Air Force changing for the better, former chief says Published March 2, 2006 By Kendahl Johnson 311th Human Systems Wing Public Affairs BROOKS CITY-BASE, Texas -- The eighth Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Sam Parish, shared his views about the Air Force and recognized two recently promoted Brooks chief master sergeants during a recognition banquet Feb. 10 at the Brooks Club. Chief Parish offered words of advice, encouragement and motivation at the banquet and honored Brooks Chief Master Sgts. Kevin Reid and Barbara Heyward. The chief also spoke to personnel at an Enlisted Call and toured facilities and missions - including the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and the Brooke Army Medical Center, where he met with military members who were wounded in combat. Chief Parish said when visiting bases around the globe, the message he tries to leave with the Airmen is that the jobs they do are very important. "It doesn't matter what you do in the Air Force, it's how you do it," he said. "Everyone is important. We should recognize each other's importance to the overall mission of our U.S. Air Force. Everyone in the Air Force points to one thing - to make the Air Force better so we can do what we do best and that's put a bomb on target." The former chief master sergeant of the Air Force said we currently have the best Air Force our country has ever had in our entire 59-year history, but cautioned about becoming too complacent. "We are a small, hard-hitting, impacting Air Force, but we shouldn't think we are so good that we stop and rest on our laurels, because tomorrow things change," he said. "We need to continue to evolve. We need senior enlisted leadership to continue to develop. And if we are going to continue to grow, (the Airmen) are going to have to work hard and are going to have to persevere." In the 19 years since his retirement, Chief Parish has seen numerous changes to the Air Force, nearly all of them positive. "There's nothing about our Air Force today that's the same as it was 19 years ago when I retired. Everything has changed," he said. "The uniforms have changed. The chevrons have changed. Even the way we do our mission has changed. The vast majority of the changes have been changes for the better." At the Enlisted Call, Chief Parish spoke to the Brooks enlisted force, sharing several humorous stories and entertaining anecdotes. He also spoke about the four greatest developments in the history of the U.S. Air Force - the greatest of which is the introduction of the Professional Military Education program. "The education, training and development of our enlisted force has made a huge, positive impact," he said. Chief Parish believes other great developments in the history of the Air Force include the weighted Airman promotion system, the integration of women, and the utilization of the enlisted men and women. "Enlisted troops are taking on more and more leadership roles and that is benefiting the Air Force," he said. He offered this advice for young Airmen just starting their careers: "No matter what you do, be the best at what you are doing. If you are the best at what you're doing, somebody in the leadership chain will see the good you are doing for the Air Force and they will support you and take care of you." Chief Parish joined the Air Force in 1954, just seven years after it was established. He worked in various capacities for 32 years before retiring in 1986 following a three-year stint as Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. He was an adviser to secretaries of the Air Force Verne Orr and Russell Rourke and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Charles Gabriel.