2013: Getting back to basics

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Patrick Albrecht
  • 908th Airlift Wing
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  I hope all had a nice Christmas holiday and are ready to face the challenge of a new year! As we start 2013, I want each of you to remember back to when you signed up to serve in the military.

That may require some dusting out the cobwebs for some of us! Of course there are many different reasons why we joined, but we all were taught the basics of service in the service in the military Those fundamentals form the foundation on which we went on to learn our individual skill sets. They bind us together and allow us to excel as a squadron, wing and service.

It is time we go back to basics! Why, you may ask? Because this Wing heads into 2013 with one goal in mind - begin preparations for the ORI. In order to adequately prepare, we all must know the fundamentals.

Just like a sports team cannot compete on the highest level without each individual being an expert in the fundamentals, we cannot excel in the ORI without each of you being an expert in the fundamentals of readiness.

Now is the time to go back and refresh yourself on the basics: review your Airman's Manual, attend an ORI prep class, pay attention to details in the exercises that are beginning to take place on a recurring basis. These are just a few of the things you can do regardless of your rank.

Some of us have already started, but if you have not, it is imperative that you start now.

Wing leadership is preparing goals, timelines and training, but all those are meaningless without you knowing the basics. If you have not been through an ORI before, find someone that has and gain some understanding. If you are a supervisor, seek out the experts and set up training classes for your Airmen.

The Maintenance Group has already started with ORI 101. Utilize the expertise of the EM personnel in the 908 CES. Be proactive if you are the expert and set up the training.

We are tied together as a wing, groups, squadrons and Airmen by fundamentals. That is what allowed us to overcome some big hurdles this past year, so let us see what we can accomplish in 2013 by getting back to basics!