SENIOR ENLISTED PERSPECTIVE
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
RECALLING AFSA’S INFLUENCE BEYOND CAPITOL HILL
By Chief Master Sgt. Victoria Gamble, Air Mobility Command Chief
During this year’s AFSA PAC Leadership Conference, I ran into one of my former Maintenance Chiefs, Retired Chief Master Sgt. Wenzel Oesterreich, and his wife, Debby. It was absolutely awesome to see them, and I was immediately over- whelmed by very fond memories of AFSA’s Local Chapter 615 and my time with its very dedicated Airmen. During that time in my life, it was not about what AFSA accom- plished on my behalf on Capitol Hill but about the feeling of trust and inclusiveness I received from all members of that Chapter. T ey went out of their way to make my friends and I feel like we were part of their family since we were all so far from home. If any of us needed help, career advice—or even a hug—they were there. Of course, they also encouraged a strong work ethic. We
accomplished what seemed at the time hundreds of hours of community service, and they constantly pushed us to lead and continue to work on our professional weaknesses. If any of us didn’t show up, a phone call would be coming our way to make sure we were OK. We were constantly surrounded with positive reinforcement and great Wingmen on which to rely. To say that AFSA has had a positive impact on my life would be an understatement. While AFSA’s work on Capitol Hill is important, it is
absolutely secondary to the mentorship and leadership opportunities found in local chapters. Local chapters off er occasions for Airmen to connect and get involved with other Airmen who are facing similar feelings, challenges, and tri- umphs. We face many issues, but it is comforting to know that we’re all in this together.
This commentary expresses the personal views of Chief Master Sgt. Victoria Gamble and are not meant to repre- sent the offi cial opinion of the U.S. Air Force.
Chief Gamble joined the Air Force in 1985 and served in a variety of aircraft maintenance assignments, working on six different aircraft: the F-4, F-16, F-5, A-10, B-52, and KC-135. She has been a command chief at the group, wing, and number air force levels. She was selected as AMC Command Chief in January 2014.
“ To say that AFSA has had a positive impact on my life would be an understatement.”
24
www.hqafsa.org
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36