Mentoring starts with you Published Aug. 27, 2013 By Col. Jay Green 9th Mission Support Group commander BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- What is mentoring? A quick Google search reveals numerous experts chiming in with their own definitions and spins on how to mentor, intimidating the uninitiated. It doesn't have to be hard or complicated. I define mentoring as the act of a more senior person (mentor) and a junior person (mentee) interacting for the purpose of sharing knowledge and experiences to help the mentee avoid the same pitfalls in life. Most often, mentoring centers around work, but that is one of the great things about it; you can use mentoring for just about any life experience. If you are new to mentoring, a great place to start is with Air Force Instruction 36-2643, Air Force Mentoring Program. It addresses the subject head-on by defining mentoring, discussing benefits, outlining objectives, and concludes with guidelines and expectations for both mentors and mentees. Over of my 20-plus years in the Air Force, I've developed my own mentoring axioms I'd like to share. First, it isn't meant for chasing the brass ring or getting promoted early. It is for learning from those who came before you so you don't make the same mistakes. AFI 36-2643 reinforces this by saying mentoring isn't a "promotion enhancement program." Second, it is not solely a senior officer's responsibility to find younger personnel and mentor them. Young officers and airmen not approached for mentoring shouldn't mope and fret. Field grade officers and chiefs are more often than not very busy people. You need to seek them out and ask for mentoring. Third, mentoring isn't only between senior and junior officers. On the contrary, it should happen at all levels: peer-to-peer, senior-subordinate, officer-enlisted, and military-civilian. Take advantage of all of those opportunities. Fourth, for all the brash, young, and confident company grade officers out there, you can probably learn much more from your noncommissioned officers than you would think. You are new to the Air Force and your career field, whereas they have been there, done that, and gotten the T-shirt. Don't let the cultural gulf between officer and enlisted constrain your mentoring. Fifth, as a mentor, you should make it available to everyone. Don't mentor your "shiny pennies" at the expense of others; you will quickly gain a reputation for playing favorites. This noticeable exclusion will have a negative effect on unit climate over time if allowed to continue. Hopefully, I've given enough food for thought on mentoring to stimulate interest in the subject. I challenge everyone to make mentoring part of your daily lives whether you are giving or receiving. Mentoring helps us build the bench for the future generations of the Air Force. If you take nothing else from this article, keep this in mind: "Mentoring -- just do it!"