Commander's Corner: Weathering the Storm

  • Published
  • By By Lt. Col. Greg Boerwinkle
  • 58th Operations Support Squadron commander
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico --  When I entered the Air Force in the 1980s, America's national security picture was very frightening. We lived in a world with two superpower nations on the brink of nuclear war, yet in the midst of this threat, even an 18-year-old like me could understand the situation. We knew exactly who our enemy was, we could see the USSR on the map and we could call the bad guys communists.

Today's national security situation is vastly different. Terrorism threatens our very way of life, rogue states are on the verge of a developed nuclear capability, and old cold-war ideologies with renewed alliances seem to be making a comeback Now our situation is both frightening and confusing.

In the same way, our country is undergoing a great deal of economic and political turmoil. It is impossible to read a newspaper or watch the news without seeing the evidence ... the stock market plunging, a new president and congress in transition, oil prices dramatically rising and falling, entire industries on the verge of collapse and economic globalization that seems to complicate our international alliances.

Some scholars have attempted to further define this turbulence and chaos with a term called "VUCA." VUCA is an acronym of four words:

· Volatility is defined as large changes to the world around us, such as the ups and downs in the price of petroleum.

· Uncertainty means the inability to predict future outcomes, such as when or where a terrorist attack might come next.

· Complexity is the intricacy and inter-dependency of our world, such as the cultural and economic factors that influence the Middle East. 

· Ambiguity means the vagueness and "mixed signals" that surround a situation, such as Russia's intentions when intervening in Georgia.

Although we are servants of our nation, we are also citizens of it and can't help but to be affected by the VUCA all around us. It affects us as individuals, families, consumers, investors and certainly as Airmen in the U.S. Air Force. With so much volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity in our nation lately, how do we as Airmen respond to it all?

First, be thankful! Economically, we Airmen have a great deal more job security, guaranteed benefits and pay stability than many of our fellow citizens. We haven't suffered a terrorist attack on our homeland in over seven years, and we are on the verge of two victories in Southwest Asia that will have positive implications for generations to come. We contributed to these military successes, and deserve to be proud.

Remember your moral compass. Each of us has been instilled with a sense of what's right and what's wrong: our military Oath of Office, the Air Force Core Values, the Airman's Creed, the lessons of our faith. Like the Rock of Gibraltar, we must hold firm to these values as the stormy seas crash all around us. We must be stable, predictable, and dependable.

Follow your leaders. Our chain of command makes great effort to issue us clear, concise guidance, then to make sure we have the resources we need. If you're lacking either, elevate it up the chain. Also realize that our leaders are not all-powerful or all-knowing. Subordinates must be equipped with the education, training and creativity to get the mission done despite the VUCA.

Do something positive. Excellence and compliance must permeate everything we do, both at home and while deployed. Depending on our workload, some of us can take on an additional duty, participate in squadron morale-building activities or mentor a subordinate. We can improve ourselves through the Community College of the Air Force, a bachelor's degree or Professional Military Education. Finally, we can do things in our community, such as volunteer with local youth, participate in a religious organization or make charitable donations.

The anxiety surrounding recent events in the United States may cause some to lose their composure. Airmen must do just the opposite. We've got to be stable, certain, simple and clear. We do not know whether these times of unrest will be a short-lived speed bump or an outright challenge to our American way of life.

In either scenario, we would do well to remember our history and how Americans like us persevered through the dark days of the American Revolution, the Civil War and the Great Depression. Our attitude and example as Airmen can be a stabilizing force in our society to highlight the best of what Americans believe and do.