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We are Airmen through thick and thin

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Daryl J. Hogan Jr.
  • 10th Airlift Squadron First Sergeant
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  Just as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, Airmen will continue to serve faithfully and honorably in defense of our great nation.

In the midst of staffing cuts, budgetary restraints and global responses, our fortitude and resiliency will remain. It is during these times that our integrity is solidified, our service is magnified and our excellence is unparalleled. As a total force, we will utilize the resources on hand, foster ingenuity and encourage one another. As our history, legacy and traditions have proven, we are Airmen...we fight, we fly and we win.

From a three-person United States Army Signal Corps Aeronautical Division in 1907, to a more than 2.2 million-person Army Air Force in 1945, we thrived. From 33,000 men and women in 1947 to more than 600,000 personnel in 1986, and just above 370,000 in 2004, Airmen never quit. Conflict after conflict, war after war, our determination and willingness to stand in the face of danger has never faltered. Our ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles with limited resources has defined our character as an Air Force. It has laid the foundation for our core values. This is our profession and we're the best in the world at what we do.

The sum of the above qualities is the backbone of what is referred to as "Airmanship." Simply stated, Airmanship is who we are and how we operate on a daily basis; compiled with our shared morals, values, work ethic, volunteer efforts and successes. It's what unites each individual Airman with the other 300,000 men and women who wear the uniform.

As stated by legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, "Once you have established the goals you want and the price you're willing to pay, you can ignore the minor hurts, the opponent's pressure and the temporary failures."

That statement is embodied with truth and underscored with resiliency. Our beloved Air Force will continue to swell and thin as times, economic environments, international interests and global conditions change.

New technology will consistently to be implemented while other airframes and weapons systems will be retired. The one constant will be us...the Airmen. Our goals of national security and air, space, and cyberspace superiority are established. We understand the sacrifice that our calling requires. There will be hurdles and setbacks but we will persevere. We'll lace up our boots, hug our families, start our jets and fly into the wild blue yonder. Tried and tested, we are Airmen through thick and thin.