Making the right decision

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Eric Sapp
  • 28th Bomb Wing Equal Opportunity Office
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE S.D. --  Each and every day, Airmen are required to make decisions. Making the right decision requires that you think before you act. Consequences of the decisions we make on a daily basis can have a negative or positive impact on our life and career.

As members of the Air Force, we are expected to live by our core values: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. Many decisions we make can interfere with our core values. As Air Force members, we need to make a conscious decision to act as professionals 24/7, regardless of the situation.

With that said, I want to bring to your attention certain party games that require behavior that is less than professional. These games are extremely vulgar and far removed from our core values. They are growing in popularity and deserve some discussion regarding how they're impacting our fellow Airmen.

Participation in certain games or activities has a way of destroying good order and discipline. There are consequences for taking part in certain games. Some may argue saying, "They are only games so why are there consequences?"

As Americans, we enjoy and exercise freedom of speech. However, as Air Force members - not only our actions, but especially our words should always reflect the respect, courtesy, and professionalism that is required when wearing the uniform.

The little blue book that each member has talks about our core values. Service before self means we should always have respect for others. Excellence in all we do means viewing another person as an individual of fundamental worth.

As a result, a person should never be judged on the basis of his or her possession of an attribute that places him or her in some racial, ethnic, economic, or gender-based category.

Games that are offensive in nature can be detrimental to mission effectiveness and allow unprofessional relationships to develop. Regardless of whether you are playing with your peers or not, unprofessional relationships become a large part in the reason that these games have no place in our culture.

The vulgar nature of these games breeds an environment where it is allowed and expected to refer to others using vulgar terms and inappropriate language. This is unacceptable behavior for members of the Air Force. We should always consider the impact of words especially when used to degrade others.

Airmen are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and their actions are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Airmen who participate in activities that destroy good order and discipline can and may be subject to charges in violation of Article 92, 133 (for officers) and Article 134.

It is very important that we take a moment to think about how our actions will reflect on ourselves and our fellow Airmen. Not taking that moment to think about the consequences could be the moment that ends your career.