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Maj. Gen. Frank Padilla, the Deputy Inspector General of the Air Force Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington D.C. speaks to the graduates of Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 12-10 on June 15 in the Kaye Auditorium. Padilla told stories of his past and gave the pilots advice to help them become successful in their future. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Charles Dickens)
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Padilla gives life lessons to SUPT graduates
Posted 6/22/2012 Updated 6/29/2012
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by Airman 1st Class Charles Dickens
14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
6/22/2012 - COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --
The Deputy Inspector General of the Air Force spoke to the Air Force's newest pilots during the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 12-10 graduation on June 15 in the Kaye Auditorium.
Maj. Gen. Frank Padilla from the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington D.C. offered stories and lessons he learned throughout his 33 year career as advice for the new graduates to carry with them into their future assignments and careers.
"One of the things I learned from my father was to look at the job at hand and to do the very best at the job you currently have, whether you like it or not," said Padilla.
Padilla said that the best way he learned to endure a job he disliked came from a story about an Airman deployed to a less than desirable location and then losing his cool, shouted, "This sucks!" to which a grizzled, old master sergeant replied to the Airman, "Embrace the suck."
He said learning to "embrace the suck" is the key to career progression and remaining calm in a bad situation.
"Embrace the suck and have a warrior spirit attitude in everything that you do and you'll be okay," said Padilla. "Sometimes you have to wrap your arms around everything that sucks and make it good. Sometimes you have to turn the bad into good and even if you can't do that just make it seem good."
Padilla advised that while a career is significant, family should take precedence.
"It's important to have a good career but don't forget about your family. If you support your family then they will support you," he said.
Padilla encouraged the graduates to always embrace the Air Force's core values and take inspiration from everyday life.
"Every time I came through the front gate to get on base and an Airman gave me a salute, that was a reminder for me to earn that salute," said Padilla.
He also urged the pilots to not settle for things they deemed bad or unacceptable.
Compared to the other services, the Air Force has a different attitude toward bad things, whether that be in a career or in the quality of life, he said.
"The attitude we have is not to accept bad things, not to accept the way things are," said Padilla. "We should never be satisfied with the way that things are, we have to continuously, little by little, make things better."
Padilla said that at some point in life or in a career, risks must be taken, though they need to be calculated risks and not stupid risks.
He said that one of his favorite quotes was, "Behold the turtle; he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out."
"As Airmen, you take a level of risk in everything you do," said Padilla. "In order to achieve greatness in this service and in order to do things right sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone."
Padilla stressed that as the pilots get more comfortable with their career not to become over-confident because aviation can be unforgiving.
He said that his wife gave him a poster of a crashed aircraft with the quote, "Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous but to an even greater extent than the sea it is terribly unforgiving on any carelessness in capacity or neglect." That poster, hanging over his dresser, was seen every day and reminded him to not become too comfortable with his career.
Padilla then summarized the purpose of his speech into a single statement for the audience to take with them.
"Continue to focus on the job at hand, work hard, embrace the suck, and be very careful as you continue on and get better instead of becoming complacent," said Padilla. "You should never take flying for granted." |
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