Step one to your next promotion — do your job

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sergeant Monty Reeder
  • 90th Maintenance Group superintendent
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  As a chief master sergeant in our Air Force, I get a lot of opportunities to go out and talk to people. I regularly talk to groups of people, from the youngest Airman on the yard up to the crusty old chiefs. Almost invariably, at some time during any group setting, the topic of "how to get promoted" or "how to help your folks get promoted" comes up.

Now, obviously in these settings I want to provide good advice and some sage wisdom folks can remember. I really want to say something that might be of benefit to them throughout their career.

So, I sat down and asked myself, "What do I want to tell folks when they ask about ways to get promoted?" The answer I kept coming up with was quite simple -- do your job.
It seems like something that doesn't need to be said, but often times, I think folks lose sight of what it is the Air Force hired them to do.

Far too many people are selfishly concerned with their own advancement instead of being focused on the mission. Now, I know many folks talk about the importance of furthering one's education, getting involved in the community or looking for leadership opportunities in professional organizations, and I agree that all of these are critical to your personal development, but your first responsibility is to do the job the Air Force pays you to do. It is that simple.

Every one of us has a unique job; we have a commitment to the mission of our organization, and we have a set of job performance standards we are expected to adhere to. Your ability to perform your required duties, at an ever increasing level of responsibility, is what gets you promoted.

While significant self-improvement, continued learning and community involvement are vital and should be part of every Airman's development, your first priority should always be doing whatever it takes to ensure your unit meets its mission.
That is what your country expects you to do. To that end, you absolutely must know your mission, know your role in that mission and do everything you can do to guarantee mission accomplishment, even if it means your personal wants and desires must be put on hold.

If you do this, you will work your way up through the ranks. Don't let chasing that next stripe or pay grade interfere with your pursuit of mission accomplishment. Whether you are a defender, an operator, a medic, a maintainer or any other of our Air Force specialties, you have a commitment to a mission. Never lose sight of that mission.
Get involved outside the gate, get educated, develop yourself to your fullest potential, but remember, day-in and day-out, the Air Force mission demands you do your job.