BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The blaring sounds of my alarm clock rudely awakened me on a Monday morning. Using every ounce of my willpower, I wiped the crust from my eyes, left the comfort of my pillow-top mattress, turned on my favorite playlist, made coffee and finished preparing myself to tackle the day. The events I just described are what I like to call “the hardest part of my day”, and for most of my days, that really is the hardest part. Food, water and shelter are, for lack of a better term, easy. The next thing needed for basic human survival is safety. Once I have the basics, my goal is to protect and maintain them. I don’t have to fight or compete for resources during my day. Military pay and benefits aren’t the best, but compared to other parts of the world, we have it easy. In the lens of basic human necessities, I believe we are spoiled. But here’s the thing — life isn’t supposed to be easy. If getting out of bed is the hardest thing we face all day, we’re not sharpening anything but our snooze button skills.
Warrior ethos: a harder path by choice
The warrior ethos isn’t about surviving; it’s about pushing yourself past what’s comfortable because that’s where real strength is built — the kind of strength required in times of war.
These are the predicaments we as leaders face:
The Air Force’s shift in operations
As noncommissioned officers, it’s our responsibility to make sure our Airmen are ready for whatever challenges they may face. It is our job to make sure they are prepared for the potential high-stakes conflict that may come soon. The Air Force is undergoing a major shift in how we operate because what we used to do won’t work in the new area of responsibility. Buzzwords like Agile Combat Employment, Mission Ready Airman, Ready Airman Training, and Deployable Combat Wings are the Air Force’s way of realigning our forces for the future fight. But there’s something missing. We are missing the reality that wars will no longer be fought primarily on the ground. The air domain will likely be the most contested and heavily used of all domains. What this means is that Airmen will be required to do things that haven’t been expected of them before. We may need to operate in environments we aren’t used to — and under conditions few can imagine.
Simply put, we need to get the Air Force back to its war fighting roots. We must reinvigorate our force, so we remain successful no matter where we deliver Air Power, no matter who is on the receiving end of our sword. None of this will be possible if leaders do not embody and instill the warrior ethos into their subordinates. The warrior ethos lays the foundation for the type of Airmen our nation needs.
How we build the warrior ethos
Is the warrior ethos a trainable skill? The answer is a clear and resounding YES. First, we must change our Airmen’s mindset by deliberately putting them in uncomfortable situations, allowing them to struggle and resisting the urge to step in while they critically think.
When you delegate tasks to your Airmen, give them assignments that force them to push outside their natural comfort zones. This kind of training raises their “stress cap” — and once that threshold is raised, they will be prepared to overcome future obstacles with confidence. The hardest part for us as leaders is realizing that helping them short-term will hinder them long-term. If they are in a controlled and safe environment, let them struggle!
The next piece is instilling discipline in their day-to-day routines. If we can get them to pay attention to the small details at home station, it’ll become second nature when deployed. The little things like uniform inspections, physical fitness, punctuality and attention to detail do not just reinforce standards. They are survival skills during war.
The key to building new habits is simple: change one thing at a time. Let your Airmen adapt to a new standard, then layer on another. Before you know it, discipline becomes a lifestyle. If your Airmen cannot adhere to standards, you are not dealing with a random issue. You are dealing with a discipline issue. Help them fix it piece by piece. Small changes create substantial results!
Finally, we must get better at explaining the “WHY” to our Airmen. If they truly understood the realities of war, most would make this mental shift on their own. Tell them why we’re training differently. Explain what the new battlespace looks like, why old guidance won’t work anymore, and what it’s going to take to win. As NCOs, we must educate ourselves first before we can educate our Airmen. We must advocate for more relevant exercises, tougher scenarios and bigger challenges — not for the sake of suffering, but because they drive internal motivation. Internal motivation is vital toward creating the warrior ethos.
In a world where comfort breeds complacency, we must forge a mindset rooted in resilience, discipline and purpose. Changing someone’s mindset is no small task. It requires a leader who truly cares—one with passion. A true leader.
So, the question is: are YOU up for the challenge?