Commentary prompts mentor relationship

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Melanie Holochwost
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  When senior airmen are promoted to staff sergeant, they are expected to be good managers and leaders, even if they lack experience.

Tech. Sgt. Mark Adams, 56th Component Maintenance Squadron modular repair production supervisor, found himself in this position when he arrived at Luke Air Force Base as a new staff sergeant. Eager to improve his leadership skills and motivate his team, he searched the Internet and libraries for information to succeed.

"I stumbled across 'The Master Sergeant Watershed,' an article written by Lt. Col. Raymond Powell, Air Force Honor Guard commander, which got me excited about leadership," Sergeant Adams said. "So, I e-mailed him to tell him how much I liked it, and I began to put the information to use. Since then, we have been exchanging e-mail, and he has given me a lot of helpful advice."

Sergeant Adams said Colonel Powell sent him a list of 12 things to do in order to become an officer.

"Colonel Powell told me to start college immediately," Sergeant Adams said. "He said to keep my grades up, and make sure my degree was in an area that the Air Force was currently looking for in its commissioning programs. He said enlisted performance reports matter, and I should never slack off at my job or make myself difficult to supervise. He said I needed to understand that not everyone would be supportive of me and that it is normal."

Sergeant Adams said he took all 12 points of advice and applied them to his life.
"I'm not sure if I want to be an officer right now, but that hasn't stopped me from following all of Colonel Powell's advice," he said. "I enrolled in college, finished my Community College of the Air Force degree and I'm currently working on my bachelor's through Wayland Baptist University. I got involved with Focus 56 and volunteered to be the president. Now, I mentor the current president, Staff Sgt. Aaron Poirer, who has taken what I have started and continues to make it better."

Sergeant Adams said the work he accomplished, which stemmed from Colonel Powell's advice, earned him many awards and gave him more opportunities.
"I was named NCO of the year for Luke Air Force Base in 2009 and received the Pitsenbarger Award at my CCAF graduation," he said. "The advice also helped me get my Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century job. And, because of my work with AFSO21, I will get the chance to go to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., to work on the F-35 maintenance training program."

Sergeant Adams believes everyone should be involved in mentorship.

"A good mentor is someone who thinks the way you do," he said. "If you like the way someone does something and you want to be like them, that person would be a good mentor. A mentor doesn't have to be older than you or higher ranking; anyone can be a good mentor. They can give you focus and help you be more successful."

Editor's note: Sergeant Adams will be meeting Colonel Powell for the first time Tuesday when the Air Force Drill Team comes to Luke to perform for servicemembers and the local community.