Remotivation: a way to retain sharp troops with a knack for trouble

Published April 25, 2007
By Airman 1st Class Carolyn Viss
7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (ACCNS) -- One of the base's newest crew chiefs had a knack for getting into trouble, and it almost cost him his career. But thanks to Lackland Air Force Base's remotivation program and a caring team of supervisors, he got "re-blued" and back on the job in just 30 days.

Airman Joshua Clendening, 317th Maintenance Squadron, received a letter of reprimand in technical school followed by an Article 15 Jan. 13 for two counts of underage drinking just four weeks shy of his 21st birthday Feb. 14.

Airman Clendening's chain of command decided against discharging an otherwise sharp troop who has barely had time to establish a career, because part of an Airman's punishment under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice may include remotivational training, said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Urbanski, 317th MXS isochronal section chief. Sergeant Urbanski was an instructor at a remotivation facility (formerly known as "correctional custody") at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, for two years.

Master Sgt. Chad Noblett, 317th MXS first sergeant, and Maj. Emille Bryant, 317th MXS commander, recommended Airman Clendening attend the training because he was a good crew chief, "worth saving." Basic military training and face-to-face commander and first sergeant interactions hadn't been effective in imparting Air Force standards on Airman Clendening, but he been at Dyess to justify "cutting him loose," they said.

"I sent him because his flight chief and first sergeant asked me to consider it," Major Bryant said. "What they saw in him was someone who never fully grasped the lessons from BMT and tech school. He was not bad to the core, but misguided, under-motivated and lethargic. As I counseled him, I saw what they meant. There was no malice, no lack of intelligence; instead there was a listlessness that was palpable. It was as if he never grabbed onto the basic lessons of the Air Force, from uniform wear to attitude. I saw a chance to light a spark in him, a spark that would give him the opportunity to hold onto those lessons we gave him. He was the classic candidate for (remotivation)."

"This was basically his last chance," Sergeant Noblett said. "He'd barely been in the Air Force for three months, and already been in trouble twice."

Airman Clendening said he was really thankful for the opportunity to be "re-blued" because his career in the Air Force is important to him - he just didn't appreciate it enough during his first months in.

"I didn't realize I wasn't a civilian," he said. "In the Air Force, we have even higher standards and expectations than we have for normal U.S. citizens. Here, if you get in trouble, it looks bad on your supervisor, your first sergeant and then your whole squadron and commander."

The remotivation program was "like boot camp on steroids," he said. Their 16-hour day included daily uniform inspections, room inspections and facility details. They carried DD Forms 341 at all times. They took academic tests on life management, anger and stress management, and core values using an Air Force promotion study guide. And they folded their T-shirts in six-inch squares, just like in BMT. Only instead of having one or two training instructors for a flight of 50-70 people, they had two permanent-party instructors and four other cadre for a flight of about 10.

The program is there so the Air Force doesn't have to replace Airmen before they have a chance to serve long enough to make up for the cost of their training, said Master Sgt. Tim Hirsch, superintendent of Lackland's remotivation program. The average training for an Airman including tech school costs about $36,000. In Fiscal 2006, the program at Lackland alone helped the Air Force avoid spending $10 million to train replacements for the Airmen who may have been discharged if they didn't "get their act together" through remotivation.

Although the training Airmen receive is intense, Sergeant Hirsch said it doesn't force the Airmen to change. The Airmen have to make their own decisions about how they want to change.

"We just help them realize their wayward thinking, and then they have to decide what they do about it," he said.

The training worked on Airman Clendening, according to his chain of command. He's not only performing his tasks with pride and motivation, he's going above and beyond to be involved in the Airman's Advisory Council, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the honor guard. He's also trying to get through his career development courses as soon as possible to start taking CLEP tests and college classes. He said he wants to pursue a degree in culinary arts.

"I learned a lot about how strong I am, mentally," said Airman Clendening, who keeps his 341s from the program taped on his mirror and looks at them every morning to help him stay motivated.

"Going above and beyond my official duties makes me feel like I'm getting past my old reputation," he said. "People have really given me a fresh start, too. They really see me differently now, and my commander's really happy with how I've done. I love my job, I just didn't know what I was doing when I (came) in. I just hope this motivates other Airmen not to get in trouble, especially underage drinking. It's so stupid. It's just not worth it. I'm so thankful to my commander and (first sergeant) because putting me through this program wasn't their only option for me. I'm glad I got the chance to be corrected instead of discharged. I don't know what they saw in me, but I'm glad they did."