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Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force visits Scott

By Senior Airman Tristin English, 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs / Published January 15, 2015

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SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --
The Air Force has moved forward with new programs that have affected the enlisted corps and Airmen need to learn how to deal and adapt with the changes - those were just two messages shared by Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody during his visit here Jan. 11-13. Cody and his wife, Athena, spent several days meeting with Airmen to discuss changes that involved the Enlisted Evaluation System and force management programs affecting the troops.

A hot topic during the Airman's Calls was the changes to the Enlisted Performance Reports and how they promote teamwork. Cody explained that the Air Force understands how important it is to be a team and not just look out for you.

"We understand that strength is in the team," said Cody. "Given everything that we have taught you this far, starting in basic training, the effect we know a team has and how you have to come together as a team  to do what you have to do as an Air Force. What would make anyone think that the Air Force values an individual who is willing to step over everyone else to make themselves look better?"

Cody expressed that suicide, domestic violence, financial hardships, sexual harassment, and sexual assault in the Air Force are great concerns to him.

"Those are the emails I dread to see coming to my box. That's what keeps me up, and those are the ones that come in at two in the morning. So that's the kind of stuff we try to figure out how to support you and your families. What we do is hard. It's hard on you, and it's hard on your families so we have to somehow get after this in a different way," said Cody.

Other interests talked about were the sequestration budget and how it's affecting that Air Force, educational benefits, tuition assistance training, promotions and retirements.

Cody said, "Last year was tough for us because we had to go through a lot of stuff - tough stuff. [The] mission is always hard, but with great airmen like everyone in this room, we got it done. For the first time since 1947, we are going to be the smallest Air Force ever. We are trying to create as much stability as we can as we move forward, and it's going to be a challenge. We just have to keep moving forward."

Staff Sgt. Amber Kelly-Herard, 18th Air Force command chief executive assistant, said "I thought Chief Cody was very honest in giving us the answers, even if he felt we weren't going to like it. He gave a little insight on what we could expect from the new retirement system, which from the sound of it seems like a pretty good deal. I also was impressed by him staying afterward inviting anyone to come speak to him and his wife."

"Keep it simple. Do your best every day. Be the best airman, and be the best person," said Cody. "You won't be the best every day, you won't always be number one, and you won't always be in that mode but that's ok. Nobody really is. Just do your best for as long as you can and then you may be the next chief master sergeant of the Air Force, or maybe you won't, but that doesn't mean it's going to define how successful you are and how important you are."