The mission remains important even during the moving season

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Evyn Helber
  • 71st Medical Support Squadron commander
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Life is full of transitions. Military life seems to have more of them with shorter periods of time between them. However, one thing remains constant no matter what duty you're performing or at which location you may be serving -- the importance of the mission.

The permanent-change-of-station season is quickly approaching and many people at Vance will soon transition, including me. As we go through this process, it is important to reflect on where each of us fit in and how we've impacted the mission, and to remember the memories and friendships forged along the way.

Since my introduction to the Air Force as a field training cadet almost 20 years ago to the day, dedicated leaders have instilled upon me what it means to serve and the principles of why the mission is so vital.

With that in mind, it truly doesn't matter what base or forward operating location you're at or what your job entails; it all comes down to the mission and how everyone plays a part in accomplishing it.

Like many others in the military, I've never had my feet planted anywhere for more than a three year stretch. It seems like just when things become routine and familiar, it is time to pack up and move again.

The packing and unpacking may be the most challenging part of the ordeal. I have to admit, some boxes are never quite emptied but are just shuffled from place to place.

Many times it is the unfamiliarity or fear of the unknown that comes along with a new job or transition that may be the most unsettling. With the moving, many new and some familiar challenges exist, but once again, the mission remains true.

Sure, new locations may require a different tactical mission or consist of different goals for day to day operations compared to Base X. But from a strategic level the mission will remain as the bedrock that guides us all.

People always say that it is about the journey rather than the destination, and with the military lifestyle this saying is especially true. I urge you to remember that as your military career takes you across the country, across the globe and back again.

The people you meet today will be present again somewhere in your future. Never take them for granted. Actively build relationships and make them count. You never know when your paths might cross again, but they surely will.

Always move forward with an optimistic outlook and know that each and every one of us plays an important role toward the greater good in defending our nation.

Sometimes it may be hard to differentiate the forest from the trees, but much like our wing mission of developing, delivering and deploying, all that we do and all that our families do to support us feeds into the overarching Air Force mission to fly, fight and win.