Commentary: Doing the Basics ... Published March 11, 2011 By Chief Master Sgt. David R. Nordel Ogden Air Logistics Center and 75th Air Base Wing Command Chief Hill AFB, Utah -- Can you imagine getting up to go to work today and forgetting to put on your socks? It would make you uncomfortable, you might get a blister, and you would be out of uniform. The reason we put our socks on is that it is a basic thing we do to complete our uniform and keep ourselves healthy and safe so we can function properly. The basics we do in the defense of our nation should be no different -- it starts with standards, customs and courtesies, and following direction and guidance! Unfortunately we have gotten away from the basics in some areas and the basics, or "blocking and tackling," have become focus points for our Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. Often, mishaps could have been prevented if the basics had only been adhered to. Why do I bring this up? Well, as we begin to stretch our people and weapons systems to places we haven't before, we need now more than ever to be doing the basics! As I think about how we can best accomplish this, it seems very easy: Do the basics. In the Air Force we are great at change and "making things happen." We do this by repeating successful steps from similar events -- we repeat the basics! In a year that we're focusing on the basics, it is fitting that I write this story the day after the 2011 Super Bowl. The team that won was the team that was least penalized, had no turnovers and had the best blocking and tackling. It is sometimes easy to think we need to run a fancy play or do something we haven't practiced to get something done sooner or "easier." In the worst cases, the poor results of that can lead to mission failures and accidents. The reason we have things such as customs and courtesies and standard guidance is so we have a foundation of basics to help execute the overall mission of the defense of our nation. The basics in our day-to-day lives as Airmen are more important now than ever before. If we learn and repeat the basics of leadership, supervision and work responsibilities, it will help take care of a lot of issues we get concerned with. If the frontline supervisor is focused on the basics of his or her mission, people and resources, then the rest of what challenges us will become easier. I ask each and every Airman in our command to stop and take a look. Do your fellow Airmen dress well and salute when they should? Can they still do facing movements and march? Are they following TOs and AFIs? Try re-establishing some of the basics, have a retreat at the base flag pole, march with a First Term Airmen Center class, sit with your subordinates and do their job with them for a couple hours, find out if the basics are missing. Then ... GET BACK TO THEM!