Deployed environments foster good work ethics

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Eleven months ago, 30 days after I stepped off the airplane into the 115-degree heat, I considered the lightening-fast pace the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Airmen appeared to be operating in. It seemed everyone was working in fast-forward, and that Airmen here were accomplishing an enormous amount of work in a short time ... maybe more in just one day than their counterparts at home, doing a similar task, were accomplishing in a week. 

I wrote a piece for the Desert Eagle in early August, based on this "fast forward" observation, and mulled over how we often use the term "dog years" to describe how one human year supposedly equates to seven years in a dog's life. In the piece I asked 

"Do we have our own 'dog years' here? Does one day here equal seven days at home-station?" 

Today is my one year anniversary here, so I've had adequate time to ponder the truth behind that question. When I first arrived, seven days worth of work accomplished in one day seemed like a lot, but after a year here, seven days of work completed in a single day is nothing! 

I previously served as the 316th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and the 316th LRS issued an average of 3.1 million gallons of jet fuel a month. 

The 379th ELRS Fuels Management Flight issued 3.2 million gallons of fuel June 15 to 17 ... we did more here in three days than Andrews' Fuels Management Flight accomplished in one month. 

For another comparison, the 379th ELRS Traffic Management Flight works 24 hours a day, seven days a week to process emergency leave travel for Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines throughout the area of responsibility. 

The TMF processed 25 emergency leaves the week of May 29, and the 316th LRS averaged three emergency leaves per month. 

Based on these stats, the Airmen here did eight months of work in a week! 

For a final comparison, the 379th ELRS accomplished 647 aircrew runs last week, or an average of 92 runs a day. 

In contrast, the 316th LRS averaged 70 aircrew runs per week ... the Vehicle Operations Flight here accomplished more in a day than my previous base in a week! 

In addition to reviewing statistics on how much work our Airmen accomplish in one day here, it was interesting to compare the numbers from 11 months ago to today. The 379th ELRS issued 770,000 gallons of fuel a day in July 2006, which was, and still is, more than any other Air Force base in the world. But now, based on our current daily issue of 1 million gallons, we say: "Only 770,000? What a slow day!" 

Although these statistics focused on 379th ELRS processes, any other unit here can make similar comparisons to units back home, and show the same sort of incredible accomplishments. 

Aircraft hours flown, meals served, work orders processed ... our statistics here are just amazing. 

In addition, for those Airmen who have deployed here previously, reflect on how much more you accomplish in a day now than you did on your previous deployment ... and I bet you thought you were working very hard before, too! 

A year ago I considered how "dog years" may compare to our work days here while deployed ... is one day here like seven days at home-station? Now, based on my experience, that doesn't adequately describe what Airmen accomplish here; a day of work here could easily be several weeks, or months, of work at another base. 

At the end of the day, think about what you accomplished, and what an impact you had on the mission -- be very proud of what you achieve every day!