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Rehab or Remove…
Posted 2/1/2013 Updated 2/1/2013
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Commentary by Col Joe Martin
386th Expeditionary Mission Support Group
2/1/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- This is simple enough, at least in my mind; discipline serves only one of two purposes -- to either Rehab or Remove. As I hit the midway point of my 5th deployment and coincidentally my 5th Command (3 deployed) I came to the realization that as a Group Commander perhaps I should share my philosophy on discipline beyond just my six squadrons and 1,100 personnel.
Like any advice, the reader can take it or leave it and that is your choice. But I have spent over 23 years in Our Air Force and believe that in large part it is our discipline that makes us the world's greatest Air and Space Force. From Maintenance discipline to Ops discipline, to the daily grind of doing your job right every time, it is the internal discipline that keeps us at the forefront of combat power.
But periodically, mistakes are made and that is to be expected. However, when the mistake is serious or criminal, that is when the discipline process takes on a much more personal feeling for our Airman.
My advice to all leaders, from first line supervisors to Wing Commanders, is to ensure that when faced with personnel discipline challenges, that any punishment you administer serves only one of two purposes - either rehab or remove.
People make mistakes, and others even commit crimes. But does that mean that all issues are created equal? Certainly not, and a good leadership team takes all factors into consideration. Are there one-strike crimes? Yes, do drugs in My Air Force, and you are out. Just ask the kid who recently got caught huffing and was a civilian within 30 days.
But most events require commander/First Sergeant consideration of the "rehabilitative potential" of the individual. So, my advice is to never, ever punish someone just to make a point, or to make an example for others. Punitive action should only be used to motivate that person to change, and simultaneously start the paper trail to kick them out if, and only if, they don't do the right course corrections.
Behavior modification in a deployed environment is even more important.
As an Airman in my Air Force, you are trained to perform a mission and periodically tasked to deploy and do exactly that. While deployed you are expected to maintain a level of professional discipline, and uphold the highest standards of conduct. Failure in either area should lead to the same "rehab or remove" activities regardless of location. In other words, deployed commanders must set, maintain, and enforce the same (or higher) standards as if their Airman were assigned to that unit full time, and not just TDY here.
So, if an Airman - officer or enlisted - fails in their primary duties or in their behavior, their deployed commander must not simply send them home. Either rehab or remove them from here.
It is my belief that a person goes home for only one of four reasons. (1) The most likely is that you honorably finished your tour, or (2) sometimes your position was deleted and you are no longer needed, or (3) periodically either a medical or emergency leave situation caused an early departure, or (4) unfortunately your behavior was not honorable and you are being sent home with sufficient paperwork to be separated from my Air Force.
Bottom line, don't push off a problem to the next guy or the home unit. These are our Airman, this is our mission, this is our responsibility.
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