Recognition invaluable to mission success at McChord Published Aug. 22, 2008 By Chief Master Sgt. Russell Kuck 62nd Airlift Wing command chief master sergeant MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- When was the last time you told your Airmen they're doing a great job? While recognition is often overlooked, it's one of the most important tools every organization has. Recognizing great work reinforces your organization's goals. It sets the example for what you want to see accomplished. Additionally, prioritizing recognition sets the stage of the work environment. Positive reinforcement is a powerful motivator and it brings out the talent of every individual. Recognizing your Airmen goes a long way. Not only will they work harder for you, but it becomes motivation for them to continue doing a great job. They feel valued. They feel important and in turn, will see how important their mission truly is. The next time you tell yourself you don't have the time to put together a solid package, ask yourself how you can afford not to. It's a powerful tool when used correctly and it's invaluable to mission accomplishment. Remember to set your Airmen up for success. Tell them what you expect in order to be submitted for an award. Sit them down at least 45 days before the next quarterly awards period. Explain to them what they need to do to be competitive. Give them responsibility, a special job to do and watch them shine! Encourage them to take college classes or College Level Examination Program and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support tests. Provide them with a list of places to volunteer. Finally, don't be misled into thinking that you can't submit a package for your deployed Airmen. On the contrary, this is one of the best times to submit their packages. Today's Airmen are expeditionary regardless of their career fields, and deployments are the end-product of what they've been trained to do. Deployed or not, our Airmen deserve to be recognized! Hooah.