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Joint base welcomes ‘big picture’ command chief

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Lauren Pitts
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J.-- --  When Chief Master Sgt. Craig Poling discovered he would become the next 87th Air Base Wing command chief, he was "as excited as could be."

Coming from a smaller base at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, his first assignment as a command chief, Poling couldn't wait to arrive at the fast-paced operations of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

"What has stood out to me most about JB MDL is the multiple wing missions," explained the Lancaster, Ohio native, describing the unique missions of the 87th ABW and its 80-plus mission partners. 

"To know that this air base wing supports all of those missions gets me excited to come to work," Poling said, who joins the joint base community with his three sons and his wife, an Air Force senior master sergeant.

Poling first enrolled at Ohio State University in 1987, but ended up following a friend into the Air Force as a way to afford an education. Enlisting at 18 years-old, he found himself as a computer operator at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

Poling learned his trade as a communications specialist one enlistment at a time. Wanting to separate and return to his hometown after going through personal issues, a few good wingmen intervened and kept him in. It was then that Poling realized what it took to be a wingman and a leader - something he has carried with him over his 28-year career.

"I was just in it for four years at a time," explained the chief. "You begin to see that your life changes. I wanted to get out and see what else there was for me outside the Air Force, but I had some really great friends and leaders that wouldn't let me do that.

"Once I found the right mentor, everything started to look up from there," said Poling.

Here at the joint base, Poling plans to work and lead by his main philosophy: building the wing service members up through constructive feedback. 

"If you want your men and women to perform, lead by example and don't be afraid to get in there and do the job with them every once in a while," Poling explained.

Poling explained there is nothing more important to him as a leader than providing quality feedback. He believes that helping them understand their strengths and weaknesses is the key to success, instead of "pigeon-holing" troops off of a first impression.

"I was one of those Airmen," said Poling. "I was an average worker for a period of my career and it took a great leader to push me forward."

"If someone is not a star performer, too many times they will be labeled and left behind," explained Poling. "You have to get to know your people. There are so many troops that can be built up, so let's work to build all of them up, not just our shiny pennies."

Stepping into the role of command chief, Poling is eager to begin meeting with JB MDL service members.

"It's always been one of my things as a chief to get out as much as possible," said Poling.

Regardless of the unit, operations tempo or shift time, Poling plans to meet the joint base team members in their work areas and help them understand where they fit into the overall view of the mission.

"You have to always work hard and do your best, no matter what you're doing. It doesn't matter if it's the most difficult or the smallest task," said Poling. "If you do your best, good things will not only happen for you, but for your unit and your mission. We have to look at the big picture."