Take a look in the mirror before complaining about 'today's Airmen' Commentary by Senior Master Sgt. Chip Coleman 902nd Contracting Squadron superintendant 12/8/2011 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- As I go about my business around Joint Base San Antonio--Randolph, whether attending meetings or speaking at the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Enhancement Seminars, I often hear NCOs and senior NCOs discussing some of their work issues. Undoubtedly part of the conversation revolves around the question, "What's wrong with these Airmen today?" My answer is, "Us!" We NCOs and senior NCOs need to take a good look in the mirror! No matter where I am on base, picking up uniforms at the cleaners, the base exchange or the commissary, I am constantly wondering what happened to us as NCOs. Why are so many Air Force and military standards not being followed or enforced? Where's the discipline and accountability? I was in the exchange looking at the new DVDs and noticed a staff sergeant at the other end of the aisle looking at the video games. As I got closer, I noticed he had a pair of sunglasses on top of his head, his airman battle uniform shirt pocket and cargo pocket were unbuttoned, and his hat was sticking halfway out of his cargo pocket. As I continued to get closer to this individual, two NCOs walked right by him and did not say a word. I was dumbfounded; I thought for sure they would have corrected him. I approached the staff sergeant and told him exactly what he needed to fix and, by the expression on his face, he was shocked someone corrected him. The staff sergeant quickly corrected his uniform as I carefully explained the errors of his ways. I see these types of violations everyday all over JB Randolph and, more often than not, I find myself correcting NCOs and senior NCOs, not the junior enlisted Airmen. I can understand correcting some of our newer Airmen, but not our NCOs and senior NCOs. What has happened to our core values? Integrity, doing what's right when no one is looking and excellence in all we do? When I teach at the NCOPE Seminar and the First Term Airman Center, we talk about standards and discipline and I always ask the class who has seen uniform violations at the exchange and food court and inevitably everyone raises their hand. Then I ask how many of them corrected the violation, and most hands go down -- and this is in both forums. I always ask why they failed to do their job and make the corrections. I get many answers, such as, "I don't want to be the bad guy," or, "The person out-ranked me," etc. I then remind them of Air Force Instruction 36-2618, the Enlisted Force Structure, that states, "Airman should correct personnel who violate military standards." As supervisors and leaders, it is our job to exemplify the highest standards in maintaining self-discipline and to correct those who fail to uphold the standards of discipline. We must get "back to the basics of discipline." As NCOs and senior NCOs we must set the example by exhibiting professional behavior, military bearing, customs and courtesies, and the highest standards of dress and appearance. In my opinion, we aren't setting the example and we aren't enforcing or maintaining standards. Airmen are desperately seeking leadership. In an "exit poll" of Airmen leaving the Air Force after their first term, the number one reason for getting out is "lack of leadership." I see more and more senior NCOs waiting for retirement and NCOs who just don't seem to care about our airmen. The airmen pick up on this attitude and that attitude is then reflected in our Airmen. The next time we NCOs and SNCOs start to question the quality of "today's Airmen," we need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. We should question the quality of our leadership, dedication and the sincerity we provide to our young Airmen and junior officers. We NCOs and senior NCOs are charged with the influential development of our Airmen, and by using the term Airmen, I mean every Air Force member. As a prior military training instructor of 10 years, I can honestly say there is nothing wrong with our Airmen; they simply need our attention and mentorship on a daily basis. Our most precious resource is our Airmen. We, as leaders, must never forget it!