Wing Top3 forms Published Jan. 22, 2007 By Senior Airman Mark Orders-Woepner 434th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind -- The first ever 434th Air Refueling Wing Top 3 was recently organized and is already making headway while providing senior NCOs with four key pieces to success, said Chief Master Sergeant Peri Rogowski, 434th ARW command chief. These pieces, key to the role of senior NCOs, are mentorship, morale (which includes recognition), networking and leadership opportunities, added Chief Rogowski. Grissom has several unit level Top 3 organizations already in place, but there has never been a wing-level program here. Currently, squadron and group-level Top 3 organizations have functioned well, but these groups basically take care of their own, she said. The Wing Top 3 will allow senior NCOs to influence the entire wing while focusing on the four leadership pieces, she added. "One of the biggest things the Top 3 will focus on is the mentoring piece," she said. "We will teach senior NCOs mentoring techniques by giving them other senior NCOs to look to for advice and experience." Another crucial part the new organization will focus on is the networking piece, giving enlisted members leadership experience with networking and the ability to take care of their people, said Chief Rogowski. "With the way we deploy in AEF cycles, individual people need to know how to network; the new Top 3 will give senior NCOs the opportunity to network with people around base who they may not have ever dealt with," she said. "It's a great tool for us to work together and form as a team." While allowing senior NCOs to learn these valuable leadership tools, the Top 3 will play a major role in planning and running functions designed to increase the quality of life around base. "We want it to be more than a booster club," the chief said. "We want it to allow senior NCOs to participate in the planning of events at a wing level." The command chief also wanted to make sure that everyone knew the new Wing Top 3 will not replace the current senior NCO organizations, but it will incorporate individuals from each of them. "We do not want to dissolve any of the squadron or unit level Top 3s," she stated. "Right now, the Wing Top 3 is composed of representatives from each squadron." Despite just starting out, the organization has already come up with a wing-wide event. "We wanted to start off the Top 3 with a T-shirt contest," said Chief Rogowski. "This is a way base members can support the Top 3 and the wing as money will be put back into the units that support our base here and its quality of life programs." In trying to keep with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Mosley's passion for history and remembering Air Force heritage, the Top 3 came up with suggested guidelines for the T-shirt. The group recommends the front of the shirt have the wing crest, or Grissom or 434th ARW identified in some way, and the back list the history of the wing's deployment and operational involvement. "These guidelines are suggested ones, but we are open to all ideas," said Chief Rogowski. "I would love to see what folks come up with." The winning shirt will be authorized to be worn under the BDU blouse and the designer will be both recognized and rewarded for their efforts. The deadline for design submissions is noon, March 4, and all submissions must be made to Chief Rogowski. Submissions would be preferred in an electronic format, but hand-drawn designs are also welcome.