WOAF Column
-Service Before Self
W/O Keith Gell, Warrant Officer of the Air Force
Service before self is not common to the Air language. More often we use the term commitment, however I think it is time we started being more frank about what this commitment means, and to put it frankly, its about ‘service before self’.
I strongly believe also that we should not be afraid to talk openly in the public arena about serving our country. We are very patriotic when it comes to sport, but we should also be the same about being a member of the RNZAF and the New Zealand Defence Force. Some folk believe this type of talk is too hyped up for our culture, however I disagree and these people need to re-recruit themselves.
I am glad also that these people are a minority. Being a member of the profession of arms is a dangerous business. It requires people with outright courage and discipline. It requires people who put service before self and it requires people who join this profession for the right reasons. If these reasons come down to plain old ‘self, well you need to have a re-think.
Our brand is ‘step up’, and yes I am seeing plenty of that in many work areas. Stepping up is about commitment and doing the extra metres, but really it’s all about service before self. Some believe because they have reached a certain rank or served a certain amount of time, they deserve more from the system, or worse still, the system owes me. My word of wisdom to those folk is service before self does not end until you hand in your ID card.
Service before self requires sacrifice and that sacrifice ends when you cross the finish line. It is also a key tenet of being a member of the profession of arms. Without this ingredient we lack teeth.
So where do you see yourself? Give yourself a pinch and have a think about it. Have a look around you also and look at your fellow workmates. Have the courage to engage with them if they lack that key ingredient, because at the end of the day it helps them and it helps our Air Force and the Defence Force. It’s not about working harder, it’s about working smarter. It’s about being passionate and it’s about believing in what we do and what we represent.
As the WOAF I am seeing some real good stuff when it comes to service, and to be honest I am comfortable where we sit as an Air Force. However, sometimes I am seeing the same old faces popping up when it comes to putting service before self, which makes me think that perhaps we could do better.
Make a difference is my advice to those who don’t get it. For those that do, I salute you. You are the ones that are making a difference. Service before self, something we all need to talk about more often. Honouring those who put service before self, something for our Commanders to talk about more often.