Commentary: Service before self defines who we are

  • Published
  • By Col. Marydarlene Morgan
  • 18th Force Support Squadron commander
KADENA AB, Japan --  Service before self. It's one of our core principals. In our profession, we know we are at times putting our very lives on the line in the defense of our nation. But service before self has vast meaning beyond this. It's the willingness to be separated from our friends and family, whether by deployment, a remote assignment, or simply the extended hours required during an exercise to meet the mission on any particular day. Each of us place service before self as we perform our day-to-day tasks. It's what we do. It's who we are. 

My team is the newest unit on Kadena. Some of you may not have heard of the Force Support Squadron, but we're the product of a merger between the previous Mission Support and Services squadrons. Historically, these two units touched every customer on a base from the first day of duty to the last, especially Services, which encompassed both childcare and mortuary services, and everything in between. Our mission, is to take care of the community's Airmen and families, from cradle to grave, but it's not just the FSS doing that. 

When you think of service, perhaps a face to face interaction comes to mind - someone providing you a product or assisting with a problem. The sergeant at the postal service center sending your package, the cashier at the BX ringing you up, the waitress at Chili's taking your order, or the technician at the legal office assisting you with a power of attorney. 

Of course, personal interactions are a big part of our quality of life. But service before self' applies equally to the Airman on the flightline who in the course of his day deals with the heat or rain and may never have a personal interaction, but performs his job with pride. It's no less a core value displayed in the clean office environment left by a janitor, or the computer technician testing a new release before pushing it out on the network. 

Each and every member of our Kadena community is halfway around the world from their homes, doing their part on this synergistic team because 'service before self' is not just an Air Force core value...it's your core value. 

Kadena's Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) program produces more than 1,500 customer comments monthly for units across the wing. This is more than any base in the Air Force. Our community is in the habit of recognizing good service when they see it and sharing their less than desirable interactions when those occur. 

Each of us are both service providers and recipients of service. I want to encourage each of you to point out those great examples of 'service before self.' Supervisors, ensure the smallest sacrifice is recognized. Parents, foster sacrifice as an honorable human principle. And co-workers, take time to enjoy the relationships with those around you. Team Kadena has a legacy of excellence because of its unique level of service. Your service is allowing that legacy to continue. Thank you for your selflessness.