Diamond Notes: Taking care of Airmen Published Sept. 2, 2015 By Master Sgt. Ruby Tilley 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron First Sergeant CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of commentaries by Cannon’s first sergeants and additional-duty first sergeants providing mentorship and leadership experience to Air Commandos, while highlighting Air Force standards. Many of us can look back throughout our careers and admit we have done something careless and had to pay the consequence through some sort of disciplinary action, or survived a situation by the skin of our teeth. I can tell you there have been many times where I was the one being helped by a fellow wingman - someone who took the time to let me know when I was about to make a terrible mistake. I am here today because someone cared enough about me to be a good wingman. Now, think about the Airman who is waiting outside the commander’s office getting ready to face disciplinary action for an incident related to alcohol, sexual misconduct, financial issues or a fight with their significant other, and do not forget about the Airmen we have lost as a result of those incidents. In all these cases, there were signs of trouble and there were Airmen standing by watching the train wreck happen in slow motion. If you are thinking to yourself, “there is only so much I can do to affect the outcome of someone else’s life,” you are right, but that’s no excuse not to be a good wingman and reached out to an Airman in need. The Air Force instills within us the wingman concept. I truly believe in this concept and in its ability to have a positive impact on our mission. In fact, I see Airmen demonstrating the wingman concept every day. Airmen at all levels of command have a role as wingmen. According to Air Force Instruction 1-1, Air Force Culture, a wingman is someone who safeguards his or her lead, and a lead never lets his or her wingman stray into danger. We can be wingmen in the humblest of forms. From something as simple as letting an Airman know when they are noncompliant with dress and appearance standards, to more difficult situations like getting an Airman help when they are dealing with tough conditions in their personal lives. In any situation, being a good wingman simply means taking care of fellow Airmen. Being a wingman is not always easy. Sometimes it means reporting an Airman who has committed a crime or violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As stated in AFI 1-1, our conduct must be guided by the Air Force core values and be consistent with the safe and proper fulfillment of instructions, directives, technical orders and other lawful orders. Having to report violations against a fellow Airman is never easy and may cause us to question our loyalty and values. It is important to remember that your actions can have a negative or positive impact on your fellow Airmen. By not reporting a violation, you may think you are protecting a fellow Airman, but those actions could potentially cause harm to others and most importantly, degrade the mission. Be a good wingman, take care of your fellow Airmen and take action when signs of trouble are observed; especially in situations where Airmen appear as if they are about to make a poor decision, are in despair, or show signs of hurting themselves or others. Prevention is crucial and if we can act as wingmen first, we can continue to prevent negative situations, save careers and potentially lives.