Commentary: Pass It On Published Aug. 18, 2010 By Capt. Howard Vandevere 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Since the Air Force deploys its members as Unit Type Codes, we are unique in the military in how we train and operate at deployed locations. Our ability to pull people from varied backgrounds and units around the world and meld them into a wartime fighting unit with little notice is simply amazing. Airmen need to be proud of how we provide cargo, people and lethality from above while being small parts of a blended unit in a high-deployment tempo. As always, communication is the key element to successfully completing our mission. This is true from the top to the bottom of our organizations. We, as deployed personnel, must be able to effectively pass on information to our replacements. It's human nature for people to focus on the task of getting home as they near the end of their tours, but we also need to prepare for the transition to our replacements. They've been traveling for two days and can barely keep their eyes open when they first arrive. We've all been there and know that it takes three to four days before being able to remember your name, much less all of the new passwords, meeting dates and times -- the list goes on and on. Updated, accurate and complete continuity books are critical for a healthy turnover. I have seen cases of people being replaced, and a week later the new person is lost or doesn't know about a suspense date or a meeting. We talk about this all of the time, but continuity is really THAT important. There is a reason squadrons have spreadsheets and other processes in place. The people who have deployed before us learned the hard way and designed fixes for most of the problems we encounter. It's just as important for us to put in place systems based on processes so that we can avoid future relapses. Most continuity books can be drafted in just a couple of hours, so take the time to do it. We have smart people doing great jobs that improve our mission daily. The secret is to document these improvements and make sure your replacement fully understands how to carry on and continue to make it better.