Moody honors newest SNCO inductees

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ceaira Tinsley
  • 23d Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Nearly 50 master sergeant selects walked through the saber archery at Moody Air Force Base, signaling their induction into the senior NCO tier during a senior NCO induction ceremony here July 25.

The ceremony's theme for the evening was "shaping our forces today for tomorrow," and each rank of the senior NCO tier shared their perspective and experience with the inductees.

"Their responsibility needs to be their Airmen, because with the upcoming force reductions, it's going to be hard times," said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerome Blackwell, 23d Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent and organizer of the SNCO induction ceremony. "The upcoming master sergeants need to know how to deal with what's in front of us, and that in itself is going to be their hardest task."

Prior to the induction ceremony, the inductees completed a week-long professional enhancement course where they were briefed on what will be expected of them. Briefings were given by Moody's chief master sergeants, first sergeants and Airmen.

When asked what new responsibilities the rank of master sergeant will bring, inductee Master Sgt. Corey Hebb, 820th Combat Operations Squadron NCO in charge of innovative combat equipment, said "You're not just leading your shop ... you're an Air Force leader. I always try to help and lead, and with this stripe, I need to pave the way and open the doors for the people behind me."

The first speaker, representing the master sergeant perspective, emphasized not forgetting about where you came from and joked about sharing his 55 days of master sergeant experience.

"It's not a one-person show," said Master Sgt. Steven Haro, 23d Operations Support Squadron air traffic control senior watch supervisor. "We can't accomplish the mission without our Airmen and our NCOs. Remember that you don't wear that stripe for you ... you wear it for your Airmen and because your people need to breathe easy."

Another senior NCO, Senior Master Sgt. Charlene Vance, 820th COS first sergeant, described the notable types of master sergeant inductees and challenged them to be model senior NCOs.

The final speaker, representing the chief master sergeant perspective, explained the three Ls of leadership. He asked what type of senior NCO the inductees will be: a servant or self serving.

"A servant leader sees leadership much in the same way a carpenter sees a hammer ... it can be used to build, to create and to realize a dream," said Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey Leemon, 723d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron superintendent. "A wise servant is as careful with their power as they would be with that hammer."

For the 48 inductees, it was a night that signified their journey into the senior enlisted tier, and it ended with the singing of the Air Force song.