AIRMEN these days: Volume 3 - Senior Airmen Jordyn Schoen

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Stefan Blazier
  • 37th Training Wing
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas --  

I’ve heard the comment, “Airmen these days” quite a bit over the years. It’s usually from a negative standpoint; how today’s Airmen are not as disciplined, dedicated, or mature as those from “back in my day…” To help others see the greatness in our Airmen who join and stay on our team (no matter what age) – this series of posts will help demonstrate it.

Next up is Senior Airmen Jordyn Schoen. One thing I love doing is witnessing powerful moments in our people’s lives. From the time each trainee comes to Basic Military Training and graduates 8.5 weeks later as an American Airman…the following Monday they all head off to technical training to learn the core skills for their new professions. While most people are still sleeping, this vital transport mission comes to life and the buses start flowing. Each brand new Airman needs to be given direction and support to make sure they are on the right bus and armed with everything they need to start strong.

Early one morning, I decided to go visit our new Airmen who just graduated from BMT and were being shipped off to their next adventure. From a distance, I thought it was a Military Training Instructor who was running this show. Giving clear directions, taking the lead, setting up hundreds of new Airmen for their destinations…all with a resounding command voice. But as I got closer, I saw it was a Senior Airmen who was the conductor of this impressive operational symphony.

I asked “Ma’am, would you mind telling me a little about yourself?”

She confidently told me, “My team is working the out-shipment mission for our BMT Airmen. It’s an early day for all of them and I want to make sure they get to where they need to be.”

I asked, what Air Force specialty are you from? She proudly replied “I’m a Personnelist (3F0).” You see this is not a normal job for a personnelist, but I could quickly identify that Schoen was not the kind of person to be limited by a job description. She’s got a clear PASSION for the mission and having a direct hand in it.

Schoen also let me know that the Air Force was family business. Her dad - and someone she affectionately called her “HERO” - is a Senior Master Sgt. in Security Forces (3P0) and has been serving for the past 23 years. That means the Air Force has always been part of her life since the day she was born.

She then asked me a great question, “who are you and what do you do here?”

I replied, “I’m honored to be your Command Chief. I arrived here last week and part of my job is knowing what my people do. I’m here this morning to work on that.”

Right away you could tell she was embarrassed because she didn’t realize who I was. Why, because this Airman takes great pride in being a top professional. Immediately, I let her know I’d rather meet all my Airmen this way and I looked forward to hopefully having more conversations in the future about what she does and what she hopes do in OUR Air Force.

Shortly afterwards, I got an e-mail from Master Sgt. Angela Carter who had walked by Schoen’s office and wanted to share what she saw with me.

She asked her “why do you have a picture on your desk of Chief Blazier?”

Her response; “It motivates me towards my dream of one day being a Command Chief.”

I let Carter know, “well we better get to work then. Please have her contact my Wingman at the headquarters and will set up a time to meet.”

A few weeks later, we sat down for coffee and had great conversation. She told me about her brother, Alex, who is 12 years old and motivates her every single day. “He makes me want to be better, because I want to set the best possible example for him.” Her face lit up when she talked about him and you could easily see how Alex was a source of JOY in her life and the fuel for her SERVICE.

We talked through the challenges I had at different phases in my career – at work and at home. We shared stories of good and bad leadership and how we make a CHOICE to be one or the other. We talked about the climate in our Air Force and what we still have to improve. She asked me “What do you want for your junior enlisted Airmen in the Wing?” (Again, a great question). It was something, I’d thought about, but it wasn’t until my conversation with Schoen that it become clear.

I said, I want two things – one, to amplify their VOICE and two, to make sure they know their VALUE.

And one thing we never talked about was - how to get promoted. Because that’s not what she’s looking for…she’s on a hunt for something else. Schoen wakes up every day and just wants to make a DIFFERENCE. She’s looking for the biggest IMPACT possible and works to make her dad, little brother, and entire family proud. My final piece of advice to her was to “keep BEING a Chief!” Keep leading, keep being real, and keep showing the rest of us what the Air Force needs. My hope is that one day I can tell her congrats when the stripes she wears catches up. Lead on, Chief Schoen - we are better because of you!