Mission First, People Always Published Aug. 4, 2011 By Capt. Jamison S. de la Peña 94th Communications Flight DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- Four simple, yet profound words... mission first, people always. The mission of the U.S. Air Force is to fly, fight and win, in air, space and cyberspace. That is our ultimate purpose and what we have been charged to accomplish as Airmen, without fail. However, the other part of that equation is the people who make the mission happen. Without our Airmen, the mission does not happen. We must strive to take care of the people that ultimately complete the mission. I first heard the phrase "mission first, people always" when I was stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. I was assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Group and learned, during my two years there, why my leadership emphasized that motto to our unit. Our unit had a special mission that covered a large area of the Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) area of responsibility, which spanned from the east of Africa to the open seas of the Pacific Ocean. Our ops tempo was high and it was a "no nonsense" kind of environment, so stress could be intense at times. Even though we pushed hard, our leadership looked out for our best interest, both professionally and personally, and made sure we had avenues to relieve our stresses. They were genuinely involved and knew when things were not right and helped us get back on track. Our leadership knew very well that the success of a mission hinged on the well-being of the personnel executing it. Taking care of our Airmen, enlisted, officers, and civilians, does not necessarily mean just keeping people happy. It means looking out for the things that keep us sound and grounded as a professional military force. Specifically, making sure our Airmen are stable mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, financially and professionally. We can do this through fitness, professional development, career field training, morale functions, mentorship, spiritual support and counseling. There are countless resources. Using them and making it count when needed is critical to the morale and welfare of our fellow Airmen. As a unit commander now, I see first-hand how the "mission first, people always" concept is important to the good order and discipline of an organization. First and foremost, we are here to do a job, a job that has direct and indirect impacts to how we affect the mission. When we drive through the front gates, we need to be focused and ready to handle our business to the best of our abilities. In order to do so, we need to cultivate an environment where we are set up to succeed. This involves everyone at all levels of an organization; junior enlisted, first-line supervisors, NCOICs, superintendents, branch chiefs, first sergeants, civilians and officers, to handle responsibilities that not only take care of the mission but also the people. Collectively, we can make this happen and posture an organization to excel to new levels. We all have a vested interest in the support and defense of our country. When we are called upon to accomplish our mission, we need to be poised and ready to execute. As leaders, we need to understand those priorities and accomplish the things that help make that happen. I encourage every one of you to look at the things that make your organization successful. You will find that there is a human-factor to that success. Take care of them and they will take care of you and your mission. Mission first, people always.
