Additional Duties are Not Four Letter Words

  • Published
  • By Mr. Charlie Ford
  • 354th Logistics Readniess Squadron
There are so many opportunities in the Air Force to prepare yourself for success as you move up through the ranks or transition to your post military career.

The Air Force teaches us technical skills, pays for college degrees, develops in us a positive work ethic and the list goes on. These opportunities are readily shared with us by everyone. Though, there is a gap in the skill sets the Air Force provides us-not that the opportunity is not there-that we must seek for ourselves. As a manager one must have exceptionally effective written and oral communication skills and understand more specialized managerial tasks, such as organizational finance.

In today's multi-tasked work force an expanded skill set to draw upon is absolutely indispensable in order to be successful. A skill set is a combination of knowledge, talent and abilities that are needed to perform specific jobs. The more varied your skill set the more jobs you are capable of performing.

All of us go through some kind of formal training then combine this training with experience to develop a job specialty skill set. Our basic skill set, for example, allows us as Airmen to perform paperwork duties today then drive a forklift tomorrow. In today's competitive work place there are numerous, overlooked opportunities to expand your skill set that we should all tap into.

Additional duties are the gap fillers that we should tap into. For example, a Unit Resource Advisor gains financial management experience through developing financial plans and executing budgets. They gain practical experience making difficult decisions by sometimes having to say, "No," and they perfect their persuasive writing skills by justifying unfunded requirements to higher headquarters.

Becoming a member of the base's Disaster Control Group provides other opportunities to hone your managerial skills.

DCG representatives must be able to make correct decisions under stressful situations. If they cannot, who knows the disastrous results? Emergency Operations Center members also have the opportunity to direct others during stressful events.

As a director you have the ultimate responsibility for your decisions and must persuade others to act on your directives. Effective oral communication skills are mandatory. The point is that some of the most marketable skills and experiences you can develop to become a better manager, decision maker and communicator are learned through performing additional duties.

These enhancements to your skill set will help you climb the ladder in your military career and provide practical training, experience, and quantifiable accomplishments when you are writing your resume.

Increasing your competitive edge is not difficult. Your first step is to volunteer. Let your commander know you are interested in managing an additional duty program. Pick one that interests you. Next seek training. Be proactive by calling the Wing's point of contact for the program to schedule formal training. Do not stop at formal training. Learn the regulations that explain the program. Search the Internet for other sources of information.

Becoming an expert in your additional duty is not easy, but it is necessary to establish your credibility. It is vitally important to understand your additional duty, so commit the time necessary to learn. Once you have mastered the nuances of your program take time to organize your work with continuity guides, establish recurring suspense reminders and share your new skills with others.

Continue to learn, meet suspenses, provide accurate advice to your commander, train your alternate then ask to manage a different additional duty after about 18 months. After following these steps know that you just became more competitive in the work force.

There are probably 100 different additional duties a squadron needs managed. These duties fall under categories such as vehicle and equipment management, safety, security, anti-terrorism and various personnel management programs. All offer opportunities to develop your communication skills, increase networking opportunities, and teach various other managerial skills