Leadership about everyone moving 'up' together

By Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Stiles, 60th Dental Squadron

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- You can find leadership lessons in the strangest places.
 
Some people search high and low, far and wide for mentors and wise sages with the hope of finding leadership enlightenment, the moment when everything in your supervision tool box finds a purpose. 

For me, that moment didn't happen during a weeklong seminar, conference or executive boot camp. It happened moments before a mandatory safety briefing during a video montage used to occupy the crowd before the briefing starts. It was a simple YouTube clip and I almost missed it. 

Like many people in the auditorium, I was engaged in pre-weekend conversation and wasn't paying any attention to the screen. The event emcee was still making script changes and hadn't given the "turn off cell phones and pagers" warning.

I stopped talking and found myself turned to the screen. The clip played, I listened and I learned. I looked around the auditorium with the same excitement I feel watching great football, "Did you just see that?" I had found something that tied my leadership expectations in a nice and neat, three-minute package. The video clip is titled "Up Time America" by the late Kimberly Alyn, a motivational speaker, and inspired this commentary.

I was taught since basic training that you have the responsibility to take care of everyone who has fewer stripes than you. This is the basis of servant leadership.

Once we allow our own credibility to waver and our integrity to buckle to protect ourselves at the expense of our subordinates, the entire team is weakened.

As leaders, we must be the voice. We must be the shield. We must strive to improve. This doesn't mean everyone gets a trophy. We also must deliberately deliver the hammer when needed. Our teammates deserve candor and transparency.

Accountability, credibility, resiliency and responsibility are the pillars of great leadership. However, I would say humility is the one trait that supports the trust bridge. The main goal of any supervisor should be to prepare, provide and prevent. Prepare them for the wartime mission by providing all the tangible and intangible things they need to accomplish the mission while preventing them from making the same mistakes you made. We must share our failures and successes for the greatest impact.

Respect those who have traveled the road before you and those who are walking behind you. So often, we are too quick to dismiss veterans' ideas as experiences built in a different Air Force then turn around and dismiss a junior Airman's idea because they lack experience. We can't have it both ways. A true conscientious leader values the input of all.

The easiest things to fix seem to be the things we hold off on completing and then complain that the issue has given birth to more issues. No problem is too small for your position regardless of your pay grade. However, as a leader, you will never know problems exist until they are too large if your people don't feel comfortable coming to you. I have watched plenty of stubborn, inflexible, one-trick ponies fail because they thought they had "arrived."

One of the greatest lessons I learned from a dentist was the only thing more contagious than enthusiasm is lack of it. If you don't love what you do, your people will see it. You can't be the fat gym teacher and tell your students to run while you live on a steady diet of Krispy Kremes. Your actions tell the tale. How you deliver your message is equally important. If you want your co-workers to display professionalism, teamwork and compassion, show them what it looks like.

We are an all-volunteer force and we know what we signed up to do. We signed up to be an active player in the greatest Air Force, representing the greatest country in the world. Fulfill your obligations to the best of your ability. Your teammates are counting on you. Don't spend too much time contemplating the obstacles. The ride won't last forever so make the best of it.

So there you have it, a short lesson on leadership. You can find knowledge in the strangest places. I have never met Kimberly Alyn, but I imagine she is someone who would make an appointment at the dental clinic and show up.

Why enforce the standards

By Master Sgt. Vincent Brass, 8th Operations Group first sergeant / Published June 07, 2013

KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AFNS) -- In the military we constantly refer to "the standard." Most standards are developed within Air Force instructions or technical orders. They are what sets us apart from our civilian counterparts.

Webster's dictionary defines a standard as "something established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model, or example." We weigh our performance reports and sometimes administrative actions off of our ability to meet the standard.

As a first sergeant, I consistently find myself reminding Air Force members from all Air Force specialty codes of the standards. Most times I get a similar response; the member corrects the action and continues on.

Sometimes I get asked, "Shirt, is it really that big of a deal to have my hands in my pockets?" I ask you, is it?

What or whom will be impacted by the staff sergeant or captain with their hands in their pockets? Honestly, probably no one.

Ultimately, what it comes down to is, which standard is OK to deviate from? The Air Force uniform standard, Air Force instruction 36-2903, was developed to provide us with guidance on how to maintain a professional image at all times.

How we wear our uniform is not only important to how the population of our great nation views us, but also how we pay respect to the men and women who have worn it before us and will continue to wear it long after we are all gone.

In my humble opinion, there should be no standard too small to enforce. Whether it is in a uniform standard, a security forces instruction, or a technical order that tells our maintainers the correct torque specification to prevent catastrophic failure while our pilots are in flight; all standards are developed to ensure mission success.

One of my mentors in the Air Force, retired Chief Master Sgt. Atticus Smith, used to put it to me in a manner that has stuck with me ever since.

"When we begin to pick and choose what standards we will enforce, we begin to accept mediocrity as the standard," Smith said. "When mediocrity becomes the standard is when the mission will fail."

I ask you now, why is it a big deal to enforce the standard?

Career knowledge, performance translate to relevance, respect

By Chief Master Sgt. David Dock, 50th Mission Support Group

Published September 04, 2013

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- I arrived at my first duty station in November 1987 as a trained and motivated KC-135 Stratotanker maintainer. I was an expert -- or so I thought. On my first day on the job, I walked toward the expediter truck excited about the drive to the flightline. I was about to be dropped off near a multimillion dollar flying machine and I knew my crew chief would say, "This one is yours, make us proud!" Oh, how wrong I was.

"Sergeant Reality", as we will call him, stopped me before I made two steps into the truck and said, "JEEP (which I learned much later stood for Just Enough Education to Pass), your job is to sit in the seat behind me in the truck. Do not speak. Read that bookshelf full of technical orders." Sergeant Reality continued. "If the truck stops, you stand up - I might have some work for you to do. If I don't, I will tell you to sit back down, and that means read more technical orders." 

"How could this be?" I thought. I was a trained maintenance machine. The Air Force spent truckloads of money making me an expert. This pattern with "Sergeant Reality" went on for a month. The truck would stop, I would stand, and Sergeant Reality would tell me to sit down and read. On occasion, I would serve as fire guard on a refuel or hook up a maintenance stand to the back of the truck, but most of my time was spent in silence, pouring over technical orders.

One cool morning, a few hours into my reading session, the truck stopped in front of an aircraft. I stood as instructed, waiting to be directed to take my seat. The crew chief from the aircraft informed the expediter he would need help and wanted an Airman to assist him. Sergeant Reality pointed past me to who we will call "Airman Lucky.' "Airman," he stated, "get out." Sergeant Reality asked the crew chief what he needed help with. "My nose wheel tire has cord exposed and a flat spot on it, "he said. “It needs to be changed." 

Good judgment and a will to live immediately left me when I said, "Is it a 12-inch flat spot?" Sergeant Reality snapped around in his seat and screamed, "What did you say?" I replied "The technical order has a new change in it that allows a tire to have cord showing as long as the tire does not have a 12-inch flat spot." 

In a fit of rage, Sergeant Reality yelled "Give me the T.O." I handed it to him and he read the instructions. He looked at the crew chief and said "Well, does it?" The crew chief shook his head no. Sergeant Reality exclaimed, "Then the tire's not bad, the T.O. changed." 

Sergeant Reality sat back in his seat, took a large breath, and said to the crew chief "Let me introduce you to your new assistant crew chief, Airman Dock. He knows the T.O.s better than you! Get out of my truck Dock!" As I climbed out of the truck Sergeant Reality pointed at Airman Lucky and barked, "JEEP, you have a new job."

Every moment in your career will produce lessons. Although the events of my first month in the Air Force may seem harsh, they solidified in my mind what would make me successful. I needed to be relevant to the duties and positions I would hold. I needed to be respected for the knowledge and talents I brought to the fight. I needed to back those skills with performance. I needed to demonstrate that I was ready to replace someone who had moved on. Sergeant Reality brought me back down to Earth and when I was prepared to be relevant, respected and could perform in the role needed, elevated me to that position.

Sergeant Reality instilled in me the idea that we're not just working a job - we're part of a much larger picture, we're part of a professional career. As Airmen, we each have a valuable skillset we presumably worked and trained hard to learn. I've served in the Air Force for 26 years and I'm still learning - it's a never ending process. Let's all strive to perfect our skills as Airmen and ensure our abilities are commensurate with our rank and position. The U.S. is counting on us.

Face of Defense: Technical Expertise Helps Marine as Leader

By Marine Corps Cpl. Melissa Wenger
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif., Aug. 29, 2013 – Sgt. Nicholas Lang, a senior intelligence analyst with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing here, prides himself on understanding the proper mentorship style he needs to use with each individual Marine in his charge.

Marine Corps Sgt. Nicholas Lang delivers a speech thanking the San Diego Chamber of Commerce during the August evening colors ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Aug. 6, 2013. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Melissa Wenger   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

“It’s more about treating everybody with respect and dignity, setting that example and leading … rather being the one who’s always out there with hands on his hips and yelling,” the Tacoma, Wash., native said.

Lang said he molds and guides Marines by treating them like adults so they can be given the opportunity to grow within the job and the Marine Corps.

“I like that he gives direction, but he’s not the type of [noncommissioned officer] to micromanage,” said Marine Corps Cpl. Angie Galvez, an intelligence specialist with 3rd MAW and a Miami native. “That lets me know he has faith in me, which makes me want to not mess up. I don’t [want to] take away the confidence he has in me.”

Lang said he knows the continuous collection of knowledge is essential not only for the lower enlisted ranks, but also for every position in the Marine Corps. To improve himself both as an NCO and as an intelligence analyst, he added, he continues to study the most up-to-date information about his specialty so he can answer the questions of his peers and subordinates.

“Let’s say I have to look up a side topic,” Galvez said. “He’ll know so much about that topic that I’m like, ‘How in the world does he know this much?’” Galvez said. “Just because he’s the leader of that squad that takes care of things that are going on in the Middle East doesn’t mean he’s going to have tunnel vision. He says, ‘OK, I’m going to look at everything going on around the world to make sure that I know [a bit of] everything.”

That technical expertise allows him to lead from the front, all the while mentoring his colleagues, Lang said.

“Treating everybody with respect seems to be a good way to get people to do what you need them to do, especially when they see you there with them down in the weeds,” he added. “You get a lot of respect back from the Marines.”

Lang gives briefings in the course of his duties, and used that experience as the reviewing officer for the August evening colors ceremony aboard here, delivering a speech.

“Knowing briefing skills helped out a lot with standing up in front of everybody,” he said.

Buckley introduces speed mentoring program

by Airman 1st Class Riley Johnson
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

8/21/2013 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Air Force master sergeants seeking mentorship sat down with several chief master sergeants at Buckley's first ever speed mentoring event Aug. 15, at the Buckley Leadership Development Center.

The 14 mentors and mentees discussed a variety of career-development topics during the mentoring session. Each master sergeant was allotted a five to seven minute one-on-one session with each mentor during the event. During those sessions, some of the topics included personal and professional development, special duties, promotion, and leadership.

"Most of the discussions I had were about how to be a better leader and how to hit the right marks to progress your career," said Master Sgt. Heather Morales, 566th Intelligence Squadron.

The mentoring session was a test run, with more speed mentoring opportunities expected to be organized for airmen, NCOs and senior NCOs.

"Speed mentoring is where you take quick, individualized mentoring sessions and you get a perspective from a senior leader on where to go with your career," said Master Sgt. Katie Neeley, the event coordinator.

Although speed mentoring is a new concept for Buckley, the idea has been tried at other bases.

"I participated in speed mentoring at my previous base. When I got here, I brought the concept up to the Top Three organization; they liked it and we went with it," Neeley said.

The event provided master sergeants the opportunity to speak with chiefs from a variety of career fields. The chiefs represented a blend of components that included active-duty, Guard and Reserve.

"I think this is great for mentorship, especially to us chiefs; it's our obligation to mentor the next group of Airmen," said Chief Master Sgt. Danny Doucette, Air Reserve Personnel Center, and one of the several mentors. "There is a lot of young new talent coming up and I'm very impressed with it."

NCOs show up in mass for leadership breakfast

by Staff Sgt. Julius Delos Reyes
50th Space Wing Public Affairs

8/15/2013 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Schriever staff and technical sergeants flocked to the Satellite Dish Dining Facility Aug. 13 for the 50th Space Wing leadership and NCO breakfast.

The breakfast event was designed to facilitate discussion between wing leadership and NCOs about current Air Force and Schriever issues.

This is the first NCO breakfast meeting for Col. Bill Liquori, 50 SW commander, since assuming command of the wing and the largest turnout among Airmen's groups.

Col. Bill Rittershaus, 50 SW vice commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Lavon Coles, 50 SW command chief, also attended the event.

"Each of you should realize at this point that you are our frontline in the leadership trenches," Liquori said. "You are the first person the Airmen look up to for guidance, mentorship, support and resources. Without you, everything breaks down. We need you to learn your Airmen's stories."

Liquori encouraged the NCOs to set the standard and help their Airmen learn about the Air Force.

"The Airmen are looking up to you as they're coming out of basic training and beginning to learn more about what it is to be an Airman," Liquori said. "Set the example and put another generation of Airmen on the right path to success in their Air Force career."

Liquori opened the discussion by noting current issues facing the Air Force.

"People ask me what's the toughest thing since I've been here, it's the budget," Liquori said. "The budget situation is tight. We're making tradeoffs and sacrifices every day, and I certainly see that firsthand. What we are trying to do is make sure we are telling the wing's story to the chain at 14th Air Force and Air Force Space Command."

Liquori also asked the NCOs' help in eliminating sexual assault as it is one of the big topics in the Air Force today.

"I need each and every one of you to join us in kicking this to the curb," he said. "It's not acceptable; it is not professional; it violates trust; it violates dignity; and it violates respect. Nobody wants to work in an environment where that happens. It takes all of us to recognize that it is not OK to do it; it is not OK to condone it; and it is not OK to turn the other way."

As part of the meeting, NCOs also asked Liquori and Coles questions about promotion, mentorship and other personnel issues.

"I am trying to get to know you to see how I can help you grow personally and professionally," Coles said. "For the mentorship aspect, it is this environment (the breakfast with leadership) that we're going to get our big money; it's getting involved with the 5/6. We're given these stripes as noncommissioned officers for a reason: to get out and lead."

At the closing of the breakfast, Liquori thanked the NCOs for participating in the event and spending time with leadership.

"Thank you very much for coming out," Liquori said. "It's the best turnout we've had. It is a good opportunity for us to hear a little bit about what's going in the trenches. Thank you for all the questions."

Dodging stressors, building resiliency

by Staff Sgt. N.B.
432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

8/15/2013 - LAS VEGAS, Nev. --  -- The Hunters are building their "wingman" culture one strike, single and home run at a time.

The 432nd Wing, 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing held a dodge ball tournament at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., to kickoff the quarterly Comprehensive Airmen Fitness day on Aug. 9. The tournament's purpose was to provide an opportunity to help Airmen think outside the box when it comes to CAF days.

"CAF day is a combined day of safety, training and resiliency," said the Command Chief of the 432nd WG, 432nd AEW Chief Master Sgt. Butch Brien. "It's about getting together as a team, breaking away from the normal 'safety day' and really looking at the big picture to help our Airmen."

The tournament included 130 Airmen broken into 13 teams. Teams were encouraged to dress in costumes, develop chants and have fun.

"It was a good morale booster for Airmen to come together and play a fun game of dodge ball," said Airman 1st Class Andrew, 432nd WG, 432nd AEW knowledge operations specialist. "It was awesome seeing the wing commander all dressed up and having fun with his Airmen."

Smaller breakouts at the squadron level will continue this month with the quarter's focus area; mental resiliency.

The mental pillar focuses on helping Airmen approach life's challenges in a positive way by demonstrating self-control, stamina and good character all while seeking help and offering help to others.

Creech Wing leadership expressed immense support for CAF days and their importance to make sure they are doing everything they can to help strengthen Airmen.

Brien went on to say, "We need to be safe, fit to fight and work on resiliency together so we can help one another out."

By helping Airmen understand the application of CAF through interactive training and team-building activities, the training teaches Airmen to respond to life stressors.

The four pillars of CAF are mental, physical, social and spiritual. Each is designed to continually work together to support Airmen and their families.

Freedom of Religion; Two cultures, same house

by Senior Airman Camilla Elizeu
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

8/15/2013 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz.,  -- Staff Sgt. Asad Abdul Muhammad, 355th Fighter Wing protocol specialist, has just finished partaking in Ramadan.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Every day this month, Muslims around the world spend the daylight hours abstaining from food, drink and other physical needs during the daylight hours, it is a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God and practice self-sacrifice.

"Ramadan is a test of discipline," Abdul Muhammad said. "When I participate in Ramadan, I am humbled by the fact that at the end of the day I get a meal where there are people who don't have that option. They don't have a choice of when their next meal will come, if it comes at all."

Abdul Muhammad, being the only Muslim in his household, was the only one who participated in Ramadan.

"The kids didn't notice it much," Abdul Muhammad said. "They have their own schedules for dinner and bed time, so by the time I am eating they are in bed. My wife does try and wait for me to have dinner, though. She also plans to fast with me next year."

Abdul Muhammad's wife is a Catholic, who is very interested in other religions, and teaches their children about the different options they have.

"We do not try to force our religion on them," Abdul Muhammad said. "We believe that it is their right to choose what religion they want to follow, so we celebrate all holidays in the Islamic culture as well as the Christian culture."

Abdul Muhammad's parents raised him the same way.

"Growing up, my parents were Baptist, and my dad converted to Muslim. Sometime after that my mother converted as well," Abdul Muhammad said. "But they didn't force it on me; they gave me the choice of attending church with my uncles and aunts or going to the mosque with them. So, I tried both out and decided to be a Muslim."

The Abdul Muhammad family hasn't picked a religious establishment to attend in the local area, but that doesn't mean they aren't partaking in their religious beliefs.

"Religion doesn't have to have a building," Abdul Muhammad said. "We believe in focusing on the lessons to be learned from the book, rather than someone else's interpretation."

The children in the family are taught moral values based off the different religions in the house.

"We teach them the values that our religions teach us. We want to instill morals in them," Abdul Muhammad said. "When you think about it, that is what this nation is; a variety of cultures, a variety of identities."

Muhammad's wife has taught her children about Buddhism, Judaism, Catholicism and Islamism.

"In the house we have a Bible, a Kabbalah, a Quran and books on different religions for kids," Abdul Muhammad said. "We just want our kids to focus on the lessons, essentially a good moral standing."

Creating resilient people who happen to the world

by Staff Sgt. Amber R. Kelly-Herard
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

8/13/2013 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill.  -- Resilience training builds stronger Airmen who can handle adverse conditions and recover from them easily.

To equip defenders with resilience, Air Mobility Command security forces commanders and trainers participated in the 2013 AMC Security Forces Defender's Edge Training Summit July 29 through Aug. 2, here.

"Security forces and explosive ordnance disposal forces operate outside the wire on a regular basis in dangerous conditions and find themselves in situations needing operational resiliency," said Col. Randall Richert, AMC Directorate of Installations and Mission Support Security Forces chief. "Defender's Edge Training is important because it provides Airmen a set of tools prior to an incident occurring."

Defender's Edge Training was created by Dr. Deloria Wilson, Air Force Security Forces Center, especially for security forces Airmen. Wilson came to Scott personally to teach this course about remaining calm under stress.

"Defenders learn their technical skill set and do well in the Air Force," said Richert. "With this training, Airmen can develop a tougher mind - spiritually, mentally and physically.'

"If you combine a tougher mind with technical skill set, they have the tool set to do a job well," Richert continued. "Then if you create a team of Airmen all with the same training, it creates an incredible team."

The summit also included Sergeant Rock Physical Training, a special type of training developed around 2004 at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, with fitness specialists and experts from the Cooper Institute, focusing on muscle failure and muscle memory.
Additionally, retired Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, author of "On Killing" and "On Combat" presented "The Bulletproof Mind" at the base theater. Experts also offered a clinic on injury-free running.

"The tools provided during the week of training are all invaluable and when coupled with one another make a more resilient SF Defender prepared for rigors specific to police work, base defense and ground combat," Master Sgt. Peter Maraia, AMC Security Forces Resources and Budget manager. "Not only am I coming away from this training personally more prepared for my duties as a Security Forces member, I am now armed with knowledge that will help me assist my fellow Defenders."

"For most people, the world happens to them," said Richert. "We want to create people that happen to the world."

Finding the Passion of Service

by Master Sgt. Todd Wivell
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

8/3/2013 - JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- "When I was a captain, I received some unexpected news that I had been selected to fly the MQ-1 Predator," said Col. David Kumashiro, 62nd Airlift Wing commander. "I was at a point in my career where I was uncertain whether I was going to make the Air Force a career. I had been flying the line for several years and was in all honesty a little burned out.

"That assignment probably ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me. I was thrust into a world I knew nothing about--a new technology, a new combat mission, and a new Air Force "clan." In fact, the Predator was so new that few senior leaders had experience in how we employed the platform and, as a result, had no choice but to trust the expertise and leadership of our young crew force.

"It rekindled the fire and the passion I had to try and make things better, to make the Air Force better and to make the lives of the Air Force men and women better. As I look back at my experiences in the Predator, my hope is that all Airmen have an opportunity to experience the unexpected passion of Service."

Kumashiro took over command of 62nd Airlift Wing during a change of command ceremony, July 17. Since his arrival he has made his way around the wing in the hopes of getting to know his new Airmen and their families, as family ties are extremely important to him.

"I've been extremely blessed to come from a very supportive and loving family that has been privileged to have had the opportunity to serve in our USAF," said Kumashiro. "My father received his Air Force commission through ROTC in 1965, my oldest brother received his Air Force commission through Officer Training School, and his wife through ROTC at Bowling Green. I was fortunate enough to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy where I received my commission.

"One of the most memorable moments in my life was when my father commissioned me at the Academy. A couple of days later, we drove down to Kirtland Air Force Base where he was assigned and participated in his retirement from the Air Force after 26 years of service."

This is Kumashiro's first time stationed at JBLM and his first time stationed in the Pacific Northwest.

"This is an amazing area with so much going on--the natural beauty of Puget Sound, Mount Rainier and the Olympic range. I'm looking very forward to venture out and see what the area has to offer," said Kumashiro. "I'm a big seafood fan, too, so I'll be out trying all the great food from our local restaurants. If you are ever bored, let me know and we will find something to do."

Along with looking forward to hiking in the Pacific Northwest, the commander said his hobbies include running, golfing, swimming, cycling, working out, and skiing. His favorite sports are soccer, golf and tennis.

"The Seattle Mariners and the Seattle Seahawks are my teams now," said Kumashiro when asked about his favorite sports teams. "Since I moved around a lot, I never gained an allegiance to any single team--with the exception, of course, of the mighty Air Force Academy Falcons."

As an Air Force dependent and in his current AF career, the colonel has moved around quite a lot in his life and with those moves he has developed a strong respect for the local community ties.

"At its core, our community partnership is important because all of us benefit from being good neighbors," said Kumashiro. "At JBLM, we are so incredibly fortunate to have a long tradition of strong community partner relations that is based on mutual respect and transparency.

"I've already met many of our local leaders and community members and can attest to their commitment to ensuring this partnership continues.

"I do want to take a moment and thank all our community partners and civic leaders across the Puget Sound area for the tremendous support they have given to our military members.

"Life in the military can be stressful, and the selfless support we receive from our community partners goes a long way to improving the resiliency of our Air Force. We could not do it without them."

For the colonel, this is his first time at a joint base and only his second time in a joint billet; however he understands how important joint basing is.

"In today's dynamic and complex battle space, we must be integrated and seamless in how we conduct joint operations regardless of our respective mission sets and service cultures," said Kumashiro. "Joint basing is a foundational step to achieving this objective. Moreover, in this challenging fiscal environment, we must take advantage of every efficiency we possibly can to ensure we are good stewards of U.S. taxpayer dollars. "Great organizations don't shy away from different ideas and perspectives rather they embrace the opportunity to share unique and diverse experiences. It's what a learning organization is all about and bottom line, it can only make us better."

As a young captain, Col. David Kumashiro took on the challenge of being assigned to fly the Predator and it was at a time in his career when he was unsure of what the future held for him. He embraced that challenge and has benefited ever since. "I challenge all of us to 'find the unexpected passion of Service,'" said Kumashiro. "Mine was the MQ-1 Predator. What's yours?"

Two hats one man

by Senior Airman Melissa Paradise
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

8/2/2013 - MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- During the week, Robert Foster is the battalion commander for the City of Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, but for one weekend out of each month for the last 20 years, he dons a different kind of uniform and provides lifesaving medical care as an Air Force Reserves chief master sergeant and 927th Aeromedical Staging Squadron superintendent.

"My primary role [as the 927th ASTS superintendent] is to lead and manage approximately 150 medical personnel ranging from emergency medical technicians to surgeons," said Foster. "However as the battalion commander, my primary responsibility is emergency scene management which includes acting as the on-scene commander for calls such as motor vehicle crashes, high-rise rescues, medical emergencies and structure fires."

The two careers, although different, go hand-in-hand with each other. Both are high intensity, high stress jobs that deal with saving lives. Firefighting deals with an immediate emergency and being a medic deals with an emergency and long-term medical care afterwards.

For Foster, having both careers has helped him remain calm in situations that could easily overwhelm most individuals.

"My dual careers have enabled me to view a crisis from a variety of directions," explained Foster. "This has allowed me to determine the best solution for a situation, which in turn provides the best possible outcome."

In 1999, Foster was assigned to a paramedic special operations unit in Atlanta which responded to an incident in a high-rise involving an active shooter. His role was to ensure the crew's safety, triage multiple gunshot victims and facilitate the immediate evacuation of critically injured patients while the shooter was still on scene.

"Because of the extensive medical training that I have received in both the military and civilian positions, I find that I have an expanded view of handling emergency situations," said Foster.

With the balance between Foster's two careers and the support of his family, he has had the opportunity to do many great things in his life. After serving 21 years as a firefighter, seven years on active duty, 20 years as a reservist and two years as an Army National Guard helicopter medic Foster now uses all of his skills to help expand the knowledge of others.

"I am very fortunate to have had an opportunity to do all I have done," said Foster. "I plan to continue passing on my knowledge to both the other firefighters and the Airmen."

A few proud Airmen among the Few and the Proud: The Marine Corps Corporals Leadership Course at Offutt

by Senior Airman Peter R.O. Danielson
55th Wing Public Affairs

7/31/2013 - OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb.  -- Three Offutt Airmen stood among the "first to go" as they attended the 4th Marine Logistic Group Corporals Leadership Course here, July 13 - 27, with 31 Marines as they learned basic leadership knowledge and skills necessary to carry out their responsibilities as non-commissioned officers.

Much like the Air Force's Airman Leadership School, this two-week course is part of an enlisted Marine's professional military education.

"Our mission is to grow, develop and teach these Marines and Airmen to be the leaders," said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Alexander Lamberth, the course director from Det. 1 Maintenance Company, 4th Maintenance Battalion, in Omaha, Neb. "Leadership is leadership regardless what branch. This course was written to teach our students where they came from as Marines and where they need to take our Corps."

This emphasis on Marine culture and traditions seemed daunting to the Airmen who were coming in as outsiders.

"I was kind of concerned about coming to this class," said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Miguel Ortiz, 55th Wing Law Center. "These Marines have taken me in and made me one of their own. They even made me a squad leader during land navigation training, which was an honor."

"It's pretty motivating to have some Air Force senior airmen in this class," said U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. John Patrick San Nicolas, from Ordnance Maintenance Company, 4th Maintenance Battalion, Waco, Texas. "We treat them like brothers and sisters and get to show them how the Marine Corps does it."

Throughout the 13 training days, the students are given instruction in many topics that include administration process, communication, professional ethics and combat operations.

"This course describes and hones what's needed in each rank," Lamberth said. "We don't only teach them leadership but also professionalism."

The course material is dense, but instructors and students worked through the weekends to ensure they maximize the training time.

Many of the days began at 5 a.m. with a one and a half mile formation run from the O'Malley Inn to the parade ground as a warm up to physical training. Once they arrived, they would do a combination of warm up, strength and conditioning exercises that included buddy push-ups, where each person puts their feet on the shoulders of the person behind them, fireman carries and buddy squats. PT would last anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours and ended with a one and a half mile formation run back to the O'Malley Inn. These exercises were designed to put emphasis on teamwork.

"You're looking left and right at the Marines and Airmen next to you, because there's no time to look at yourself," said U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Jayomie McGowan, from General Support Maintenance Company, 4th Maintenance Battalion, Rock Island Arsenal, Ill. "We're here to motivate each other."

This type of exercise was unlike any the Airmen were used to in organized workouts.

"This is some high-intensity PT," Ortiz said. "I thought I was in shape before. Though, as long as you show up and do your best, they respect you."

Even the Marines found the physical conditioning challenging, yet energizing.

"I look forward to PT every day," said U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Andrew Dodd, Det. 1 Maintenance Company, 4th Maintenance Battalion. "Not initially when I first wake up, of course. By the end of the workout, you are proud of what you've done. I know that no-one back home could do what I've done."

After PT, students changed into utility uniforms for the day and got a hot meal from the King Dining Facility. Then, the students gathered at the James M. McCoy Airman Leadership School for their lessons.

The training days ranged from 12 to 15 hours, allowing the Airmen and Marines a lot of class time to discuss their own traditions and history. One of those traditions is the M1859 Marine NCO sword, which NCOs carry while in command of troops under arms. This weapon is the oldest in continued service still in the U.S. inventory. Students performed drill with these swords and practiced formation in preparation of doing these maneuvers in their home unit.

Ortiz said this opportunity helped him understand much more about the Marine mission and culture.

"I feel like I've learned as much from the Marine students as I've learned from the instructors," Ortiz said. "It's always good to learn what other branches have to do. It's a glimpse into their lives, because a lot of this is a refresher for them. About 95 percent of this material is new to me."

The instructors felt the same way after teaching their first joint PME.

"With the success of this course, I think this has opened opportunities for inter-service PME," said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Pete Mireles, course assistant director from the Ordnance Maintenance Company, 4th Maintenance Battalion, Waco, Texas. "I could see the Navy and Army sending students in the future."

As the students prepare to leave, McGowan said that she was ready to return home. She also said she knew that she would take advantage of the connections she made over the course of the class.

"The Marine Corps is a small, tight-knit community, and you'll develop relationships throughout your career," McGowan said. "This class helps build those relationships so wherever you go, you've got someone there you can rely on."

Motivation, dedication

by Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/22/2013 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- A handful of service members here take on a task few will attempt in their lifetime. It requires countless hours of practice no one sees, and if they don't execute perfectly when it's show time, there's no hiding their mistakes.

They are a group of service members who have volunteered to display a higher standard of discipline and dedication and to represent the 35th Fighter Wing on and off base; they are the Misawa Honor Guard.

"It's great - I love doing this," said Airman 1st Class Juan Hernandez, Misawa Honor Guard member. "We have to be sharper than all other Airmen and we represent the entire Air Force."

Hernandez is one of about 25 members that make up the Misawa Honor Guard, a group that thrives on upholding military tradition and heritage, all the while knowing all eyes are on them. Like Hernandez, a fellow guardsman Airman 1st Class David Anderson says the heightened expectation brings out the best in them.

"It makes us push that much harder to do a good job and provide the best service we can for details and ceremonies," said Anderson.

Being at the heart of a ceremony doesn't make these Airmen celebrities. In fact, they see it just the opposite. They're not there to get the attention - they're out to give it.

"By participating in these ceremonies we get to give back to the public and let them see what we do first-hand," said Master Sgt. Nicholas Valdez, Misawa Honor Guard superintendent. "We get to take part in community events such as Tops in Blue, Misawa Boys Scouts and American Day."

The term perfection is often used as a goal many people aim to achieve. In the Honor Guard, it's the standard.

"We are always striving for perfection," said 1st Lt. Matthew de Bernardo, Misawa Honor Guard officer in-charge. "The details we do, no matter how many times we do them we are always trying to correct a mistake."

Valdez echoed the lieutenant's thoughts and said Honor Guard members are held to a higher standard and are constantly improving.

"We are going above and beyond and we hope that carries over to their daily jobs and they become even more productive military members," he added.

The Misawa Honor Guard is a team that is known for professionalism and standards of conduct. What's more impressive is they all chose to be here - it's purely a volunteer duty.

"Honor Guard here is an additional duty where service members are excused by their work sections to come in and perform their duties," said de Bernardo. "The majority of the time they spend practicing is on their own free time."

To become a member of the Honor Guard team, trainees -- as they are called before officially being a team member -- must go through an eight-week process.

"The training we go through here goes through different standing manuals that come from 'big' Air Force Honor Guard that teaches facing movements that are different from any commissioning program or training you may have been through," said de Bernardo.

Throughout this eight-week process trainees learn how to do the facing movements, the importance of dress and appearance, what it's like to be on a team, and the different aspects to a colors team detail such as rifle movements and posting of the colors.

"When it is the end of the eight weeks we run through a colors team detail one last time and we have a final evaluation," said de Bernardo.

Once members of the Honor Guard pass their final evaluation, they are given their ceremonial uniform which they wear to every detail they perform - an accomplishment some consider a personal graduation of sorts.

"The first time I got into my ceremonial uniform and performed my first detail with it on was one of the proudest moments I've ever had," said Hernandez. "I knew I was representing the Air Force and it felt great."

Historically, the Honor Guard program primarily operates to provide a formal military presence to honor fallen service members at funerals. While this tradition remains true across the service, Misawa's unique location usually steers this team in a different direction.

De Bernardo said here they focus on colors team details. Although they may have a different focus, he says they are still the same Honor Guard concept.

"It requires the same professionalism, the same standards and the same sense of duty (required to support funerals)," he said. "This gives us an opportunity to focus primarily on the details we perform here."

Another unique quality of the Misawa Honor Guard, that many bases in the military don't have, is three branches working side-by-side. Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors work together to perform the various ceremonies here.

"It's a true team," said de Bernardo. "I think it really adds something to the dynamic of the team and adds to the experience as member of the Honor Guard."

Some might not have a definitive answer of what serving in the military means, but members of the Honor Guard answer without hesitation.

"We are part of the best military in the world," said de Bernardo. "Representing it in some of the most sacred and dignified ceremonies and traditions is what being an ambassador to the military is all about. I believe it is our duty to take the word honor and represent how amazing and awe-inspiring it is to be a part of."

Amputee Leads Marines at Infantry School

By Marine Corps Cpl. Joseph Scanlon
1st Marine Division

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., July 18, 2013 – Marine Corps infantry instructors are expected to be physically fit, mentally strong and have a vast amount of knowledge in their occupational field.

Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Gabriel Guest continues to mentor and lead Marines after having his left leg amputated. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Scanlan   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Gunnery Sgt. Gabriel Guest, the chief instructor of the Advanced Machine Gunners course at the School of Infantry-West’s Advanced Infantry Training Battalion here, is no exception.

"When I joined the Marine Corps, I chose to join the infantry because I like action and being in the thick of things, and because of the challenge it presents," said Guest, a native of Spokane, Wash. "The infantry is very dynamic, because there are a lot of different aspects you can master like weapons or tactics."

Guest deployed four times, three times to combat zones, in his career.

His first deployment was with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, in support of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, in response to the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole in a Yemeni harbor. His second and third deployments were to Iraq with 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, and his fourth and final deployment was to Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.
Guest experienced his first enemy contact while deployed to Afghanistan during 2008.

"After our first engagement in Now Zad, we had to fight our way out of the city," he recalled. "It was like that every day for the next five months. Most engagements lasted anywhere from five to 15 hours long. I never wanted to see my guys get hurt or wounded, but I still carry those memories with me today."

After five months of constant enemy contact, Guest's vehicle drove over a pressure plate improvised explosive device, ejecting him from the vehicle and causing three different compound fractures in his left leg.

"After the dust cleared, I started to look around, and I noticed my boot was next to my face," Guest said. "I thought I was dizzy and was hallucinating until I looked down and saw the blood on my pant leg and saw the bones sticking out."

Guest was first sent to the medical facility at Bagram Airfield, and then to many other hospitals for more than 25 surgeries. During physical therapy, Guest said, he realized his leg wasn't going to heal as well as he had hoped it would, so he went through further surgeries.

Later, he was offered the chance to work at the School of Infantry as a machine gun instructor and seized the opportunity.

"I was the chief instructor running courses, and I was doing perfectly fine," Guest said. "I was working with weapons and doing regular infantry stuff again when I started to feel ill and my leg started hurting."

His leg became continuously infected because of constant physical training, and he was left with only three options: fusing his leg straight, allowing no bending in the knee; having a total knee replacement with risk of future infections that could be fatal; or having the leg amputated. He chose amputation, and underwent the operation on Oct. 10, 2012.

"Choosing to have my leg amputated was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make in my life, because it is losing part of myself," Guest said.

Guest took only a week off work for his amputation because of his dedication. He continued to recover while he resumed teaching Marines.

"The Marine Corps made the Expanded Permanent Limited Duty Program for Marines like me who are wounded warriors and want to continue being Marines," Guest said. "I hope that I'm showing the commandant the program was a great choice, because I don't know what I would do with myself if I wasn't a Marine."

Through the EPLD program, Marines who experienced significant combat injuries that normally would restrict them from continuing their service are allowed to continue their careers by mentoring Marines through their leadership skills sharpened by combat experience.

Guest has taught multiple courses and is back to full duty, aside from certain physical training events, since his amputation.

"It's awesome to see him still have the same opportunities everyone else gets, because he earned every bit of it," said Marine Corps Cpl. Sean O'Malley, an instructor at the Advanced Machine Gunners course. "I've never seen him not willing to do something for any of his Marines. He puts so much into being an instructor, because he knows the Marines he is teaching may find themselves in the same combat situations he found himself in years ago. He wants each and every one of them to come back alive."

Guest said one of the reasons he loves his job is that he’s able to show Marines the reality of combat with the loss of his leg.

"I have had friends who were amputees who started drinking more and became depressed after losing their limbs, but Gunnery Sergeant Guest is not one of those people," said O'Malley, a Chicago native. "He is more active than a lot of people who have both of their legs."

Guest still swims and physically trains as he did before the amputation. He plans to return to an infantry battalion and continue to deploy overseas after finishing his time as an instructor.

"Once someone loses a limb from their body, it makes them appreciate the little things in life," he said. "It makes them understand how limited humans are, but it also lets them know how endless the potential is."

At Public Affairs course, knowledge sharing, not just lessons

by Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
I.G. Brown Training and Education Center

7/15/2013 - MCGHEE TYSON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Tenn. -- It was seven years ago when the Air Force's Chief of Staff, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, directed the merger of multimedia and public affairs Airmen, and it has taken those years to bring their super-offices for media/community relations, news, data and images to fruition. Today, still deep in the fight, Airmen are re-thinking their communications synchronization with the help of the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center and each other's best practices.

According to the National Guard Bureau, a fraction of public affairs Airmen - those who served before the merger - received any classroom instruction that addressed the joined career fields and their new management tasks. One of the biggest complaints from managers then was that they basically went to bed as Visual Information and woke up as Public Affairs, said one official.

Although talk of the merger mostly fell silent, Senior Master Sgt. Shaun Withers and Master Sgt. Bill Conner still hold lessons here that address some remaining deficiencies.

The Air National Guard's Public Affairs Managers course is a solid two-weeks of instruction on how to run a successful Public Affairs office. It was the TEC's first Professional Continuing Education course offered - introduced many years ago as the Audio Visual Management Course.

The certified instructors train more than 50 students a year from the Air National Guard's 89 flying Wings - not because of the merger, but because Public Affairs is now an office prone to constant change and trends.

"The career field changes and technology changes so fast now that we recommend fulltime support staff to take the course every two to three years," said Withers, career field manager and functional area manager for NGB Public Affairs.

Withers makes the drive here three times a year from the Air National Guard Readiness Center on Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to teach the course. He has logged a good amount of time to ensure its continued success. "As far as value added, this is one of the best things I've seen us provide," he said.

In an effort to integrate the new Public Affairs Air Force Instructions, Withers and others rewrote the entire course. A lot of the old paperwork and Visual Information requirements were tossed, and things like media engagement and traditional public affairs tasks were introduced.

Feedback has been positive, Withers said.

"It's exactly what people are looking for," he said, adding that his greatest support has been from Wing executive officers who attend the course as a means to get public affairs savvy. Course attendance, which is financed by the units, remains high despite tough budget times.

On a recent afternoon at the TEC campus, the instructors teamed up with the TEC's broadcasters to test students in mock, on-camera media interviews. "With today's tight budgets, we may be the only training they're going receive for quite some time, so we take it very seriously," Conner said.

The students later reviewed themselves with the instructors and offered each other gentle suggestions about their body language and word choices. A few students gave odd answers or stumbled in their recordings, which made for some shared chuckles and laughs in class.

Conner was straight forward about the fact that some Wing executive officers and public affairs managers had little to no time in front of a camera, despite their critical responsibilities as external speakers. "Every time we teach this course we're reminded just how important the course is," he said.

Unlike assigned readings of their new AFIs, the course encouraged students to also share their best practices and products. "You can get only so much from the new AFIs," said Capt. Steven Stubbs, a public affairs officer who traveled from the 186th Air Refueling Wing in Mississippi.

Stubbs had to overhaul his public affairs messages and products four times in the last few years for his Wing's seemingly endless revolving weapons systems. The course is a big help to him and his fulltime manager, he said, but what he also needs is skill training, especially for his older photographers now tasked as writers.

"We want to give the best products to our customers and to our Wing commander," said Stubbs.

There are additional lessons offered by the Air National Guard here, said Withers. The "Smokey Mountain Short Course" - a week-long, fast-paced, broadcasters' critique course - is popular, and similar efforts are underway to develop a news writing and photography course for photojournalists.

"I think the Air National Guard is doing a fantastic job," said Withers. "When you have good interaction between the instructors and the students, sharing ideas, sharing best practices, that's another way to ensure everybody has the best products out there."

Guest speakers including regular visits by Lt. Col Tom Crosson from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, helps enrich students with broader practices and trends.

Students are also handed a DVD on their graduation day that contains volumes of Public Affairs data - anything on the career field, shared by those recognized as the best doing it.

Withers said there's no reason that any Air National Guard unit should be reinventing their Public Affairs wheel today. "We have proven products ... localize them to what you do," he told them.

"We throw a lot of information at them in the two weeks they are here," said Withers. "They get every briefing and every slide show, which allows them to take that home and use it as training aids ... as well as all of the take-away programs and best practices. Honestly, the more training ... the better off we are."

Enlisted chiefs break down leadership traits

by Airman 1st Class Nicole Sikorski
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/11/2013 - SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- "Leadership is not a popularity contest," said 9th Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. James Davis. "Leadership will keep you up at night, because you care about your Airmen and Soldiers. If it matters to them it's got to matter to you."

Davis, and fellow Shaw AFB, S.C., senior enlisted leaders gathered to speak at a quarterly leadership panel, June 28.

The enlisted leaders spoke to more than 100 service members during the panel, which was sponsored by the Shaw Top Three. They addressed what it takes to be in a leadership position, how to become a good leader, certain obstacles you are faced with in those positions and knowing your people.

All of the Shaw senior enlisted leaders agreed that in addition to gaining trust from your people, commitment to your duty around-the-clock is a must while being on top and leading from the front.

"There are going to be times where it is going to come before your family and your personal desires," said Ford. "At those times you will need to put your people first and stay focused on taking care of them."

After speaking about the main components of leadership, the chiefs and command sergeant major answered questions from both enlisted and commissioned service members.

Four U.S. Air Force chief master sergeants addressed the crowd with Davis: Chief Master Sgt. Darrel Ford, 20th Operations Group superintendent, , Chief Master Sgt. James Wilkerson, 20th Fighter Wing command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Suzanne Talbert, 20th Mission Support Group superintendent, and Chief Master Sgt. Robert Rice, 20th Maintenance Operations Squadron superintendent, as well as U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Stephan Frennier, Third Army/U.S. Army Central senior enlisted advisor, attended the event.

We need leaders with ICE in their veins

Commentary by Col. David Miller
21st Operations Group

7/10/2013 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- As I was preparing to take command of the 21st Operations Group, one of my former Airmen called me to see if my leadership expectations had changed. He was preparing his own leadership expectations briefing for his first commander's call, and he wanted to know if I still had a one-word expectation for my officers and NCOs -- "Lead!"

I responded I still had a one word expectation for myself and the leaders I worked with, however, I went on to explain that how they lead is an indispensable part of the conversation. Why? It is our job as leaders to create and sustain an environment for our people to succeed professionally and personally. Moreover, in such a dynamic security and fiscal environment, and at a time when we continue to expect more and more from our Airmen, how we act is just as important as what we do.

Now, I would not presume to make judgments or prescriptions about the environment of every unit ... but I do believe, as our leaders of the past did, that leadership is a "team sport" and that a dialogue about leadership expectations is a healthy thing for any organization, particularly as we build and shape the next generation of officers and NCOs.

I suspect many of you know the old maxim, "The pace of the pack is set by the leader." And, no doubt throughout your careers you have seen this metaphor in action in the form of a particular NCO, commander or supervisor. Reflecting on the question above, however, necessitates a more sophisticated reading of this phrase. Not only does the leader set the pace of the pack, he is responsible for determining the pack's direction, membership, care and feeding, and rest stops along the way. In short, the leader must be guided by certain principles that make up his or her core leadership philosophy.

Throughout my career I have many valuable leadership traits, but I have witnessed three that rise above the rest as fundamental to effective leadership in the 21st Century Air Force: Integrity, competence and empathy.

Integrity as a fundamental leadership trait should be no surprise to Airmen as it is one of our core values. It speaks to our character, our ability to see the right in any situation, and our Airmen need to see it manifest in our decision making. They don't expect us to shy away from the hard tasks, or make decisions based on some misplaced sense of privilege or pride.

On the contrary, they expect their leaders to display a moral excellence, set the highest standards, gather the necessary information and embrace the tough decisions mindful of the consequences. Why? Because that's what we pay leaders to do! In short, decisions that are based on "math" and not "manhood," and centered on a foundation of moral excellence will always stand up to the scrutiny of the finest Airmen in the world.

The next fundamental trait our Airmen demand of our leaders is competence. Our Airmen have every right to expect their leaders to be masters of their craft. Now, I come from an operations background, and in our community our Airmen expect our leaders to have a credibility that is derived from a career of experience in operations. This expectation is no different than the expectation that our firemen have of a fire chief or a maintainer has of his supervisor. The bottom line is that competence is based on a legacy of learning, enhances your credibility and allows you as a leader to make rapid, informed decisions under pressure. It is competence, shaped by experience, that will allow a leader to identify problems and call turns in the road before issues become crises -- our Airmen deserve no less.

Last, and certainly not least, is empathy. I think of empathy as the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes and view the world as they see it. It is a leadership trait that is extremely difficult to master, but it is also incredibly important for a leader to make the effort every day. How else is he or she is going to be able to understand and appreciate what our Airmen are going through? It is empathy that will inform a supervisor how to motivate a particular individual, and it is empathy that will let a leader know when an individual needs a break or has taken on too much.

In today's environment, we are constantly asking our Airmen to do more with less, and they continue to surprise me each and every day with how often they raise their hand and get after it no matter how difficult the challenge. Our Airmen are able to do this because they are highly capable and motivated, and it is here where empathy is most critical for a leader in that it allows him or her to distinguish enthusiasm from capability. In sum, a 21st Century Airman requires a leader who can identify with him and see the world through his eyes.

There are many traits that we value in our leaders, and our followers for that matter, and I have picked three in order to promote discussion and debate. For your work center or functional area, the most critical traits may be slightly different. The key is that, as we build, lead and teach the next generation of Airmen, they learn the importance of integrity, competence and empathy.

We need leaders with ICE in their veins to ensure we remain the most lethal, professional and combat-relevant Air Force on the planet ... our Airmen deserve no less!

Leap to your limits

Commentary by Lt. Col. Oliver K. Leeds
92nd Air Refueling Squadron

7/9/2013 - FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AFNS) -- One of the lessons I carry around with me every day is something I learned from the jumping events in high school track and field.

I was intimidated by the high jump. Unlike the long jump, where every leap into the sand pit could be measured and faults were not embarrassing, the high jump presented a daunting binary challenge: clear the bar or make an embarrassing spectacle. Knocking the bar down could hurt if it landed between me and the mat, and the groans from spectators could be ego devastating.

Some of my long jumps were better than others, but none felt like failures. In the high jump, however, failure was certain. Every competition has the same sequence: jump, succeed; jump, succeed; jump, fail. It was always there, stalking me. Eventually, my limits prepared me to announce to the world, "I failed!"

One day, at my more comfortable long jump pit, my attitude swung 180 degrees. Simply put, I was discontented not knowing if I had done my best. Could I have run faster? Did I jump too far behind the line? Should I have waited for the breeze to shift directions? The second guessing went on and on. I didn't have this problem in the high jump. In the high jump, I always knew I did my best, because I pushed myself until I failed. Eureka!

Had I found comfort in failure? Yes, because it assured me I had done my best, and removed regrets for not having tried.

My thoughts turned immediately to the sealed and addressed, yet unmailed, envelope on my desk at home. It was college application season, and I had been accepted to all four schools to which I had applied. But the application on my desk was different -- it was to "the long-shot school" -- the school I would go to if I could, but seriously doubted I had a chance.

Wasn't it smarter to avoid failure? I could spend the rest of my life thinking I wasn't rejected, rather than apply and remove all doubt. But that day, 23 years ago, I glanced over my shoulder at an unusually inspiring high jump bar. I walked out of my uncertain sand, went home and mailed the application. Sure enough, two months later I was rejected. It was my first true failure in the road of life, but I have spent the decades since confident that I have done my best and grateful that I had learned to live a life without regrets.

Some of my fellow Airmen surprise me for not seeing that lesson. I have known people not applying for jobs for fear of rejection. I've known NCOs and officers alike retiring before finding out if they were selected for a promotion. All kinds of challenges are declined for some form or flavor of failure avoidance.

Life is short, and an Air Force career is fast. Not failing does not mean you are successful; it means you traveled too cautiously. Leap to your limits, learn from failures and live without regrets. That is a successful journey!

Leading change

Commentary by Lt. Colonel Rodney Jorstad
325th Medical Support Squadron

7/8/2013 - TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- How many times have you been waiting in a line for service wondering why something takes so long when it seems like it should be an easy process? Or worse, you waited in line and finally get to the customer service representative and find out you are missing a document and must come back later?

You leave frustrated and wonder why someone doesn't fix the process, or have a way to let you know you needed the document before you waited in line.

Finally, you compose yourself, get the needed document and return to stand in line the next day. You're are prepared this time! You wait in line again, get to the front of the line and feel obligated to tell the new customer service representative at the window the situation from the previous day only to find out you really didn't need the document after all.

Does this describe where you work?

How do we change our processes to be less frustrating for the end user of our services or products we supply as Air Force members?

Change starts with you. You are trained to be an expert in your field: use your expertise to critically review how you do your job and the functions you perform daily.

Utilize an "outsider" perspective to determine if steps in a process are value added for the end user or an internal requirement. If a step doesn't add value, determine if it is required by law or instruction. The idea here is to eliminate waste or legacy processes that are no longer applicable to what you do today.

Identifying waste and developing solutions to improve your day-to-day processes is a great way to achieve a deeper understanding of your specialty and develop leadership skills. It can be done at any level.

Your leaders are looking for people to find ways to be more efficient by cutting wasted time and money on unnecessary processes, or steps in a process. Leading change can be challenging, but starting early in your career with small projects will help develop the skills needed to affect change on a larger scale.

How do you get started leading change in your organization? First, realize the need to change and determine how to improve your job or efficiency.

Most problems in processes are communication issues, especially between organizations or sections. Determining the communication breakdown and developing a solution is a great way to get started improving your workplace.

Next, discuss your idea with a few trusted peers, get their input and adjust fire as needed. Technology is not always the answer; remember to keep things simple.

Your new process or change needs to be sustainable.

The challenge is the few people who refuse to change after most people are ready to implement your plan. If they are not on board it can cause mission failure for your new idea to improve your work area. Determine why they are not behind the plan. Some people are only motivated by the "what's in it for me" mentality. Highlight how your change will make their job easier or how it improves your customers' satisfaction or saves money or time.

Learning what motivates people and how to get them to change will develop you as a leader.

The most difficult part of leading change is sustaining the improvements made. Most of us are in organizations that turn over personnel on a continuous basis, so having the new process written down and captured in operating instructions is paramount to ensuring your change doesn't revert back to the old way of doing things. There is a reason it was broken in the first place, and many times you will find it is because the process was never written down and people have developed their own way of completing their tasks.

So the next time you are frustrated at a process or standing in line, think about your job. What can you do to lead change in your organization and create a better experience for your customers?

That narrow way

Commentary by Col. Dennis Seymour
927th Mission Support Group

7/4/2013 - MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --  How do you define a leader?

Is a leader the individual who creates an atmosphere of teamwork and camaraderie in the workplace? Someone who quickly and easily gathers support to accomplish that short-notice tasker from your boss? Is a leader someone you place your trust in to get you through the tough spots, or commands an aircraft carrying men and equipment to a safe landing in some faraway land? Is being a parent the definition of a leader?

The answer is yes, to all of those and more. A quote that has stuck with me through the years reads, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." As leaders, we should strive to lead our troops on this "narrow way."

When we joined the military we were young, strong, and more than a bit scared. We looked for someone to follow who would show us the way; putting us on the right path and then letting us step out on our own, with that leader always right behind us.

We knew we could trust them, because they were our leaders. These days, we hear about sequestration, furloughs and budget deficits. And we know all about deployments, family care, powers of attorney and hazardous duty pay. You might think, "I didn't sign up for all this." But it is that narrow way we chose to walk when we signed up.

Whether you have one stripe on each sleeve or eagles hanging on your shoulders, we all must continue to challenge ourselves. You're never too old or too smart to learn something new, or to share what you've learned with someone else.

An organization rises and falls on leadership. Wrapped around that leadership is communication. I make it a point to visit with my folks on an informal basis as much as I can. I do this not only to keep them in the loop, but also as a way for me to find out what's going on with them. They get to know me and things I like, and I do the same with them.

Keeping the lines of communication open up and down the chain of command definitely works. Trust me.

We can all be leaders. Step out and keep stepping. Someone will need you to lead them, to help them walk that narrow way.

'Lucky' people take personal responsibility for their own success

Commentary by Lt. Col. Mickey Evans
55th Communications Squadron commander

6/24/2013 - OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AFNS) -- "She's so lucky! He has all the luck!" Just like you, I hear these phrases thrown around from time to time.

I've often been taken somewhat by surprise when I hear one of these comments. Don't get me wrong, I think there are times when truly random events of good fortune happen.

Take for instance the lady that recently won $590 million in the Powerball lottery! That's got to be luck, right?

However, I've watched some "lucky" people and noticed a few common traits and characteristics.

Lucky people are prepared. They show up for work ready to fulfill their role in the mission. If there was research to be done to prepare for a task, they've done it. If there's a pertinent Air Force instruction, they've read it. They know when their physical fitness assessment and their performance report is due and what ancillary training they have to complete.

Lucky people don't procrastinate. Their career development course needs to get accomplished - check. Signed up for a primary military education course by correspondence as early as possible - check. Service dress needs to be squared away for an event next week - check. The fact is, the pace of our daily mission is so fast, we usually don't know what curve ball is going to be sent our way tomorrow. Lucky people understand this and take care of what they can today.

Lucky people seem to have a plan. Those people with whom I work closely, often hear me say, 'Hope is not a plan.' For me, hope is four-letter word. Most of the time when I hear this word, it tells me the person talking really has no idea what they're talking about.

Perhaps unbeknownst to them, lucky people seem to have the same philosophy. They know how many pages of the Professional Development Guide they have to study each week to be ready for their promotion test; they don't 'hope' to get through it. They know what they want to score on their next physical fitness assessment and have a plan to get there; they don't 'hope' to do well. They have a plan with definite goals and milestones and they stick to it.

Lucky people take personal responsibility for their own success. They don't wait for their supervisor to tell them what to do or wait until the squadron sends out a roster of overdue ancillary training. They are aware of what is required and take care of it. If they fail, they take responsibility for it and perhaps most importantly, learn from it, and move on.

Lucky people are disciplined and balanced. It's very easy to let one facet of our lives overwhelm the others. Most of us have many titles such as spouse, father, supervisor, student, et cetera. By capitalizing on those traits, lucky people self-regulate their time to ensure each facet of their lives gets the attention it requires.

Finally, I think lucky people have a heightened sense of situational awareness and take full advantage of it by being fully engaged and armed with information. They listen to their peers and mentors and follow their advice. They know where to find information and stay on top of the latest news and opportunities. Because they are informed, they often seem one step ahead of everyone else.

Lucky people get that choice opportunity or assignment because when the eye of the Air Force looked around for qualifying candidates, these people have taken personal responsibility for their success and taken care of everything in their control.

Lucky people don't need to get ready when an opportunity presents itself; they are ready because they took care of business as early as possible.

It boils down to this: good fortune, or luck, is usually the result of focused hard work and dedication that resulted in a level of ability that was available when an opportunity presented itself.

Best of "luck" to you all!

'Be the best you that you can be'

by Senior Airman Earlandez Young
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

6/11/2013 - FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Monday Fairchild Airmen gathered at the base theater to hear from a walking-talking representative of Air Force history.

Retired Chief Master Sgt. Walter Harold Richardson, an original member of the Tuskegee Airmen, hosted an all call for Team Fairchild, to share some inspirational thoughts to Airmen and his history.

Richardson volunteered to join the U.S. Army Air Corps in January 1949. During Basic Military Training, he auditioned and was selected to sing with the Tuskegee Airmen's all military traveling show called "Operation Happiness". It wasn't long after he arrived to his first duty station with the group at Lockbourne Air Force Base, which had the only all colored air base group at the time, when base leadership announced Lockbourne would be closing.

After Lockbourne was ordered close, Richardson was selected as one of 1,500 enlisted African Americans to be integrated into white squadrons to form the U.S. Air Force. He completed 30 years in the Air Force ending his career as a chief master sergeant.

"I'd like to share with you what I consider my recipe for success, and I should leave you with something to carry away as part of the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen," he said at the start of the all call.

He said the recipe for success is a very self-challenging process, and he repeated this statement a second time to ensure the audience heard him.

"You have to be convinced and determined on your own that you want to be successful."

The long-time Tuskegee Airman added, he desires to be successful and is successful because of the country he lives in.

"I live in America, and America, even with all this misunderstanding, still leaves doors open for people to walk through them and become successful," he said. "Even at this moment in life, I am still seeking the full success I was born to achieve. Success can start at anytime in life you want it to."

He said to the audience, when he thinks of success, he thinks of elementary school in the early to mid 1930's which he called the beginning of his affection for America.

"Every morning, at the beginning of the school day, we placed our right hand over our hearts and pledged the allegiance to America and sung 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee' with much undeveloped tiny voices.

"When we finished singing, we'd bow our heads, pray the lord's prayer and our school day would begin. And during those early years, the pledge of allegiance and 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee' took on more meaning for me. It meant I was a citizen of America, a country in the 1930s that was on the rise."

Throughout the all call, Richardson stressed to Airmen something he was taught in elementary school that has never left his mind after taking advantage of many opportunities, challenges and obstacles.

"Be the best you that you can be," he told them. "If you start something, finish it."

He wanted Airmen to know everything they do as servicemembers is to better America and being their best is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week task.

Richardson was animated when he pointed around the theater at Airmen and said each of you were called on to be the best that you can be for America ... America is your employer.

"Love your country, study its history and become acquainted with the song "My Country, 'Tis of Thee'," he said. "I believe everyone here will take and utilize one of these many thoughts I've shared with you.

"We have overcome things far worse than the crisis we are in today. We've come across the rigid bridge of racial discrimination, differences in gender and other things that would probably be a show stopper for others."

During his closing remarks, Richardson looked around at female Airmen in the room and gracefully said "I am so proud of you."

Female Airmen smiled with thanks.

"Women, you all have overcome some of the most difficult challenges -- more so than the Tuskegee Airmen and colored Airmen did at that time," he said. "Now, you are pilots, commanders and even generals. You've overcome some tough obstacles, and now you can be whatever you want to be in the greatest Air Force in the world."

Then he sung with the same profound voice he sung with when he auditioned for 'Operation Happiness'.

The song had many inspirational messages, but two words were said throughout the song. I believe.

And he kept singing, "I believe. Yes, I believe."

"Why do I believe," he asked Airmen.

And he answered, "Because I believe in you."

The theater 'roared' with applause.

"I thank Col. Newberry and his staff for making my stay at Fairchild truly enjoyable," Richardson said. "It's always a pleasure for me to visit an Air Force base and see the progress the greatest Air Force in the world has made since I joined 64 years ago."

Filling squares

Commentary by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent Miller
2nd Maintenance Squadron

6/12/2013 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) -- As Airmen, we are more than familiar with the need to fill the proverbial squares as we strive to progress in our military career.

To be competitive for awards and promotions, we must commit ourselves to goals such as education, passing the fitness exam, and community service. It is through completion of these expectations and requirements that we become better leaders, managers and Airmen. However, somewhere along the way, we fail to internalize the importance of why we fill these squares.

In reality, the squares are designed to make us better and provide a separation between the willing and unwilling -- the committed and uncommitted. The squares help identify Airmen who are motivated and willing to go the extra mile to better themselves, their team, and the Air Force. It is this drive towards self-improvement that separates one from the masses and establishes his or her true identity.

One square that requires a great deal of commitment is the pursuit of education. As we continually strive to become that "whole person," we must challenge ourselves intellectually and work toward attaining a certification; associate, bachelor's, or even a master's degree. Attending school is not easy and takes sacrifice. It means spending your time writing a research paper, while everyone else is enjoying the weekend. It means taking your textbook on the flightline and studying every chance you get. It means being the security forces Airman I saw reading a biology book while eating breakfast in the dining facility.

At this moment some of you are saying there is no time to attend school; high operations tempo, 40-hour work week, and spending time with family are a few reasons that prevent you from taking classes. Additionally, some of you may feel we should be evaluated solely on work performance.

Honestly, these excuses are hindering you from progressing and improving yourself. If you continue to hide behind them, like I once did, you will never take yourself to the next level.

It took a long time to realize that fear and toxic excuses prevented me from seeking an education. Constant mentorship and a few one-way "conversations" from a chief master sergeant propelled me down the road of education.

Dedicating yourself to filling the squares is a decision only you can make. By filling them you demonstrate the willingness of constant self-improvement and unwavering commitment, which directly benefits you, your team, and the Air Force. Filling the squares also establishes separation from your peers and it is through this separation that you are most likely to fulfill your career aspirations and goals.

The choice is yours and yours alone. Be willing to accept the consequences. Don't say, "He/she only got Senior Airman below-the-zone because he went to school." Rather, you must say, "I lost because I chose not to go to school. I chose not to fill the squares."