For those of you who are already NCOs, what was the hardest part of transitioning from a junior enlisted member to an NCO for you?

I don't know. As a crew member we automatically took orders. On the ground we went to movies, chow, club, etc together. Rank was never mentioned.

MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht - And this is the most glaring difference between the Air Force and all of the other Branches. I'm putting money on the fact that you were also still called, "Max," by your subordinates as well, right?

On the flight line there was such a glut of E-4's like 70% of the unit. There was no opportunity to lead or anything. The command structure as I saw it should rank wise resemble a pyramid. In the 70's in the Air Force it more resembled a pear with the fattest part of the pear being E-4's.

My transition was quick! I was a SP5 before being promoted and had no real authority or power other than being a team chief when on missions. 2 months after I was promoted to SSG I was transferred to another detachment in my company and I was in charge of a 40 plus man unit. The NCO I was replacing was a E7 and a couple years from retirement and very lax on military protocol. The members of the detachment never addressed him by his rank, they had a nickname they called him by. When I took over, I held a meeting of all members and let them know that was changing immediately! I told them that when addressing me the first words out of their mouths would be either Sergeant or Staff Sergeant and that until proven otherwise I believed that those in the unit had earned their stripes and would be addressed by their rank. Never had any problems after that.

Sorry on the spelling errors. Fat thumb syndrome and I failed to proof read.

Don't yall call your NCO's sir? I know your boots do.

Exactly! I've always seen the title "sir" simply as a respect thing as a man. Nothing else. Whenever someone called me sir, I accepted it proudly.
I may be a proud NCO but I'm also a proud gentleman who respects his fellow man (or lady).

PO2 Frank Inscore Exactly! That's how I was raised. To show respect to my elders and to respect my fellow man. It's just what you do.

Although I thought some one else should have been promoted, I was always glad to see anybody get promoted----- PARTY!!

MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht - that's truly the best part, an after-party!

I was in a Cohort unit and 100 of us had the same time in grade. . Yes it was tough but the expectations were to Excell and set the standard with getting a little dirty sometimes and working with the troops.