Air Force Mentoring

Mentoring in the Air Force is hit or miss; some people may get good mentors while others do not have the opportunity to have mentors at all. By defining mentoring, looking at the roles of the mentor and the protege, and looking at Air Force regulation, this paper will analyze mentoring in the Air Force. A quick look at mentoring in the civilian sector will expand the viewpoint on the importance of mentoring. The views of extraordinary business leaders and successful senior military leaders will show the relevance of mentoring. After analysis of mentoring in the Air Force, this paper will determine how the Air Force's mentoring processes can be enhanced.The Air Force has many "buzz" words. In listening to most senior leaders, at least one or more of the following topics arise: transformation, effects based operations, fitness, joint, and interdependence. What would it be like to have "mentoring" as one of the Air Force "buzz" words? If mentoring became an Air Force "buzz" word, mentoring would be institutionalized within the Air Force. The Air Force would then capitalize on the benefits of mentoring because informal mentoring would become widespread throughout the ranks. An environment or cultural mindset would be created where all airmen strive to be both mentors and proteges.