First Sergeant: The road to the shirt Published Sept. 3, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Rashard Coaxum 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- First sergeant. When we hear the phrase, what do we think? Before we think too far, walk a day in the life of one and your insight on the person behind the diamond might change a little. A history filled with tradition, honor and pride precedes the title and the men and women who take on its challenge. "It's pretty challenging and you have to have the desire," said Master Sgt. Al McCourry, the 701st Airlift Squadron first sergeant here at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. "There's an expectation of leadership among all senior noncommissioned officers to take the next step to become a first sergeant." McCourry - a 29-year veteran of the military and recent First Sergeant of the Year award recipient - stepped up to the first sergeant's plate and took a swing at following in the footsteps of the many first sergeants who came before him to make a difference in someone's life, he said. "It's human resources, it's dealing with people and it's a matter of me stepping up to the plate to be up there to help people and to see them happy," McCourry said. To get a look at today's first sergeant, back up in history a few centuries to find its beginnings. The history of the first sergeant, or first shirt as it's commonly known in the Air Force, dates back to Prussian armies of the 17th century. The Prussian army feldwebel, or company sergeant, held responsibilities much like the current day Air Force first sergeant. They were the overseers of the company's enlisted personnel and reported information about the morale and welfare of their soldiers to superior officers, among other things. In addition to setting and maintaining the standards for order, discipline and morale, first sergeants became very acquainted with the character of each soldier and knowing each one who looked up to him. Fast forward to the modern day and you'll find that these duties are not unlike the first sergeant's duties of today, said McCourry. "The first sergeant is a people person who insures unit integrity and discipline and represents the commander," McCourry said. "It's a matter of what you exude." "Integrity, service and excellence. They're the bedrock of what we have in the Air Force." Master Sgt. Steven Shown - a first sergeant with the 300th Airlift Squadron here - expressed the same sentiment about a first sergeants role and fulfilling the Air Force core values. "I believe that the first sergeant has to be the epitome of the Air Force core values," Shown said. "Integrity First. How can you hold other members accountable for their actions and integrity if you are not displaying that core value," he said. "Service Before Self: Oftentimes, the "shirt" will be the first one in the door and the last one out the door," he said. "Excellence in All We Do: We should all strive for excellence in our lives," Shown said. Part of learning to excel in the core values as a first sergeant is just getting there, McCourry added. "Hopefully you've had somebody in your past to mentor you because, number one, it's very rewarding," he said. "You have to have desire, been mentored and then you have to put a packet together." Having great enlisted progress reports, accolades like monthly and quarterly awards as well as having recommendations from the applicants current first sergeant and commander are all important in being selected, he said. Put that together and then apply up to the wing level.After several board interviews with the command chief and the commander, the selections are made, he said. It's very competitive but it's all worth it, McCourry said. Shown also said that he also found becoming a first sergeant was very rewarding and very much worth all it took to get there. Being able to focus and help people is a job he loves and doesn't take lightly, he said. "As a member of the Air Force Reserve, people are our number one concern," he said. "I know you've probably heard that a thousand times, but if we don't take care of our members, everything else will suffer." "We can get another aircraft or another vehicle or another building if needed, but we cannot replace that human being," Shown said. "Nothing is possible without our members, treat them accordingly." That's the road to a first sergeant, he said. Some information from an article entitled "First Sergeantry" by Chief Master Sgt. Roger M. Ball was used in this article. Chief Ball is a former commandant of the United States Air Force First Sergeants Academy.