Respect Published April 10, 2017 By Col. April Vogel 6th Air Mobility Wing MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Respect... It holds great importance in everyday life. As children, we are taught to respect parents, elders and teachers. During our youth, we find value in things like our nation’s flag, treating others how we’d like to be treated, and standing up for those who can’t defend themselves. As Airmen, we recognize respect is not only a good idea, it’s a basic tenant of our profession, and it’s what sets our Airmen apart.The Air Force operates on respect. Without it, we simply cannot stand strong in the defense of our nation. Because of this, we insist that our Airmen do not tolerate bullying, hazing or any instance where an Airman inflicts harm on another. It’s just not who we are.You may have seen in the news recently some military members have let respect for their fellow service members slip from their culture. The effect of behaviors that target our brothers and sisters-in-arms whether personally, professionally, physically, mentally or emotionally is catastrophic, and tarnishes the fabric of who we are as Airmen. Regardless of where that harm takes place, in the cyber-world or in a face-to-face meeting, we cannot and will not stand for this type of behavior.Last week, the 6th AMW participated in Wingman Day. This day was designed to give Airmen the opportunity to spend time away from their work centers and foster strong relationships, to reinforce the idea that each of us has someone in their corner when things get tough. I expect that our Airmen take respect for each other very seriously. I expect you to be good wingmen. And I hope that by ensuring our Airmen feel respected, it will lead to better communication that ultimately create and sustain the professional force this great nation deserves.