Chief Parish visits with Spangdahlem Airmen Published Nov. 20, 2007 By Senior Master Sgt. Patrick McCracken 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The 8th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Sam Parish, traveled to Spanghdalem Air Base to meet with senior master sergeants and chief master sergeants before the virtual release of the chief master sergeant promotion results, Nov. 14, 2007. Chief Parish gave a speech to these SNCOs about what it means to be a chief and how the senior enlisted corps needs to spend the time growing and developing the leaders of tomorrow. Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Walls, 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, was one of three Spangdahlem Airmen selected for promotion to chief who had the opportunity to listen to the retired chief. "Chief Parish is all about the basics; taking care of people and getting the mission done," Sergeant Walsh said. "He also hammered home some general improvements that most SNCOs could take to heart." Chief Parish made a point of reminding everyone in the room of their fundamental, but important, responsibilities and that SNCOs should not forget their roots. The crowd was hanging on Chief Parish's words trying to capture every pearl of wisdom he had to offer. He left them with a final thought before the virtual promotion release. "Once you sew on Chief, you are a chief in name and title only until one day you wake up and say to yourself that you are finally really a chief," he said. "This awakening comes at different times and for different reasons for different people, but the point is that it is a position to grow into and eventually it will happen." The senior master sergeants left Chief Parish's briefing just in time to log onto virtual Military Personnel Flight Web page and find out whether or not they were selected for promotion. After the results were published, Chief Parish met with the new chief selects at Club Eifel to help them celebrate their selection to chief. The following morning, Chief Parish had breakfast with junior NCOs at the Eifel Mountain Golf Course where he talked to them about the need for supervisors to be involved in their Airmen's lives and help them to grow as leaders. He also stressed the fact that mentorship is their primary mission as NCOs, where as the day to day job is their mission as technicians. Sabers who heard Chief Parish speak, like Senior Master Sgt. Wayne Stephens, 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron, enjoyed the unique opportunity. "He is a real man of integrity who has served our Air Force with great pride and distinction; he spurs us on to do the same," Sergeant Stephens said.