AETC Command Chief retires

  • Published
  • By Ms. Jessica Turner
  • Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Air Education and Training
Command's senior enlisted leader retired Aug. 13 after serving 31 years, two
months, and 27 days, ending a career longer than the average enlistee is
permitted to serve.

"I enlisted in the Air Force for the same reason a lot of people are
enlisting in the Air Force today," said Chief Master Sgt. Robert Tappana.
"Due to the economy, a search for independence, and leaving a small town for
the first time, my intent was to serve four years, receive the experience,
get out and get a 'real job,' it just didn't work out that way."

Chief Tappana began his service with the Traffic Management Office, "moving
people and equipment from one place to another," and admits the choice to
make the Air Force a career did not happen overnight.

The chief described his first mentor and supervisor Tech Sgt. (Ret.) Jim
Steen as, "the kind of supervisor they tell us about in Airman Leadership
School, (Sergeant Steen) knew what we were doing, where we lived, set high
standards and didn't let us get away with just anything."

It was that leadership, and the physical and emotional support of his fellow
Airmen during a difficult time of adversity, that helped solidify his career
path and commitment to serve.

Early in his career the chief's family experienced a medical hardship, but
it was that struggle and the support of the Air Force family that truly
inspired the decision to stay in. Describing the most pivotal moment in his
career, chief thanks one Master Sgt. (Ret.) Mark Davila for one simple
question, "Are you okay?" The Air Force is never easy chief says, but he
knew then he was never alone.

From there, adaptation to the military became easy for the Tappana family
through the demonstration of compassion and encouragement by the Airmen who
surrounded his family with care and support.

Through the years, the chief also learned service members must give their
family the same care they give to the Air Force. He believes our core value
is service before self, not service instead of self, and both compromise and
balance are crucial to the Air Force family.

Chief Tappana's first advice to young airmen is to "focus on the job you
have and to blossom where you're planted," he said. "As soon as an
opportunity comes up, we will pick you up and transplant you to a bigger,
better garden.

"Careers begin to go south when people start worrying about the next job and
the one after that. The key to success is to excel at what you are given,"
he added.

While serving in different positions and multiple capacities over the last
30 years, the chief has witnessed many changes to Air Force programs.
Improvements he believes the Air Force benefited from include the focus on
fitness, embracing education, family care, technological growth, and more
non-traditional roles in combat contact.

Admitting that he smoked cigarettes for six and a half weeks during basic
training and his only letter of counseling as a young Airman was from a
Traffic Management Office chief for not providing an ashtray for customers,
Chief Tappana agreed the Air Force is now a healthier force. Airmen must
exceed what used to be only a 1.5-mile run once a year to meet physical
requirement standards.

"We are giving enlisted people far more responsibility now than we did 30
years ago," he said. "When I came in, in 79' Traffic Management Officers had
to be officers, enlisted were not allowed to run TMO."

The chief encourages giving more responsibility to Airmen and empowering
them with education allowing people to produce a lot more for the Air Force.


Chief Tappana explained there was an assumption until about 10 years ago
that "a majority of our combat would involve a pilot in an aircraft. For my
first 20 years we didn't think about the fact that our vehicle operators
would be running convoys through the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, or
that our young PA professionals would be outside the wire serving on
Provisional Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan."

It's a new world for us, and our Airmen do phenomenally," he said.

"That includes keeping up with the speed at which change is happening, the
chief said.

"I've had the privilege of watching the Air Force move from a basic
typewriter, to computing, to mobile phones, and blue tooth wireless
devices," he said. "The blackberry I carry today is the back up to the
laptop I carry that connects to the entire world without actually being
connected to anything."

Additionally, the chief admits social media is important to the Air Force as
long as the force can figure out how to use it as an advantage.

"We've got a lot of senior people trying to 'FaceBook' because they think
that is what the junior people want, and we end up trying to put a square
peg into a round hole," Chief Tappana said. "I think the Air Force hasn't
figured out how to do it all yet, we try to make FaceBook fit paradigms we
(the Air Force) have, and we also have people who are afraid of it because
it's new.

"I don't think social media is anything to fear, it's a communication tool,
an opportunity to revolutionize how we communicate with our people, the
chief said. "Social media will not do anything for us, like a hammer is not
going to put a nail in on its own, you have to pick it up, and aim it
right," the chief said. "If nobody picks it up or touches it, we don't win,
we don't lose, we don't get anything; if someone picks up and uses it
irresponsibly, then yes, we lose."

For Chief Tappana, winning in the Air Force is "helping put together a plan
and watching it unfold, or watching from afar as people you've worked with
or people that have worked for you get promoted and advance in their career.


There have been many proud moments for Chief Tappana in the Air Force, like
walking through the airport with his uniform on as people thank him for his
service, giving 100 percent to the core values of the Air Force, being an
effective public speaker, and taking care of this nation for more than 30
years.

Leaving the force is not bitter sweet or sad the chief explained, it's a
step forward into a new path and a future where I can watch my Air Force
from the other side.

From here, Chief Tappana and Tresie, his wife of 24 years, will travel north
to Alaska to pursue the one thing he regrets not doing, earning a college
degree.

"I want to teach," he said. "I want to be more well-rounded, work on my
photography, read more and most importantly, perform a role that makes a
difference."