Command chief steps out of the office and works with Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joshua Smoot
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Chief Master Sgt. Phillip L. Easton, 341st Missile Wing command chief, visited security forces members May 6.

Easton visited them as part of a new program he is involved in, which includes going out
and performing jobs side by side with the Airmen at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

"This program provides me an opportunity to get out and get a better understanding of what our Airmen do each and every day," Easton said. "It's hard to appreciate their job if you don't actually do it."

Easton plans on visiting each of the five groups that are part of MAFB, as well as the wing staff agencies.

The program includes shadowing Airmen in each group, every other week. After three months, the cycle will start over.

"Each group has me for two hours, so I am hoping I do multiple jobs considering that I am not going to get around to that group again for another three months," Easton said.

Easton is up for any job the groups want to throw at him. He doesn't even mind doing some dirty jobs.

"If they're digging trenches, gear me up," Easton said. "If they want me to clean the kennels out at the K-9 unit, give me some brushes and soap, and I'm on it."

Easton wants to better appreciate what the Airmen here do each and every day. Although Easton enjoys doing any job handed to him, he wants to do jobs that are unique to the mission here.

"I am an aircraft maintainer by trade, so I like to do things that are out of my comfort zone," he said.

During Easton's trip with security forces, he went through the process of issuing guests base passes at the Visitor Control Center with the assistance of Senior Airman Megan Wright and Airman Myranda Decuffa, 341st Security Forces Squadron visitor center control technicians.

He also posted at the entry gates greeting and scanning ID's of individuals trying to access the base.

Seeing Easton greeting people and helping scan IDs was a cool experience said Senior Airmen Trust Davis and Kayla Sledge, 341st SFS installation entry controllers.

Along with Davis and Sledge, Airman Michael Sovik, 341st SFS installation entry controller, trained Easton on the proper way to scan IDs and grant access to people wanting to enter the base.

To conclude his visit with security forces, he joined Airmen 1st Class Samantha Haase and Robert Martin, 341st SFS response force members, on a patrol of the base.

Easton started a similar 'Working with Airmen' program along with his commander at his previous assignment at Kadena Air Base, Japan. He was able to work with the Airmen there for just over a year before joining Team Malmstrom.

"It became very popular and was pretty cool, so I decided to transfer it over here," Easton said.

Easton plans on working with 341st Operations Group next, then proceeding to the 341st Mission Support Group, 341st Medical Group, 341st Maintenance Group, and then finishing off with the wing staff agencies.