A conversation with the AF First Sergeant of the Year

Published Aug. 3, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Alex Mercer
27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- “Air Commandos, on behalf of Col. Maitre and the entire 27th Special Operations Wing leadership team, it is with great pleasure we announce Master Sgt. Marvin Jimerson, 27th Special Operations Medical Group first sergeant, as the winner of the First Sergeant of the Year award for the Air Force.”

Chief Master Sgt. Randy Scanlan, 27th SOW command chief, spoke those words of praise and recognition to applaud Jimerson for his dedication to the wing’s mission and to the countless Air Commandos he supported.

There are a total of 1,123 first sergeants currently serving across the Air Force, and the work Jimerson has done this past year for Cannon’s Air Commandos earned him this elite level of recognition.

Q. How do you feel about this level of recognition?
A. I do not know yet, I am still trying to take it all in. Everyday more phone calls and emails come my way; other people keep reminding me how big of a deal the award is and it is humbling.

Q. Have you ever received such high-level praise? I imagine it is an honor to be recognized at the Air Force level…
A. I have never received an Air Force-level award, and it is such an honor. This is something I never imaged would happen for me; from being an Airman to becoming a first sergeant, I never expected this to happen in my career.

Q. As far as the award is concerned, what did you do that contributed to this level of recognition?
A. I do not think it is necessarily anything I did – I feel it comes from the recognition of others around me. From the maintenance squadron and the wing, to resources around Cannon, all the helping agencies around base, my first sergeant’s council and our major command… the people I work for daily; that is what I feel ultimately contributed to this award.

Q. How long have you been a first sergeant?
A. Roughly 21 months.

Q. And what is your traditional career field?
A. I originally fell within logistic readiness. I am a supply technician by trade. My last duty title was chief inspector for aircraft components.

Q. Have you ever served in any other roles for the Air Force?
A. I was a military training instructor for over four years. That job helped me become a good first sergeant in my opinion. It prepared me for this line of work.

Q. Wow… that all must differ significantly. What are some of the major difference that come with your current role?
A. From supply to here, the reach I have is substantially different. I play a much larger role in the wing’s mission success, I have bigger impact with Airmen and a larger scope of power… power specifically used to help and influence Airmen across the installation.

Q. How would you describe being a first sergeant to someone who either does not comprehend the roles and responsibilities or even to someone who aspires to one day fill those boots?
A. It is being a brother and a sister, a mother and a father, a mentor and a coach… you need all these skill sets to be effective for the people you are charged with caring for. Everyone has different desires and requires a different person when you are called upon as their first sergeant; and every situation is unique. You have no idea what someone is facing when they walk through your door and ask for your time, and you are expected to be there for them.

For those aspiring, I will say it is challenging. It is often considered a thankless job, but I always tell people to be effective you have to treat people like people and not a problem. We do not become first sergeants to be recognized; we do it to help people. I enjoy helping Airmen. My first encounter with my first sergeant early in my career was wonderful, and that is what I hope people feel when they have encounters with me as their shirt.

Q. What was that first encounter like for you?
A. I remember her clearly – Master Sgt. Beverly Crawford. I was probably in some sort of trouble… she held me accountable, but let me know we could get through the situation together. I trusted her, not because of her rank or her position, I trusted her as a person.

Q. Do you feel that is important to you? That people ultimately trust you?
A. I would hope people do trust me and my abilities; that is a key ingredient to being an effective first sergeant. The trust has to be there or Airmen will not seek you when they need your help.

Q. As a first sergeant I would like to know, what challenges you? And along with that, how do you overcome those challenges?
A. The unknown - you can always prepare for what you know is coming, but in this job you never know what is coming next. It is my job to stay mentally and physically ready so I can take care of everyone else.

Q. Do you feel some of that unknown or uncertainty is inherent with being moved between groups and squadrons at the base you serve? I know first sergeants are moved every so often to lead different units, but what does that provide the shirts? How do you benefit?
A. It provides us with a breadth of experience, which is our biggest teacher when moved around. Our moves and transfers depend on the installation command chief and needs of the wing, but those moves between groups and squadrons allow us to grow as military leaders. No group or squadron necessarily faces the same challenges; those differences force us to evolve and become transitional leaders.

Q. Who or what would you say motivates or inspires you?
A. My kids motivate me because I always want them to be better than what I am. They have had the opportunity to see me be recognized in this way and that is a huge deal for me.

Q. Now that you have achieved this level of praise, what is next for you?
A. That seems to be the question of the day… I just want to keep pushing forward. Now that I have been moved from the maintenance squadron to the medical group, I am focused on challenging myself to make our medical group the best in the Air Force. This award is motivation and drive for me to be an even better mentor to more Airmen.

Q. In your opinion, is there anything the Air Force has given you that you would not have received otherwise? Not necessarily an award or job title, but is there some experience you feel you needed that you gained through the military that ultimately made you who you are today?
A. The Air Force taught me discipline and how to be a follower. I always tell people to be a good leader you have to first learn to follow. I had to learn to follow when I first enlisted, and I feel that makes me a more credible leader today.

Q. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
A. I often say before you walk a mile in anyone else’s shoes, you have to first be willing to take yours off – you have to remove yourself from the equation and set aside your biases and preconceived perceptions. I believe that has helped me tremendously in this job as a first sergeant. We often forget where we came from and that we have all, more than likely, found ourselves on the other side of the fence. A little bit of empathy goes a long way in helping someone else during troubling times.

Cannon AFB MSgt named AF First Sergeant of the Year