Enlisted DTs; Break the code and success can be yours Published March 21, 2011 By Chief Master Sgt. Peri Rogowski 445th Airlift Wing Command Chief WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Enlisted development teams are alive in Air Force Reserve Command, and I've received a lot of questions regarding what it's really all about. EDTs focus on how we can get rid of the entitlement or the "I'm next in line" perception and focus on individual accomplishments and the whole person concept in order to be recognized, vetted for special schools and possibly promoted. Our newcomers hear it on their very first day when I say, "You and only you are responsible for the success or the demise of your career." You must take responsibility for what you bring to the Air Force technically as well as your educational accomplishments. This includes professional military education and Community College of the Air Force, fitness, and your base and community involvement, i.e., membership in professional organizations and volunteerism. Air Force leadership has stressed this for years now, and one thing that has surfaced is the need for a current decoration every three years commensurate with rank, along with how well your enlisted performance report is written and rated. EPRs are scrutinized at promotion enhancement program (PEP) boards. Each line is read and compared to the justification of the rating. Fluff doesn't fly anymore. So here's the hard fact--EVERYTHING matters. Whether you think it's fair, unfair or "filling the blocks," it's the only way for the Air Force to distinguish who's who among our Airmen when all they have to rate you on is what they see in front of them - your career package. It's no different than what most of us experience as traditional reservists in the civilian sector - everything matters. Start now. Develop your career plan, keep great records and feed the information to your supervisor. Break the code and success can be yours.