Face of Defense: Army Reservist Pursues Leadership

By Army Sgt. Victor Ayala

210th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

LARAMIE, Wyo., July 16, 2015 – Some join the military out of a lifelong call to serve their country. Others join out of a long family tradition of service. Some are drawn by the chance to make a better life or see the world. For Maggie Walstrom, the decision came abruptly.

"I'd been talking to a friend in high school who had just gotten back from basic combat training," said Walstrom, a private in the Army Reserve's 353rd Transportation Company and an ROTC cadet at the Minnesota State University at Mankato. "At that time, I didn't know what I was going to do with my life. So, I was in the gym one day at school and said to myself, 'I'm joining the Reserve when I turn 17.'"

Walstrom, a Buffalo, Minnesota, native, recalled telling her parents about the decision. "I told my mom, and she thought I was nuts," she said. "My whole family thought I was crazy."

Serendipitous Inspiration

The rest happened quickly. On her 17th birthday, Walstrom signed her enlistment contract and went off to basic combat training in April 2012. In her relatively brief time with the 353rd, she's ascended from an enlisted automated logistics specialist to an acting platoon leader.

Her choice to become an officer was as serendipitous as her choice to enlist. Her unit was hosting a family readiness group fundraiser in which key positions in the unit were auctioned off for a day. Walstrom won the position of company commander. It was all in good fun, she said, but she felt compelled by the notion of leading and commanding soldiers.

"It was only for about eight or nine hours," she said. "But it opened my eyes to some of what an officer does, and it really interested me." Walstrom said her leaders at the 353rd have been trusting her with more and more responsibility, designating her 1st Platoon leader and assigning her more leadership-based tasks. On July 11, during the 353rd's weeklong convoy mission from Buffalo, Minnesota, to Camp Roberts, California, Walstrom took charge of the company formation and held a promotion ceremony for a junior enlisted soldier.

Following in Footsteps

"This has been a really rewarding and positive experience," she said. "Some of the soldiers are starting to treat me with more respect, too." Walstrom's recent achievements extend beyond her military career. Walstrom said she's studying law enforcement at MSU Mankato, in the hopes of becoming a law enforcement officer like her late uncle, Rudy Betlach. Raised solely by her mother, she added, she looked to Betlach as a father figure.

"He was my idol -- my hero," Walstrom said of her uncle, who was a police officer in Anoka, Minnesota. "I looked up to him. I've decided to follow in his footsteps."

Growing Roots

In high school, she said, she thought college would be too expensive for a child growing up in a single-parent household to even consider. However, since beginning classes, she's been hired onto the North Mankato Police Reserves and the River Halls Mall Security Force in Mankato. She was also recently awarded a $25,000 scholarship from MSU Mankato, which in addition to her ROTC stipend, is making college education a reality.

When she considers the moment she'll become a commissioned officer, she said, her first thoughts are of her fellow troops and the bonds she's forged in the 353rd. "I've got roots here in the unit," she said. "I want to stay in transportation. I want to stay with the trucks. I love being on convoys, so I hope to stay in this unit."

Chain of Command and its Effect on Empowering Employees

Chain of Command and its Effect on Empowering Employees


Lean Six Sigma has special challenges in organizations that have a military styled rank structures. I have personally experienced this as a representative of a law enforcement agency and as a military guardsman. Recently, I have had the good fortune of making the acquaintance or Retired Colonel Billy Asbell, former Director for the Air National Guard's Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century program (AFSO21). AFSO21 is the Air Force program geared towards Lean Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies used for years in the public sector. For a more detailed breakdown of the AFSO21 program, this link may prove helpful:

https://acc.dau.mil/CommunityBrowser.aspx?id=140227&lang=en-US

Since getting to get to know Colonel Asbell, I was inclined to draw from his years of experience in the military, coupled with his expertise as Director of the AFSO21 program. He was kind enough to give a response to an email that I sent him regarding rank structure and its effect on empowering employees towards continuous improvement. He graciously allowed me to post that email to this blog. For that I am forever grateful. Leadership such as his is what has made, and continues to make, the United States of America the greatest country in the world. Below are the details of the email, titled:

Chain of Command and its Effect on Empowering Employees

Colonel, as you may know, law enforcement is considered to be "Para-military" in that it has a rank structure, consisting of line personnel, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Assistant Chiefs, Chiefs, Directors, etc. I am curious of what someone with your extensive background in CPI (continuous process improvement) could offer as insight as to how the rank structure effects empowerment of the line officers and middle ranks, and how it relates to CPI. This seems to be a major issue and something that is holding several agencies back from making major leaps forward with its culture change.

Basically, what does an empowered employee look like in a large rank structured organization, how should leaders learn to recognize these traits, and how do we foster that culture to get us out of the "yes man" mentality that the rank structure claims it needs to keep order?

Here is Colonel Asbell's Response:

Billy - you are right - this is a challenge and it takes leadership commitment from the top to make it work.

First you have to get leadership - at all levels - to buy off on the idea that "if they had the answer they would just put it in place - if it is a problem obviously then they don't have the answer so they have to support whatever the subject matter experts come up with..." This is hard but it works. I have seen process owners say this but not do it when the decisions are hard - nothing changes. I have seen ones that mean what they say and hold the team responsible if their solutions don't work to fix them so they will and success goes thru the roof. Here is the approach I take.

1 - when the problem is identified sit down with the process owner and write out a charter for process improvement. You can usually tell in the meeting if they really think it is a problem or if someone told them it was a problem. I normally tell them right then - you have to let the subject matter experts fix this because you don't have the answer - you, as the process owner have to tell them that you don't have the answer and that you will try/accept any solution they provide as long as it does not violate safety and/or cost over x amount of dollars. I state - if you can't do this without reservation then we don't need to address the issue now.

2 - when you have that commitment then I do some awareness training with the supervisors - since I will use the front line workers to change the process - I want the supervisors to understand what is going to happen and how they need to support it. I like to do the airplane exercise with them (sure Linda taught you that) so they can see how things can be broken. It is fun to add some goofy rules to the exercise so they can see the impact of policy.

3 - on the first day of the project - the process owner and any supervisors should all meet with the team members and empower them - I usually draft out key points for them to say. The main ones are 1) you are the experts 2) you know what works 3) this is broken I can't fix it 4) I need solutions from you 5) I will support your solutions as long as they do not violate safety or cost over x dollars. The last statement should be "I expect you to fix this problem."

4 - if you do an RIE the mid week vector check with the process owner should be positive - you need to brief the process owner on the key changes being discussed PRIOR to the meeting and tell them they CANNOT MAKE ANY NEGATIVE COMMENTS - "we can't do that, that is stupid, what are you smoking, etc." All comments should be directed at them being on track or not based on the charter - and discussion of the discussion looks very good.

5 - Out brief - the process owner has to go in with acceptance in mind - they have to say - this looks good - I am behind you getting this done - they should know who the team leader is and turn to them and say - I am holding you accountable for success of this change. It works great when they set a review schedule in the meeting. The process owner needs to say to the team - if your solutions don't work - I want you to continue to work until you fix this - turning back is not an option.

6 - Then there is the follow up - you or whomever is the CPI lead needs to make sure a tracking mechanism is in place so that you leadership champion can hold the process owners accountable for their projects.

Finally, you have to look at the CPI or LSS projects as outside the chain activities - the only command structure is focused on the process owner and up to the champion. Consider it a detail in LEAN terms - these folks have this side detail that reports thru a different chain. It does work.

Hope that helps.

Billy (aka George "Billy" Asbell, Colonel, USAF, Retired)

Colonel Asbell's profile can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billyasbell

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 20 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson  or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

Talk Leadership

July 25, 2009 (San Dimas, CA) American Heroes Press announced that the co-author of Leadership: Texas Hold ‘em Style, Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.) will be a guest on the internet-based radio program Talk Radio Portal.

Date: July 26, 2009
Time: 6PM Pacific
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Talk-Radio-Portal/2009/07/27/LEADERSHIP-Texas-Holdem-Style

ABOUT THE PROGRAM
MoJoe, the host of Talk Radio Portal says of his program, it is “where we try to invoke you with subjects from Today's News, Sports, Music, and of course a little Politics. I am passionate when it comes to those serving in the Military. I love to dabble in Sports and occasionally will address the controversial events within. I have a different attitude when it comes to Politics, I will listen to the views and then give everyone my common sense opinion. There's no need to wrap things up in a pretty package, and then jam it down everyone's throat. Let the everyday person be heard!”

ABOUT RAYMOND E. FOSTER
Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton. He has completed his doctoral studies in business research. Raymond is a graduate of the West Point Leadership program and has attended law enforcement, technology and leadership programs such as the National Institute for Justice, Technology Institute, Washington, DC.

Raymond has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and is currently a faculty advisor and chair of the Criminal Justice Program at the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

His first book, Police Technology is used in over 100 colleges and universities nationwide. He latest book, Leadership: Texas Hold ‘em Style has been adopted by several universities for course work in leadership; by several civil service organizations and required reading for promotion; and, has been well received in the wider market.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Using poker as analogy for leadership, Captain Andrew Harvey, CPD (ret.), Ed.D. and Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA found the right mix of practical experience and academic credentials to write a definitive book for leaders. Working together, Harvey and Foster have written Leadership: Texas Hold em Style. Most often leaders find they are given a set of resources people, equipment, funds, experience and a mission. As Foster noted, "You're dealt a certain hand. How you play that hand as a leader determines your success."

More than a book: A fun and entertaining journey through leadership that includes an interactive website to supplement knowledge gained from the book.
Proven and Tested: Not an academic approach to leadership, but rather a road-tested guide that has been developed through 50-years of author experience.
High Impact: Through the use of perspective, reflection, and knowledge, provides information that turns leadership potential into leadership practice.
Ease of Application: Theory is reinforced with real-life experience, which results in accessible and practical tools leaders can put to use immediately.
High Road Approach: Personal character and ethical beliefs are woven into each leadership approach, so leaders do the right thing for the right reasons.
Uses Game of Poker: Rather than a dry approach that is all fact and no flavor, the game of poker is used as a lens through which to view leadership concepts.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret)
909.599.7530
raymond@hitechcj.com
www.police-writers.com

America Supports You: Women Officers Get Leadership Development Opportunities

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 9, 2008 - Women who choose to serve their country as military officers should be fully prepared to do so, and an organization has been working to fulfill that goal since 2003. "We stand behind this belief by providing programs that support and enable women to reach their full potential as leaders," said Susan Feland, president and founder of AcademyWomen. "Each year AcademyWomen hosts a leadership symposium to provide current, former and future women military officers the opportunity to network with like-minded colleagues and grow professionally."

Speakers from the military and the public and private sectors offer their support, personal advice and motivation to the members through keynote addresses and panel discussions.

A career coaching and professional development workshop will preface this year's annual symposium, which is slated for October. These programs provide development opportunities, resources and a chance for discussion that will assist attendees in all stages of their careers, Feland said.

"In the future, AcademyWomen will host podcasts [and] tele-seminar series, which will provide insight into specific career paths, and share stories of success in a particular field," she said.

The group is moving forward swiftly on other technologies to help women military officers develop leadership skills. It's developing an "eMentor" leadership program, and already publishes a quarterly online newsletter.

"Each edition focuses on topics of importance to our members and highlights the accomplishments of military women officers and veterans," Feland said.

AcademyWomen also supports, and plans to conduct, research focusing on the professional development of women officers in the military, their transition to civilian careers, and which professions they choose subsequent to their military service.

The organization is a new supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.

Program Gives Senior Officials 21st Century Skill Sets

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

July 1, 2008 - A new Defense Department program for senior-level civilians seeks to develop the skills and competencies needed to lead the 21st century national defense effort. The Defense Senior Leader Development Program, which replaces the current Defense Leadership and Management Program, is the new "premiere executive development program for senior defense civilians and a key component of the department's succession planning strategy," said Patricia Bradshaw, deputy undersecretary of defense for civilian personnel policy.

"Civilians are playing a much greater role alongside our warfighters," she said. "Today, they are on the front lines, and civilians, including [Defense Department] civilians, have a role in reconstruction phases as well as other areas on today's battlefield."

The new program targets already-successful senior leaders needing to strengthen their knowledge of national security and broaden their enterprise view, Bradshaw said. Experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Hurricane Katrina, shown the need for senior-level training to evolve beyond the Defense Department into the multinational and interagency world of the State Department, nongovernmental organizations and country allies, Bradshaw said.

As the U.S. aids the Iraqi government, for example, civilian teams from the U.S. Defense and State departments are working alongside military personnel assisting in rebuilding Iraq's ministries. Civilians are advising Iraqi officials on areas ranging from rule of law and economics to government and education, she said.

"Civilians are called upon to serve in ways we have not in the past," she said. "So it's not only the basic competencies we need to focus on; it's the ability to lead in our environment and make decisions."

Efforts such as the new training program will give senior civilians the tools they need to be successful in environments such as Iraq, Bradshaw said.

The need for the new program was recognized in 2005, and it was approved in 2007. Nominations for the first class, which begins in February, are due in September, and up to 50 people will be selected by December, said David A. Rude, chief of senior leader development, Civilian Personnel Management Service.

Individuals participating in DLAMP all received a letter last year explaining that the program would end in fiscal 2010. They must complete all program requirements to apply for completion, Rude said.

Graduates from the previous program aren't eligible for the new one; however, supplementary courses, training and seminars are available to help them, as well as those who don't get into the new program, become more competitive, Bradshaw said. Eventually, department employees will be able to go online and see what kind of leadership seminars and courses are available and how they map to a particular leadership competency, she added.

Those selected for the new program can expect four weeklong seminars, participation in case studies and 10 months of military education at one of the five war colleges to give them a broader sense of national security and working side by side with servicemembers, Bradshaw said.

Each service component will implement its own process requirements for how individuals are nominated. Basic eligibility requirements for the two-year program are:

-- Permanent, full-time Defense Department civilian employee at National Security Personnel System Pay Band 3, or GS-14/15 and equivalent;

-- Bachelor's degree as required to attend professional military education at one of the five service war colleges; and

-- One year of supervisory experience, which may be waived upon component recommendation.

An hourlong town hall meeting about the new program will be held at the Pentagon Conference Center at 8:30 a.m. July 8. The meeting will stream on the Civilian Personnel Management Service Web site for those who cannot attend in person.

Gates Says Nuclear Mission Shortcomings Only Reason for AF Dismissals

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

June 9, 2008 - If it were not for the serious decline in the Air Force's nuclear mission focus and performance, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today, he would not have felt the need to replace the Air Force leadership. Gates asked for and received the resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley June 6 in the wake of an investigation that found problems with the focus, performance and effective leadership of the service's nuclear weapons program.

Speaking to airmen and Air Force civilians of Air Combat Command, Gates called the nuclear mission the Air Force's most sensitive one.

"The mere existence of weapons with such destructive power alters the international landscape – and rightfully brings much scrutiny to bear on how they are handled," Gates said.

Today, he recommended that Michael B. Donley be nominated to replace Wynne and that Gen. Norton A. Schwartz replace Moseley. White House officials announced today President Bush's intention to nominate Donley and to designate him as acting Air Force secretary.

Two instances highlighted the nuclear failures. In one, a B-52 crew unknowingly carried six nuclear weapons from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to Barksdale Air Force Base, La. In another incident, nose cones for Minuteman missiles mistakenly were delivered to Taiwan in place of helicopter batteries. More than a year elapsed before the error became known.

In light of these failures, Gates asked Navy Adm. Kirkland Donald to evaluate the system. He found three systemic problems.

"The Air Force does not have a clear, dedicated authority responsible for the nuclear enterprise who sets and maintains rigorous standards of operations," Gates said.

Second, he said, the failures that led to the nose-cone misshipment could have been prevented had existing controls been followed.

Finally, "the investigation confirmed a decline in Air Force nuclear expertise similar to findings in other, earlier reports," Gates said. In addition, the nuclear mission has not received adequate funding for years, he said.

Gates said the decisive action was needed because Air Force leadership allowed the service's focus to drift away from the nuclear mission. They also allowed performance standards to decline, and they did not identify these problems for correction, the secretary said.

"The Air Force's investigation into what went wrong did not get to the root causes, requiring my personal intervention," he said.

Gates has stressed accountability with all services. He encouraged all servicemembers to assess their jobs, take accountability for what they can and ensure that changes outside their purview receive the appropriate attention.

"The important thing is to have an open and respectful airing of views in good faith," Gates said. "When decisions are made, everyone – both civilian and military – must do his or her part to see them through to success," he said.

War and Criminal Justice

June 9, 2008, (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added Lynn “Buck” Compton, an author who has served both in War and in our domestic criminal justice system.

Lieutenant Lynn “Buck” Compton is familiar to many people because his service in World War Two was portrayed by actor Neal McDonough in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. But, what many don’t know is that Lynn Compton, after World War Two, was also a Los Angeles Police Department Detective, an Assistant District Attorney; appellate judge and author.

In 1939, Lynn “Buck” Compton attended UCLA where he majored in physical education. At UCLA, he lettered two years in football and three years in baseball and was captain of the baseball team. Notably, Compton played guard on the Rose Bowl team in 1943. During his college days he was also a member of the ROTC program.

Lynn “Buck” Compton graduated from the school’s ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He commanded the “second platoon of Easy Company in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division. He parachuted into Normandy during the early hours of D-Day, was part of the assault group that destroyed the German artillery during the battle at Brecourt Manor, fought on the line at Carentan, helped liberate Holland during Operation Market Garden, and fought in the freezing cold of the Battle of Bastogne.

As a combat veteran, Lt. Compton received the Silver Star, for valor in the face of the enemy, the Purple Heart, for being wounded while in the U.S. military, the World War Two Victory Medal, for active duty during World War Two, the Orange Lanyard of the Royal Netherlands Army, for bravery, leadership and loyalty in the defense of the Netherlands, the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Campaign Citation, the American Defense Medal, and the European, African Mid-Eastern Campaign Medal. Compton, along with his unit, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy when holding the main line of resistance during the Battle of the Bulge.”

After war, Lynn “Buck” Compton, joined the Los Angeles Police Department and began to attend Loyola Law School. During his days with the Los Angeles Police Department, he attainted the rank of detective and was assigned to the Central Burglary Division. In 1951, Lynn Compton left the Los Angeles Police Department and joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor.

During his career with the District Attorney’s Office, Lynn Compton would rise to the position of Chief Deputy and serve as the second in command of the District Attorney’s Office. He prosecuted all manner of felony cases as well as high profile cases such the prosecution of Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1970, Lynn “Buck” Compton was “appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the California Courts of Appeal as an Associate Justice. During his term on the bench, Judge Compton authored more than 2,000 written opinions in all areas of law.” Lynn “Buck” Compton is the author of Call of Duty: My Life Before, During and After the Band of Brothers.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1021 police officers (representing 429 police departments) and their 2175 criminal justice books in 33 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books. Finally, because of his service, Lynn “Buck” Compton was added to Military-Writers.com as well as LAPDAuthors.com.

Mullen Receives Atlantic Council's Military Leadership Award

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

April 22, 2008 - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen was one of four leaders spotlighted last night during a who's who of policymakers and policy enforcers that included scores of former heads of state, department secretaries, ambassadors and high-ranking military officers. Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, media magnate Rupert Murdoch and Russian piano virtuoso Evgeny Kissin in accepting the Atlantic Council's award for Distinguished Military, International, Business and Artistic Leadership, respectively, in a gala here.

"Let there be no doubt that Adm. Mike Mullen is the right man in the right job at the right time for our nation, and his entire career has contributed to leading him to this point," retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones, chairman of the Atlantic Council, said before presenting the chairman the award.

Mullen, one of few senior naval officers to hold four four-star assignments, oversaw one of the most transformative eras in naval history while serving as vice chief of naval operations, Jones said. The period recognized that family readiness was critical to the Navy's readiness.

"The policies put in place under his watch ... led to historically high retention rates and significantly higher operational readiness rates Navywide," Jones said, describing Mullen's tenure from August 2003 to October 2004, as he served under then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vernon E. Clark.

Jones added that Mullen also showed exceptional leadership serving as commander of NATO's Allied Joint Force Command, in Naples, and U.S. Naval Forces Europe, and as the 28th chief of naval operations.

"Ladies and gentleman, we can all be thankful Mike Mullen is at the helm," Jones said. "He's calm; he's thoughtful; he's reasonable; he's insightful; and he fully understands the magnitude of that task before him."

Apparently, he also has a sense of humor and humility.

Mullen, the last speaker to address the high-caliber international audience, began his remarks, "Good evening. I certainly recognize my place in the order tonight." But as the laughter subsided, the top military officer tempered the revelry by honoring deployed servicemembers of the United States and its allies.

"As we are here this evening enjoying this celebration, I am mindful of all those men and women who are serving in all of our countries around the world," he said. "Many of them are in harm's way this evening so that we might enjoy the freedom, the privileges, the opportunity that their service, in fact, provides."

The chairman then provided a sweeping assessment of global security, including countries where troops are stationed currently and where he expects they'll be needed in future operations.

Echoing comments made this month by Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Mullen said security there is improved but fragile. Furthermore, he said, security is a necessary condition, but not sufficient, as diplomatic, political and economic progress is imperative for long-term stability.

Mullen said Iran routinely pushes its way into "realms of instability," and advocated that allied countries address Iran's variform influence in the Middle East: in Hezbollah, Hamas and in southern Iraq.

"I think for the ability to create stability in that part of the world, that not just this alliance but those who are allied will have to deal with Iran in the very near future," he said.

Afghanistan is "front and center" for allied Atlantic countries, Mullen said. He added that NATO countries must ensure that their contributions are sufficient in helping establish security in Afghanistan. In related comments, he stressed the need for allied countries to address threats emanating from Pakistan.

"We also must work hard, I think, to build non-NATO relationships," he added. "And there are those countries, those allies, who have joined us in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

"They represent the best of those relationships," he continued, "countries who are responsible and who recognize in that responsibility that we can meet these challenges head on together much better than we can meet them individually."

In closing, Mullen said, the strength of international partnership lies in nations' shared hope for the future.

"As a community of nations, we've elected to lead, and we've chosen to work together to create a future where parents can raise their children without fear, with dignity and with hope," he said.

The Atlantic Council of the United States promotes constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the central role of the Atlantic community in meeting the international challenges of the 21st century, according the organization's official Web site.

Leadership

An Except from Leadership: Texas Hold 'em Style

You cannot survive without that intangible quality we call heart. The mark of a top player is not how much he wins when he is winning but how he handles his losses. If you win for thirty days in a row, that makes no difference if on the thirty-first you have a bad night, go crazy, and throw it all away.
Bobby Baldwin on Poker

Morale is incredibly important in any organization; it affects everything. It affects how people treat one another, their work quality and even the way in which they answer the phone. It is elusive in nature but palpable in its impact. If morale is low, it is a problem even if everything else in an organization is strong. Karl Von Clausewitz, a Prussian military general and military theorist, identified morale as a fundamental military principle. Since Clausewitz published On War, morale has developed into a concept seen as critical to organizations. Unfortunately, morale is difficult to define and in many circles has become somewhat synonymous with motivation. But, morale is not about motivation.


READ ON
http://www.pokerleadership.com/excerpt_chapter_25.html

Team's Approach Focuses Iraqi Police on Sustainment

By Sgt. Daniel D. Blottenberger, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

Feb. 7, 2008 - Iraqi police expansion in Baghdad has reached an all-time high in the past six months, and with new recruits filling the ranks, police forces are improving by the day. As 18th Military Police Brigade police transition teams assess improvements with the numbers of Iraqi police officers and rule-of-law operations at the station level, the brigade's soldiers have begun a transition into a "systems approach" to move the Iraqi police headquarters to the next level of performance in securing the future of the Iraqi people.

Brigade officials call the new approach the enhanced police transition team.

The 18th MP Brigade's EPTT is composed of staff representatives from military police, logistics, communications and personnel leaders who focus on sustainment operations for the Iraqi police force in Baghdad.

"We are energizing the leadership to take responsibility and support their stations," said Army Lt. Col. Thomas Lombardo, the brigade's operations officer.

The brigade sends staff experts to the provincial Iraqi police leadership in Baghdad to support efforts in improving their sustainment systems. The new approach is under way not only at the main provincial headquarters, but also at other levels such as the criminal investigations department, provincial police patrol headquarters and traffic headquarters.

"We are sending individuals with the right skill sets to engage the proper IP sections," said Lombardo, who has deployed with the brigade to Baghdad twice.

The brigade is supporting Iraqi police logistics, personnel management, maintenance, budget, operations, training, leadership and judicial integration.

"You can have all these systems in place, but if you don't have good leadership, none of these things will work. Leadership makes things work," said Lombardo, who has worked directly with Iraqi police leaders in Baghdad since the unit deployed from Germany in October.

Lombardo said Iraqi police leaders are proactive and receptive to the new approach their coalition counterparts are using.

"The stations here in Baghdad are good," Lombardo said. "We can make them better if we can get the ... leadership to take responsibility of their stations and take charge."

Over the past month, the brigade staff has worked with all the provincial levels of leadership in Baghdad to understand the Iraqi police systems and see how the enhanced police transition team can help improve methods of operation. The brigade sent staff experts from each section of operations to the Iraqi police's higher echelons to learn and assess the Iraqi systems.

"Iraqi police have grown in numbers; now their systems need to grow to match their numbers," said Army 1st Lt. David Delong, a communications officer who visited the Iraqi police station's higher echelons in Baghdad recently to examine their communication systems.

"The Iraqi police were very happy to have someone who knows communications to come talk to them and lend some advice," Delong said.

He added that he was impressed with their knowledge of their communication systems, and they knew where they wanted to go with their systems.

Internet communication is important and vital for passing information among police stations and between the stations and headquarters in Baghdad, Delong said. During his visit, he noted problems in Internet connectivity among the police stations. "They are now trying to fix those problems with our help," he said.

The teams are helping distribute communication supplies from the Interior Ministry and set up contracts for Internet connectivity. They also are starting to train the more experienced communications personnel at the police stations so they can train other officers in using the communication equipment.

Army Master Sgt. Thomas Francis, the brigade's maintenance supervisor, recently spent several days observing the Iraqi police maintenance system at the central maintenance facility in Baghdad.

"The (Iraqi police) have a good system in place," said Francis, who has been working in maintenance facilities for 20 years. "The IP work (well) with what they have. They are very organized and have good accountability of their parts, which they often recycle to get the most out of their equipment."

The team plans on helping procure modern equipment for the Iraqi police mechanics and training programs. It's also providing ideas on how to spread mechanics out to the different organization levels to capitalize on their experience and round out the force.

"There are a lot of mechanics in training, and once they graduate, we will help them distribute the new mechanics to all levels in Baghdad," Francis said.

The new mechanics and equipment will help speed up the recovery process for damaged police cars, thus furthering mission capability, Francis explained.

The enhanced police transition team approach is in its initial stage, and brigade leaders believe the new systems approach is on track. "I feel confident that we are going in the right direction," Lombardo said.

The strategy, he added, is a foundation for the future success of the police in Baghdad.

"Enhanced PTT is a strategy to build on, and in the future, we will hand this off to future brigades to continue," he said. "This system helps us move to our end-state, in which (Iraqi police) move to enforce the rule of law independently."

(Army Sgt. Daniel D. Blottenberger serves in Multinational Corps Iraq Public Affairs with 18th Military Police Brigade.)

American Heroes Press

December 30, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) American Heroes Press was been established to assist law enforcement, fire, emergency service and military personnel in marketing and promoting their work.

In 2006, www.police-writers.com a website that lists state and local police officers who have authored books was developed. During 2007, www.military-writers.com a website that lists current, former and retired military personnel who have authored books was developed. In late 2007, www.firefighter-writers.com a website that lists fire and emergency services personnel who have authored books was launched.

Hi Tech Criminal Justice, the organization that developed and maintains all three websites announced the formation of American Heroes Press, an umbrella imprint for law enforcement, fire, emergency services and military personnel who have or anticipate publishing books.

American Heroes Press will assist new authors in navigating the world of publishing and assist new authors in marketing and promoting their work. Moreover, through the their information distribution network and “on ground” events, American Heroes Press will assist established authors in marketing and promoting their work.

Currently, www.police-writers.com, the more established of the three websites lists over 800 state and local law enforcement officials who have published. www.military-writers.com lists nearly 100 servicemembers and www.firefighter-writers.com, the newest addition, contains a single listing.

For more information about American Heroes Press visit the website at www.americanheroespress.com or send an email to editor@police-writers.com.