “chiefed” happens when you are corrected on the spot about blatant violations of regulations or reminded about customs and courtesies, something each Airman should subscribe to anyway.

Of course, “getting chiefed” can only be done by a chief master sergeant. Unfortunately, it appears that more chiefs are forced to refocus from the strategic level of operations to address issues noncommissioned officers would normally take care of at the tactical and operational levels. The issues with an Airman getting “chiefed” are probably because they weren’t “sergeant-ed” or “captain-ed” by their first line supervisors.

We are called to lead in many capacities. As a leader, walking past problems hoping someone else will address them or not being familiar with the regulations used in day to day operations is wrong. If it takes a chief to address issues that are easily fixed at lower levels, then we have failed as leaders. I submit that if we do not correct our Airmen we set them up for failure. How would they have the skills to lead later? Being a leader is about adhering to standards that are prominently and perfectly placed to affect good order and discipline. What may seem trivial can be the difference between life and death in combat and is vital to our profession of arms.

The concern is not solely on proper uniform wear, the issue of addressing a senior master sergeant as “senior” or how long it takes an Airman to remove the sage green fleece when indoors — that scope would be mistakenly minuscule for this monologue. It’s about having the mindset that understands the small things do matter. This perspective focuses on paying attention to details of dress and appearance, AFIs, and technical order compliance to help us execute the mission on a broader scale. These details are the rules and make us all better warriors. This responsibility to follow the rules does not solely fall on a chief master sergeant’s shoulders. It is shared at all levels of leadership.

So, have you been “chiefed” lately? Each of us should take an introspective look and ask if we are properly focused to execute the mission. Have we lost focus on details to “get the mission done?”

Let’s commit to living the Air Force Core Values and being leaders in our Air Force. Don’t get “chiefed.” Do it right the first time.