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USN Don't judge your value by your proximity to the target

Hail_HYDRA!

One more question...
Just came across an incredible article entitled "Don't judge your value by your proximity to the target" that I believe is most appropriate to our community, heck all communities of support professionals, as we are the expert IW support cadre providing critical IW capabilities to the warfighter, decision-makers, and influencers on the hill. We're the cog in a system-of-systems that when brought together with the other slivers generate the ingredients to project U.S. policy.

See excerpt with the link below:

"When I checked into my command, I naively expected to cross the threshold and be welcomed as the operator I spent so much time trying to become. I was wrong, instead of a warm welcome to the brotherhood I received a shotgun blast from the grizzled Command Master Chief; “Congrats on making it here, now I want you to go to the store and load your cars up with the best beer you can find. Then I want you to walk around to every support shop at the team, deliver that beer and pay homage to the people who will ultimately make or break your chances of success at this command…”

The SEAL Teams, the 160th SOAR or any organization which relies on highly capable, dynamic, team members to execute perfection on point don’t do it on talent and training alone. Often an entire disproportionate cast of supporting personnel shoulder the burden of the details so a team can focus on target execution. The most efficient operator doesn’t have the bandwidth to master the point of execution while simultaneously learning all the contributing expertise that enables no-fail mission success. We rely on a well-trained support element of subject matter experts. When the impossible is accomplished, these professionals are often overlooked because they’re not at the highly visible point of impact, but they are undeniably the keys to our accomplishments. The easy corollary is the husband who asks his wife what she does all day. Until he comes home to a messy house, no dinner, unpaid bills and ashamedly realizes her value.

If you want an eye opener, walk around your organization and spend 20 minutes with one of your subtle professionals to discover how much their contributions pour into your success, you’ll come away with a new-found appreciation and perspective on what they bring to the team. You’ll also be shocked at how treasured a simple, sincere recognition of their value goes toward building a stronger organization."

 
The author is actually a member on this site; I don’t think he’s been around much these days.
 
The author is actually a member on this site; I don’t think he’s been around much these days.
Really?! Well, good to know. Glad he dropped those gems and wisdom. It was impactful to me and wanted to share with others. Good to get some perspective from time to time.
 
Though the brief blurb (which was good) appears directed at special warfare types, it isn't specific to that or to the military. For example, something many engineering, marketing, and other folks can relate to, you go to a trade show for a demo that would determine some degree of your company's future. It's one of those instances, say in a massive multinational corporation, where one person or a few people well below the executive level or C-level can directly play an overwhelming role with regards to millions or billions in future potential revenue at stake riding on these few individuals. That would make you rather valuable. But it would be foolhardy and arrogant to overlook the countless hours of work that dozens or hundreds of your colleagues put into the particular project to be demonstrated. Or maybe in the off-chance you get duped on what you would be doing when arduously qualifying for a PMC contract and your actual surprise role is finding and harming jihadis, but you're provided with such precise detail and information and support that really all you have to worry about is doing the job and stayin alive. But anyways, I realize I'm preaching to the choir, but expressing gratitude and keeping humble go a long way and can make your life a lot easier. And it costs nothing.
 
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I agree with the idea that supporting roles are every bit as important. What I can’t handle, and what often made me see red while on active duty (and hell, still does occasionally in the reserves), is when this mentality goes too far……..when the supporting actors actually make it harder for the front line folks to accomplish the mission, through their own rules and procedures created in a vacuum. For example, I’m the AvArm division officer of a Hornet squadron at the time, and my AT’s cant get crypto because of XYZ policy from ship’s company/crypto vault. The crypto me and my buds are going to need to load into mission cards and stick in our jets to enable JDAMs to work over Afghanistan in a couple hours. To do close air support for American grunts on the ground. Shit like that. Mainly i just have a deep distrust and borderline hatred for ship’s company anywhere. /rant.
 
I agree with the idea that supporting roles are every bit as important. What I can’t handle, and what often made me see red while on active duty (and hell, still does occasionally in the reserves), is when this mentality goes too far……..when the supporting actors actually make it harder for the front line folks to accomplish the mission, through their own rules and procedures created in a vacuum. For example, I’m the AvArm division officer of a Hornet squadron at the time, and my AT’s cant get crypto because of XYZ policy from ship’s company/crypto vault. The crypto me and my buds are going to need to load into mission cards and stick in our jets to enable JDAMs to work over Afghanistan in a couple hours. To do close air support for American grunts on the ground. Shit like that. Mainly i just have a deep distrust and borderline hatred for ship’s company anywhere. /rant.
Agreed. If you’re in a supporting role, then fucking find a way to support- don’t create a roadblock. Supervisors should enable this.

By a similar token, it took me entirely too long to learn that a big part of being in a “warfighter” or primary role is itself, support. Helping the troops with a burger burn. Getting crypto issues solved for the ATs. Standing SDO. The best dudes and dudettes learn this early and live it well.

Someone wiser than me said a long time ago, “It’s not all choker whites and dining outs.”

It’s not all valid shots and OK 3 wires either. That’s why those things are so revered- they’re don’t come cheaply or easily.

(Sometimes I wish I could slap younger me upside the head.)
 
I agree with the idea that supporting roles are every bit as important. What I can’t handle, and what often made me see red while on active duty (and hell, still does occasionally in the reserves), is when this mentality goes too far……..when the supporting actors actually make it harder for the front line folks to accomplish the mission, through their own rules and procedures created in a vacuum. For example, I’m the AvArm division officer of a Hornet squadron at the time, and my AT’s cant get crypto because of XYZ policy from ship’s company/crypto vault. The crypto me and my buds are going to need to load into mission cards and stick in our jets to enable JDAMs to work over Afghanistan in a couple hours. To do close air support for American grunts on the ground. Shit like that. Mainly i just have a deep distrust and borderline hatred for ship’s company anywhere. /rant.

The amount of times I'm stuck in this position is sometimes infuriating. "Well, sir, we could get this done but we have to wait for someone who has burn rights to transfer that. I know it's Saturday, they'll be in first thing in the morning on Tuesday. Sorry. Not my problem."

And "Sorry sir, I know you're supposed to switch AORs tonight, but it's a 2 week process to get crypto, and it will be Tuesday before the person is in to submit the request."

🤬
 
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