HRDC conference focuses on quality of life

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Sharon Simpson and Senior Airman Yakina Branchibura
  • 934th Aeromedical Staging Squadron
Minneapolis-St. Paul --  Seven members of the 934th attended the 2008 AFRC Human Resources Development Council workshop in Atlanta, Ga. Oct. 26-31, which was the largest group to ever attend this conference. 

The 934th HRDC conference representatives (which consisted of Col. Mark Vijums, Lt. Col. Sharon Simpson, Maj. Rondald Ross, Chief Jan Dalton, Master Sgt. Vicki Kuntz, Tech. Sgt. Kathryn Pierce, and Senior Airman Yakina Branchibura) wanted to bring back the lessons learned that will better support the goals of HRDC.
HRDC is about improving the quality of life for all Air Force Reserve members on and off duty by providing supportive tools, and acceptance of diversity.

The theme of the workshop was: "Faithful to a Proud Heritage." Maj. Gen. Linda Hemminger's welcoming speech offered praise to all HRDC members, and spoke of the positive impact HRDC has had on the Air Force. She encouraged the HRDC to continue to lead the way with projects aimed at outreach, mentoring and retention. She urged the HRDC to continue focusing its goals and activities toward the promotion of an environment of equal opportunity, inclusion, and diversity. She offered a challenge to the HRDC which stressed the need to consider setting even higher expectations for the future, to create projects having far reaching objectives for the promotion of services for all Airmen by all Airmen.

Maj. Gen. James Graves followed with an inspirational message to the HRDC members about the importance of achieving faithfulness to a proud heritage. He stressed that if the HRDC is to meet its goals for an environment of equal opportunity, inclusion and diversity, three principles will need to be utilized: 1) Connection, tear down the barriers by making equality and opportunity available for all, 2) embrace inclusion, welcome all cultures, and 3) Diversity, make it a practice to respect all Airmen.
The workshop offered an opportunity to practice General Graves' principles. All HRDC units took the opportunity to connect with other units, to receive ideas for improvement. The different unit members welcomed ideas, appreciated the achievements presented and respected all lessons learned by other HRDC Chapters.

The highlight of interactive events was a night of fun, and networking as the HRDC Chapters competed for the McNeal Award. The 934th HRDC Chapter members demonstrated their Viking Spirit by wearing purple shirts decorated with the Viking Flyers patch. Each HRDC Chapter brought written narratives and created visual displays depicting their initiatives. All were in competition for the McNeil HRDC Leadership Excellence Award. Displays called attention to specific accomplishments and solutions found to resolve problems. These were demonstrated in detail with skits, pictures, and free information to take.

Mr. Val Archer, an original Tuskegee Airman was a guest speaker who received a standing ovation as he proudly proclaimed his heritage. He spoke on personal memories of humiliation from racial prejudice, and disappointments when the doors to military opportunities stood locked and where dreams to fly and fight carried hurdles that often seemed unattainable. Then he told of other Tuskegee Airmen who did not give up their dreams to fly. He called them men of high moral fiber. He encouraged all Airmen to be inspired by the determination of the Tuskegee Airmen, to strive for excellence. He proudly announced that the Tuskegee Airmen received 744 air metals, and downed 261 enemy planes. He said that even though promotions were few, they got what they wanted, which was to fly. The Tuskegee Airmen faced intolerance for diversity without defeat. Also Eleanor Roosevelt was praised by him for her support of the Tuskegee Airmen and her demand that all would have the right for opportunity.

The principles of the HRDC were not given to the Tuskegee Airmen, they fought for those rights. Though their unit was instituted as merely a project to prove that blacks were incapable of flying (not intelligent enough) they demonstrated otherwise. With their accomplishments and determination the way was paved for the acceptance of diversity, which has been continually improved upon into today.
Now we can see that the overarching goal of HRDC is to create an atmosphere of "happy airmen", and never allowing individual differences stand as reasons for exclusion.