Teamwork enhances mission

  • Published
  • By Col. Alan H. Lerner
  • 512th Maintenance Group commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Teamwork is something we usually don't think about and tend to take for granted in the Air Force. Effective teamwork is enhanced by the unique strengths of each unit member and is greatly enhanced by a positive attitude displayed throughout the organization. 

Teamwork truly is alive and well here at Team Dover. We see it in action daily, not only between the 512th and 436th Airlift Wings, but also in the coordinated actions by members of the 512th Maintenance Group members who fix, prepare, launch and recover aircraft, and the 512th Operations Group, whose members operate these aircraft on training and real world missions, supporting both Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. 

Then, throw in the good folks within the 512th Mission Support Group. These professionals service the aircraft with fuel, secure the aircraft and base, maintain airfield facilities, take care of our financial and personnel needs and many more services than I can mention. It's the same for the medical professionals we are lucky to have within the 512th Aerospace Medicine Squadron. 

I haven't even scratched the surface yet. We have as valued wing members: traditional reservists, Air Reserve Technicians, civil servants and contract employees. No matter what our background and pay grade, our teamwork is evident. How can this be? 

It starts with professional attitudes and positive morale displayed by all unit members. If you have these, you have strong unit esprit de corps. Pride in one's ability to make a unit stronger goes a long way toward making a unit better prepared to perform its mission.  

As an individual, you hope you're missed to a small degree when absent from your duty location, but the mission does not need to suffer until you return. I have total confidence in our maintenance folks continuing to produce safe, reliable and mission ready aircraft, whether I'm present for duty here or in a deployed location. I have the same degree of confidence that the other groups, the medical squadron or wing personnel will continue to perform in a professional manner when some of their members are away from their regular work stations. Effective team work can be measured this way; take a step back and see if the team succeeds without you. If it does, then you work in a successful organization with effective teamwork skills. 

So, thank your leadership, trainers, the folks in the "trenches," your peers and also yourself for contributing to the overwhelmingly high level of teamwork that is demonstrated daily throughout the wing. This is a reputation that is truly well deserved!