A DIME's worth of fun

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Brian Worth
  • 81st Training Group deputy commander
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  What can you buy with a dime today? You might think, "Not much," but I would argue that you can buy a lot of fun and contribute to mission accomplishment.

Every day we come to work with the intention of doing a good job, striving toward our goals and being a true professional in the execution of our duties. Sounds like hard work, doesn't it? Well, having fun is just as important as doing your job. Whether you plan to have fun with your family and friends or simply follow a spur of the moment interest, having fun can actually make you a more valuable player and contribute to the accomplishment of your mission.

People need to make time for fun. Whether that fun is simply taking time on the weekends to talk with neighbors or trying something new, your fun translates into good community relations, an outlet for stress and, ultimately, mission accomplishment. A happy person makes for a happy world and provides us with the harmonious environment we seek. But what can you do to have fun for a dime?

For those of us stationed here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, having fun is very easy since we're in the heart of southern hospitality. Every year at this time, you see and hear about Mardi Gras parades and celebrations that span miles of densely populated street sides while the krewes that build the floats have taken great care in preparing and providing their individual interpretation of fun.

For those of us in the crowds, simply participating is also fun and helps accomplish our mission here at Keesler by supporting base and local community participants. In turn, the local community leadership and populace give back through their support of the Keesler mission.

Because of that relationship with the community, we know that if Keesler goes through another hurricane or disaster, the local community will work together with us to clear the debris, collect refuse, fix our water supplies, provide meals when our dining facilities are inoperative, care for our injured and keep us safe from criminal elements. So where does the dime come into play?

In this case, a DIME is diplomacy, information, military and economy. By virtue of simply wearing the uniform, you are an Air Force diplomat representing all of us on and off duty. Your participation in Mardi Gras is an opportunity to set the example and show that Keesler's people know how to do their jobs and have fun.

When you share your personal stories with neighbors, it paints Airmen in a positive light and gives our friends in the community more information about their military partners. Having fun translates into economic support for Keesler and our neighbors along the Gulf Coast as each DIME you spend while having fun contributes to someone's livelihood, as well as the city and county annual budgets.

So remember that it's okay to have fun, and that having fun alongside our friends in the community can even help accomplish our mission as Airmen. A DIME's worth of fun can go a very long way to help us tell our Air Force story. Have fun out there!