Salute to fathers

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kelly Ogden
  • 16th SOW Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla --  Fathers are the unsung heroes who keep families together and instill values in children that will lead them into adulthood.
This Father's Day, we honor those men who stand up and mold children into adults. This honor is not only set aside for biological fathers, but also for those military leaders who often take on an underlying "father-like" role when overseeing and mentoring their troops.

Commanders, first sergeants and supervisors take young men and women and they shape them into Airmen. Being a father and a military member aids these mentors in building Airmen into productive service members who follow the core values.

"Fatherhood has added to the way I approach everything in life," said Master Sgt. William Corino, 16th Civil Engineer Squadron first sergeant. "When dealing with issues, I've gone as far as to call an Airman's father on the phone when they were messing up at work so that he could keep them straight."

Senior Master Sgt. Tracy Black, 16th Communications Squadron first sergeant explains, "When I tell the troops I’m really disappointed in them or if they’ve done something that I wouldn't have expected them to do, that's when my fatherly instinct comes out."

Being a parent isn't a necessary trait in terms of becoming a great leader.

However the increased wealth of knowledge and patience that a parent has definitely assists in solving a multitude of problems that can arise in troops of all ages.

"The patience I learned raising my two daughters as a single parent translates directly to my leadership style," said Lt. Col. Paul Caltagirone, 8th Special Operations Squadron director of operations.

"Any situation can be an opportunity to mentor and to teach. Being a father helps me be more patient with my subordinates and helps me to find those opportunities to mentor. In the same ways I try to prepare my daughters for life, I try to prepare my troops to be the next generation of leaders," said Colonel Caltigirone.

Sergeant Corino knows what it takes to be both a father and a mentor. Being a father allows for him to deal with troops on a more personal level with a deeper level of understanding.

"As a father with two daughters, I learned quickly how to multi-task and how to be patient when dealing with issues," said Sergeant Corino.

"Since many of the Airmen are the same age as my daughters I find it’s easy to relate to them. Of course, everyone is different, my daughters proved that because they’re nothing alike. You have to learn unique techniques to deal with each individual problem.

“Being a father and a first sergeant allows me an opportunity to be a positive role model for those that we’re appointed over. Each one of us should remind ourselves daily of this responsibility not only ourselves but also to the United States Air Force."

Gen. Douglas MacArthur, a Medal of Honor recipient, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific in World War II and a father said it best when he said, "By profession I’m a Soldier and take pride in that fact. But, I’m infinitely prouder to be a father. A Soldier destroys in order to build. The father only builds and never destroys. The one has the potentiality of death while the other embodies creation and life. And while the hordes of death are mighty, the battalions of life are mightier still."