Today's MTIs, through the eyes of an old airman

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Gerardo Tapia
  • Command Chief, Air Education and Training Command
I normally don't jump into the fray of Internet social commentary, but as Air Education and Training Command's senior enlisted airman, I felt compelled after seeing many readers' comments stemming from a March 31 news article on the court-martial of a former military training instructor.

The article highlighted the former MTI's guilty actions and quoted an anonymous MTI source to suggest how soft Basic Military Training has become and how much power basic trainees wield over their instructors. I spend much of my time at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the 37th Training Wing and at BMT. There, I talk to many airmen, both in and out of training. I also look and listen from afar, when my presence isn't always known, because situational awareness is my job. But I'm also not so naïve to believe we live in a perfect world.

BMT is a demanding environment and is not for everyone. We've spent time and effort creating an atmosphere safe to train in, while conducive to preparing our newest airmen to begin learning how to deliver lethal combat air power. I don't need to remind anyone of where we've been and where we will never go again. At last count, 35 noncommissioned officers who ignored their core values, and hurt airmen, put a nasty shiner on the eye of our great Air Force. Since then, we've taken major steps to restore the trust and confidence this nation has in our Air Force. This is why I write today.

You can be proud of the Air Force MTI corps. It's my job to represent these airmen, and it bothers me to think some believe we've thrown the baby out with the bathwater. (I can hear the naysayers. "Chief, because of where you sit, airmen will tell you what they think you need to hear versus what's really happening." To that I reply, I've invested my time wisely and find that most of our airmen, MTIs and leadership trust me. I've been fortunate to serve 29 years and realized long ago that trust is hard to earn but easy to lose. So for me, not having trust is a deal breaker in any relationship. I make that known up front.)

I've listened long to our MTIs' concerns. I've found clear distinctions between a small minority who may feel powerless and those who clearly acknowledge they are comfortable operating in this environment. What the anonymous news source failed to mention was that those same critique boxes he or she referred to in the article are mostly stuffed with notes of praise for their MTIs and this institution we cherish. I've read them. The prevailing theme is one of pride and gratitude. In fact, the notes are a running testimony to how these trainees will never forget the names of their MTIs and the difference these superior NCOs have made in their lives.

We can't lose sight of the fact that the overwhelming majority of our MTI corps "gets it." They give fully of themselves, their families sacrifice, and they train our newest airmen hard. It's what we expect of them and they deliver every day.

Never forget that many of these young trainees may soon find themselves in harm's way.

Our goal at BMT is producing a tough-skinned, resilient, respectful airman ready to fight tonight. If you need any further proof, I extend a personal invitation to you to join my boss, Gen. Robin Rand, commander of Air Education and Training Command, and I any Friday morning at 9 a.m. at Lackland to witness a BMT graduation ceremony.

I was taught early on to carry my freight, so I gladly remain un-anonymous. I'm airman Gerardo Tapia, command chief of AETC, and I proudly stand beside my airmen and MTIs.