COMMENTARY: Service Before Self Published Dec. 15, 2009 By Lt. Col. David A. Harris 550th Special Operations Squadron commander KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico -- Service before self. Not only is it one of our core values but it's also one of the many characteristics that separates the U.S. Air Force from the civilian sector. Retired Gen. Ronald Fogleman, former Air Force chief of staff, expanded the concept of service before self by stating that, "We are not just engaged in another job, we are practitioners of the profession of arms." For the past nine years, sustaining overseas contingency operations have put an increased strain on our high demand, low-density assets and like many squadrons, the 550th Special Operations Squadron found itself balancing peacetime and wartime obligations. In meeting these obligations, the Air Force asks a lot from our Airmen every day and I'm amazed at the many examples of service before self that are often overlooked. As part of its peacetime mission, the 550th SOS graduates roughly 340 special operations and combat search and rescue aircrew each year, which is often times 20 to 30 students more than expected. What is truly astonishing is that despite its limited instructor manning of only 67 percent, the men and women of the 550th SOS flawlessly execute this mission and still find ways to provide world-class training by incorporating joint airdrop missions with Marines and Army Special Forces! Also, as every Airman knows, we are on call 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to respond to any contingency. Over the past year, the 550th SOS Airmen responded to another part of its peacetime mission as they flew two short-notice civilian search and rescues in New Mexico and Colorado. Arguably, this is not just a case of doing more with less, but rather a strong sense of mission that stems from putting service before self. So what does an Air Education and Training Command unit do to support a wartime mission? Simply put, we deploy. As practitioners of the profession of arms, the 550th SOS has deployed nine Airmen in support of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines. Supporting overseas contingency operations not only hones our wartime skills but also brings current operational issues to our students before they graduate. The cost of these deployments is that it strains our already limited instructor cadre as they teach additional students, cover a few more additional duties and look after the families of those who are deployed. Those who are not deployed are often found throughout the community volunteering to support ROTC detachments, providing tours for local Boy Scouts and public schools, or speaking at civic engagements. The personal sacrifice that's made by each member of the squadron is evident by the long hours, additional flying and dedication to the mission and it epitomizes service before self. Military families also understand this concept as they too put service before self as they cope with a spouse or parent who is deployed. While some of these examples are specific to the 550th SOS, there is no doubt that Airmen everywhere demonstrate countless examples of service before self. Let's take the time to recognize those Airmen and thank them for their service.