Seminar: Building Trust Inside and Out: The Challenge of Legitimacy Facing Police Leaders

How should police leaders manage officers and nonsworn staff — and still ensure that organizational goals are being met — when major changes are introduced? A seminar will be held April 21, 2014 on how the quality and fairness of decision making by police leaders influences whether officers, and the citizens they are sworn to serve, are satisfied with their interactions and trust and accept their decision making authority. The seminar is sponsored by the National Institute of Justice and will feature Dr. Dennis Rosenbaum, Director of the Center for Research in Law and Justice at the University of Illinois, Chicago. The seminar will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Office of Justice Programs, Third Floor Ballroom, 810 Seventh St., NW, Washington, D.C. For more information or to RSVP, contact Ted Robinson at Theodore.D.Robinson@usdoj.gov or (202) 616-1739. This seminar is free, but you must RSVP to gain access to the OJP building. Please allow 20 minutes to get through security. If you are unable to attend the seminar in person, you can listen to a recording at http://nij.gov/events/pages/research-real-world.aspx a few weeks after the seminar takes place.

The emotionless leader: Trusted and respected by Airmen

By Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Brown, 65th Communications Squadron / Published April 15, 2014

LAJES FIELD, Azores (AFNS) -- "I don't want to hurt her career."

"He's the best NCO I've got. I don't want to see him lose a stripe."

How many times have you heard someone in a leadership position make statements such as these when contemplating disciplinary actions when an Airman or NCO makes a terrible decision? Whether due to an individual getting a DUI, failing multiple PT tests or abusing the government credit card, more often than not, emotions creep into the ramification decision making process. To make effective judgments, leaders must put personal emotions aside and make the tough decision to discipline an Airman. When leaders make the tough call, they maintain good order and discipline, earn trust and respect, and uphold our core values.

While our core values are ingrained into our way of life, what they mean may differ slightly from Airman to Airman. Typically when asked what 'service before self' means, Airmen give the proverbial answer, "well, I put my Air Force job before my personal desires." While that is partially true, 'service before self' also means making decisions that are in the Air Force's best interest instead of making decisions that ease emotional pain. Our core values are more than the minimum standards by which we live; they assist us in getting the mission accomplished. To achieve that mission, we must develop our Airmen, not coddle them.

Leaders strive to enrich and mentor their Airmen at every turn. Guidance is provided by using "good order and discipline," but when leaders allow emotions to slip into disciplinary decisions, good order dissipates.

According to Freek Vermeulen, author and associate professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School, "it's common for smart leaders to make bad decisions -- and most of the time, emotions are to blame." When decisions are made based on one's own personal feelings instead of basing them on the facts at hand, good order and discipline is lost. For example, when an Airman makes a grave choice and breaks a law, should his or her lapse in judgment adversely affect their career? Typically, squadron leadership makes that call. If subordinates see punitive decisions that are influenced more by emotions than facts, good order and discipline will become strained and confidence in leadership abilities will be lost.

To be a trusted and respected leader in today's Air Force, one must understand that in a 'glass house' every decision and overall leadership ability is constantly scrutinized by Airmen. Some decisions are small and innocuous, while others are more important: they affect lives and families. Inevitably, leadership mistakes are made along the way. One of the easiest ways to gain respect is to remain consistent when making decisions and remove any personal biases when making the tough calls.

Making life-changing decisions is often the hardest part of being a leader. To soften the blow to your own psyche, always do what's right, not what "feels" right. Often times, when a hard line is taken, the offender is less likely to repeat the act and others in the unit are less likely to make the same bad decision.

Therefore, when making uncomfortable decisions, put personal emotions aside, uphold our core values, maintain good order and discipline and become the trusted and respected leader you strive to be. The next time one of those phrases creep into your mind, remember you didn't make the bad decision, the Airman did.

                

Goals: How many of us have them?

By Tech. Sgt. DeErick Gray, 387th Air Expeditionary Group / Published April 13, 2014

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- Have you set goals for your future? According to dictionary.com, "a goal is the result or achievement toward which effort is directed." Goals can be short or long-term, personal, professional, spiritual or physical, and are usually specific to a person or group. According to Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, you are 42 percent more likely to reach a goal by writing it down. In short, a goal that is not written down is just a thought.

On my first and second deployments I had no strategy for setting goals. For my third deployment, I bought a journal and wrote down my goals and plans to make them a reality. As a result, I completed three online college courses and earned two Community College of the Air Force degrees. I also completed several hours of professional development, became debt free and most importantly, effectively managed my time. I achieved more on my third deployment than my first two combined.

When setting goals, you must make sure they are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely, or S.M.A.R.T. A specific goal has a greater chance of being accomplished and allows for strategic planning. A measurable goal establishes concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal set. You should set milestones to track progress and make corrections as needed. To ensure goals are attainable, you must figure out the best route to take to achieve your goals. The Professional Development Guide describes this as the planning phase. You are the best person to determine if a goal is realistic based on your abilities. For instance, a goal of losing 50 pounds in 30 days is not realistic. To ensure your goal is timely, have a reasonable completion date and adhere to the checkpoints set. If these steps are skipped, you will easily get off track.

As the individual setting the goal, you should also make sure that it is known to people who can assist in achievement. For example, if your goal is to make senior airman below the zone, it is probably a good idea to let your supervisor know your intentions. Making your goal known shows your motivation to live the core value of excellence. Can you really be "excellent in all you do," if you do not set goals to become excellent? Also, setting and achieving goals gives you confidence to set greater milestones and achieve them.

Setting goals is an important aspect of life that has been proven time and time again. My current goal is to earn my bachelor's degree in accounting by 2016. One of the milestones I set was the completion of four classes during this deployment. I am well on the way to accomplishing that milestone. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses has made accomplishing this easier. It is never too late in life or on a deployment to set goals. So again I pose the question, "How many of you have goals?" We all have to start somewhere; I will see you at the finish line.

Chairman, Service Leaders Honor Young Patriots at Gala

by Amaani Lyle

American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON, Va., April 11, 2014 – Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey and Bret Michaels, famed singer-songwriter and philanthropist, joined hundreds of guests to honor America’s youngest patriots at the 6th Annual Military Child of the Year Awards Gala at the Crystal Gateway Marriott here yesterday evening.

During the Operation Homefront-hosted event, Dempsey and Michaels, the keynote speaker, honored the sacrifices of some 2 million military children with particular recognition for the extraordinary academic and community achievements for one child from each branch of service.

“What makes America great is the people that commit … to being not only the best they can, but standing for something greater than themselves,” Dempsey said. “The … Military Children of the Year fit very well into that mold; they’re not satisfied just to be average –- they want to make a difference.”

The chairman described the honorees as those who will neither be bystanders nor accept mediocrity in life. “They will continue to be leaders of consequence for themselves, for their families, for their communities and also for the nation,” he said.

Michaels thanked military members and their families for the freedoms he and other Americans enjoy. He then awarded the five honorees a total of $10,000.

“I get to play music the way I want to do it, I get to look the way I want to look and it’s all because of the sacrifice you made,” Michaels said to the honorees. “I want to congratulate [them] on their fight in overcoming adversity [and] taking a chance to make some great opportunities.”

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III noted the winners’ achievements across the services.

“It seems like people want to write off young folks as not caring about things; clearly that’s not the case here,” Welsh said. “The volunteer hours, the attention they pay to each other, the way all of them take care of people and their families; it’s just remarkable – [it] makes you feel pretty good about the future.”

Services leaders presented the awards with remarks to the respective recipients.

Honorees include:

-- Army: Kenzie Hall, 16, Temecula, Calif.

At just 11 years old, Kenzie discovered acting classes to be therapeutic during the year her father was deployed to Afghanistan. She and her sister both traveled to Los Angeles for auditions and it was then Kenzie realized she could help other military children live their dreams. For five years and counting, Bratpack 11, the organization Kenzie developed, has recruited volunteers, produced a public service announcement and made cold calls to prospective donors. And so far, the budding charity can already claim notable achievements, such as sending a family, whose father was lost in combat, on an all-expense paid trip to Disneyland.

-- Marine Corps: Michael-Logan Jordan, 15, Kailua, Hawaii.

After being diagnosed at age 3 with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which limits his mobility and requires intense medical treatment, Michael-Logan opted to volunteer to help others in need. He is now the Ambassador for the Arthritis Foundation, which helps wounded warriors, first responders and disadvantaged children. In addition to his interest in the United States’ legislative process, Michael-Logan said he would ultimately like to become a pediatric rheumatologist and help find a cure.

-- Navy: Ryan Patrick Curtain, 18, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Despite moving nine times since 1996, Ryan carries a 99-plus percent grade point average while carrying a full load of advanced placement courses. He missed the first month of his senior year in high school due to surgery recuperation to correct a life-long birth defect. He recently earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for amassing more than 500 volunteer hours in a single year. Ryan was also president of both the Defense Department and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi Youth Ambassador Program and the Flour Bluff High School Student-to-Student Program.

-- Air Force: Gage Alan Dabin, 18, Anchorage, Alaska.

While maintaining a 4.0 grade point average, along with advanced placement courses, varsity sports and community service organizations, Gage has received nominations to all service academies and is awaiting appointments. He aspires to serve as a foreign area officer and would also like to qualify for special operations. Following his military experience, he expressed interest in becoming a war correspondent. Gage’s long tradition of military service includes his great-grandfather in World War II and a cousin and uncle, each Naval Academy graduates.

-- Coast Guard: Juanita Lindsay Collins, 17, Clearwater, Fla.

With a 4.5 cumulative, weighted grade point average, Juanita has also achieved more than 300 hours of volunteer service and served as president of both her junior and senior class. She earned membership in the National Honor Society and played four years of varsity volleyball while holding various positions in clubs and service organizations. This fall, Juanita will begin courses to become a pediatrician, and has so far been accepted to Stetson University, University of South Florida and Florida State University in Tallahassee.

ROTC cadets train at JBER, prepare to lead Soldiers

by David Bedard
JBER Public Affairs

4/11/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The mission was supposed to be simple: occupy a position overlooking an enemy supply route, wait for the insurgent resupply patrol to pass, and kill or capture them all.

That was the order University of Alaska Fairbanks Army ROTC Cadet Laramie Yancey received. Everything Yancey learned in the past few years prepared him to carry out the mission in textbook fashion. The cadet briefed his operations order, staged detailed rehearsals, inspected his subordinates' supply and ammunition status, and maneuvered his squad to the ambush position - all strictly by the book. Then something unexpected happened.

Yancey saw three male locals huddled around a vehicle. They were at the right place at the right time, and they fit the general description of the enemy supply patrol ... except for the fact they weren't armed.

The squad crouched quietly in knee-deep snow, waiting for Yancey's signal to open fire. The cadet watched, listened, and then did something he hadn't set out to do: he ordered his squad to expose their position and approach the civilians for a dialogue.

The dicey vignette was part of the spring joint field training exercise hosted by the UAF and University of Alaska Anchorage Army ROTC programs at JBER's Camp Mad Bull April 3 and 4.

Army Maj. Tim Brower, UAA assistant professor of military science, said the primary purpose of the FTX was to prepare junior cadets for Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Ky., while also teaching freshman and sophomore cadets to maneuver as part of an infantry squad.

Cadets cycled through scenarios, which largely conformed to a squad's primary missions of attack, ambush, reconnaissance and movement to contact. In most cases, the scenarios were straightforward, resulting in simulated firefights with role players. In the case of the ambush, cadets were thrown a tricky curveball.

"The goal is to develop adaptive flexible leaders," Brower said, citing years of lessons learned fighting insurgencies in Afghanistan and Iraq. "[Cadets] have to have mental agility and use sound judgment, realizing they're no longer conducting an ambush. They have to talk to the civilians and figure out what's going on.

"Maybe they are enemy," the Grand Rapids, Mich., native continued. "Maybe they're supporting the enemy. Maybe they're truly civilians who have needs. It becomes much more of a critical-thinking exercise for the cadets."

When Yancey made the decision to encounter the three men, he entered into a complex situation where he had to look out for his squad's security, assess the trio's threat level, and provide aid to the men who were stranded because their car broke down.

"A scenario like this is good for two reasons," Yancey said. "One is, they say, once you [cross the line of departure], the plan is out the window. I believe that's true. With these scenarios, they're creating leaders who don't just check the box, but adaptive leaders who can deal with any situation thrown at them.

"Two - is the worst possible thing you can do is kill civilians," he continued. "And you will have to deal with civilians on the battlefield. So far, in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have been fighting in urban environments where you have to figure out who is the enemy and who isn't."

Yancey, a native of Starkey, Ore., said he was interested in the Army because he was looking for a way to pay for college. Wanting to attend UAF, he enlisted in the Alaska Army National Guard. He said if he didn't like the Guard, he would serve his term and separate. If he did like it, he would investigate making a career of military service.

"I found myself liking it more and more - the people you work with, the camaraderie and the mission," Yancey said. "I liked it so much, I decided I wanted to go active duty. I wanted more responsibility, and that was when I decided ROTC was the thing for me."

Yancey said he decided to take advantage of the Simultaneous Membership Program, a National Guard and Army Reserve program, which allows cadets to attend drills while they earn their commission. During drill weekends, SMP cadets earn sergeant's pay and serve in leadership positions under the tutelage of officers.

Brower said there are a number of avenues active and Reserve component service members can take to earn a commission through ROTC.

The major said he feels the best route is the Active Duty Option. Soldiers are required to have at least two years completed toward a degree to be eligible for ADO, because they have two years to earn their degree and commission. The payoff is ADO Soldiers continue to earn their full pay and benefits while attending college and can also use their GI Bill to pay for school.

Soldiers who don't have two years' college can apply for two-, three- and four-year Green to Gold scholarships. They are required to leave active duty, but tuition and books are covered, and they receive a monthly stipend. The GI Bill can also be used with the scholarship to take care of room and fees.

Brower said drilling Alaska National Guard members receive a state tuition waiver. Guardsmen and reservists can also compete for ROTC scholarships and may be eligible for education benefits from their components.

Regardless of where prior-service troops come from, Brower said their contributions are valuable to the ROTC programs at UAA and UAF.

"The prior-service Soldiers are the strength of our program," the major said. "Most of them have deployed, so they bring the knowledge and experience they have had over the past five or more years to our program, and it makes us that much better."

Brower concluded by saying Army ROTC has one overriding mission.

"We're preparing cadets to serve on active duty, the Guard or in the Reserve," he said. "We're preparing them to lead Soldiers."

For more information on earning a commission through Army ROTC, call the UAA cadre at 786-6093 or 786-6092, or visit www.goarmy.com.

During tough times, ‘be brilliant in the basics’

Torch Magazine

4/8/2014 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Multiple sexual assault incidents, academic cheating accusations, sequestration, less money, and people worrying about whether or not they will have a job tomorrow are all adding stress to a force already being stretched by a high volume of deployments. Since increased stress and distractions are known to contribute to increased mishaps, the Air Force's chief of safety has his hands full in trying to ensure these distractions don't turn into more people getting hurt or equipment getting destroyed.
Torch magazine recently sat down with Maj. Gen. Kurt Neubauer, who serves as both the Air Force's chief of safety in Washington D.C. and the commander of the Air Force Safety Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., to discuss some of the safety issues facing him during his first year in office.

Q: The Air Force chief of staff has expressed concern with an increase in mishaps that indicate lack of compliance and decision making as causal. On the flying side of the house, how are we addressing these concerns in such areas as flight discipline?
A: Each major command commander is going from tooth to tail looking at these exact issues. Really - whether flight, ground or weapons safety -- it comes down to a reinforcement of being brilliant in the basics. Whether it's a seasoned pilot or the youngest Airman on the flight line, anyone can make an error. And if the error is not caught fast enough, it can tumble into something catastrophic. Regardless of how experienced an Airman may be, regardless of what the phase of flight or maintenance work it is, there are certain rules of the road that must be abided by -- not only from the standpoint of being able to effectively execute the mission, but also from the standpoint of being able to execute it safely. That structural integrity of mission accomplishment and safety is all one piece. Safety isn't a sideshow ... it's an integral part of performance. We have to balance the scale of risk and reward. Even though we know we are going to be executing a risky mission or task, we have to continuously offset that risk with equipment, training and habit patterns.

Q: On the ground side, what steps are we taking to encourage Airmen to obey rules established to help keep them safe (i.e., speed limits, wearing helmets, strapping on seat belts, no texting and driving, no drinking and driving, etc.)?
A: When it comes to ground mishaps, leaders have to be present -- involved and interested in what their subordinates are doing, not only their on-the-job duties but also regarding what they are doing with their off-duty time as well. What are their hobbies and interests? What are their long-term goals? Are they enamored with extreme sports? We have to make each Airman understand how important they are. Without Airmen, you don't get airpower. So they have to not only train hard and work hard, but when they play hard, they have to do it smartly and make those right risk-versus-reward decisions so they can come back safely after their leave or long weekend and be ready to get after it again.

Q: When it comes to safety, what is the Air Force's biggest strength?
A: Whether ground, flight or weapons safety, our Air Force is doing a good job overall. You see that success by virtue of the fact that we're in a very high-risk business, whether it's in the air, on the ground or in the weapons storage area; yet, regardless of where we work or what we are doing, the number of mishaps, although not yet at zero, are much lower if you look at them in the context of the sheer number of operations we have going on worldwide. This success is a testament to the discipline of our Airmen, discipline of purpose, discipline of method, use of tech data, and abiding by our standards and practices. It's a testament to how we teach and train our Airmen both in professional military education and on the job. And, finally, it's a testament to the discipline of doing things the right way the first time.

Q: How do we continue to improve upon our strengths and reverse any negative trends in the areas that challenge us?
A: It's going to take repetition. If you use the gym as an analogy, it's about sets and repetitions. In the gym, it's three to five sets, three to five reps, three to five times a week. That's how you stay fit and build strength. Using that same philosophy, we have to continue to remind Airmen, regardless if they are new or the most seasoned Airman in the squadron, about good habit patterns and safety practices three to five times a day, three to five times a week. We have to get them to the point that they are thinking about it as a matter of habit. Because when they are thinking about it, they talk about it. Their actions will soon reflect those discussions. Those actions become habit patterns. Those habit patterns forge our destiny. And that destiny means mission success. So it's not only the initial training of showing Airmen what to do and how to do it, but then going back periodically and rechecking and refreshing that to ensure we are staying on task, strengthening and building solid habits.

Q: Each year Air Education and Training Command basically teaches "young pedestrians" how to aviate and graduates tens of thousands of basic trainees - mostly teenagers - who think they are bulletproof. What do you think is the best way to reach this group to prevent mishaps and instill risk management into their professional development and lifestyles?
A: They need to hear it not only from leadership, but peer to peer. Airman-to-Airman videos (like the ones produced at the safety center) are priceless. Because when an Airman in his or her young 20s hears from another Airman in his or her young 20s, I think that is incredibly valuable. For example, "This is what happened to me, this is the mistake I made and this is the lesson I learned" ... a lesson we can all learn from. Peer-to-peer feedback helps them to understand there are other Airmen out there who are dealing with the same choices, the same dilemmas, the same challenges. They are just in a different location. And you can learn from their mistakes before you make the same error.

Q: What types of mishaps trouble you the most?
A: Any preventable mishap is troubling. First of all, our country invests a tremendous amount in our Airmen and our equipment. So whenever we lose an Airman, bend metal or break equipment, it's a huge loss for our Air Force and for our country. And perhaps most importantly, there's the effect of that loss on family, friends and co-workers. The real challenge is how to reach zero mishaps ... that's the goal we're shooting for ... a quest for zero. It's a very elusive quest and although we may not see it soon, I think with consistent reinforcement of good habits and understanding how to offset the risks we must take, we will make good headway.

Q: What mishaps have you witnessed or reviewed that stick out in your mind?
A: There have been several. Any loss of an Airman is tragic. But the mishaps that were clearly preventable either through better decision making or by ensuring compliance with our established methods and guidance ... those are the ones I find most troubling. The real tragedy, though, is not just the loss of the Airman or the equipment, it's the second and third order effects that happen as a result of the mishap -- how it affects the families, how it affects the squadron. I have dealt with grieving family members, and there is nothing you can do for those folks to fill the hole in their heart after losing a loved one. That's why I'm passionate about the quest for zero. This is personal for me ... this is part of our Air Force family business.

Q: If there were a single thing people could do or a single bit of advice you could give that would save the most lives, what would it be?
A: Be fit, be ready and be able to do your mission. And on any given day, if you're not fit, ready or able for your mission, be man or woman enough to fess up and tell your leadership that today is not your day. Take the time to recharge, refit and reinvigorate, and then reattack that mission the following day. Don't try to force things - it's not worth the risk.

JBER Airman graduates Army NCO Academy’s Warrior Leader Course

by Senior Airman Omari Bernard
JBER Public Affairs

4/3/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaksa -- In the Air Force, part of earning the rank of staff sergeant is attending Airman Leadership School, which includes classroom instruction, uniform inspections and practical knowledge on how to lead as a non-commissioned officer. In the Army, before Soldiers become NCOs, they go back to the basics by completing the Warrior Leadership Course.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Travis Hunt, 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron joint terminal attack controller, recently became one of the few to complete both courses.

As a JTAC, Hunt accomplishes his mission by embedding and deploying with Army units to coordinate close air support and is no stranger to working closely with
Soldiers.

Hunt, from Peoria, Ariz., was selected to attend the Army course shortly after his completion of ALS. His work and dedication during the five-week long course resulted in him earning the Commandant Leadership Award.

"Since I've been here, Hunt has excelled in everything he's done," said Tech. Sgt. Michael McClary, 3rd ASOS air liaison officer. "No one second guesses or hesitates when going to him. When something important needs to get done, he gets it done."

WLC is a month long course that teaches specialists and corporals the basic skills to lead small groups of Soldiers. This course is hard hitting and intensive with an emphasis on leadership skills, preparing Soldiers to advance to the rank of sergeant.

During WLC, Hunt had to study core course topics such as leadership, training management, map reading, war fighting, drill and ceremony, and land navigation. In fact, Hunt beat the course record set by a Soldier for land navigation by 45 minutes. So far, Hunt is the only graduate to have completed the course in less than four hours.

For the land navigation course, the students had to use a compass and maps to find four designated points while carrying their field gear.

"With my job, we use maps all the time," Hunt said. "So I am proficient with that and the land navigation course went pretty smooth. It reminds me of basic training; you are there at 5 a.m. and do not get home until 6 or 7 p.m. They have formation every morning and they march you to each of your meals."

Hunt said ALS's academic portion is more intensive, whereas the WLC curriculum is designed more to instill leadership experience through different leadership roles.

Hunt graduated WLC in March. During the course, Hunt had to overcome the fact he was the only Airman in a Soldier's course.

"At first, I felt like an outsider because I looked different," Hunt said. "When they see the Air Force uniform, they already have preconceptions of Airmen."

As the course went on, Soldiers reached out to him.

"One student I sat next to was able to help me a great deal," Hunt said. "There was also another student that I deployed with. I made a few good friends while I was out there."

Going through WLC helped Hunt understand what the Army has to go through and how to apply that to the Air Force, he said.

Team Andersen receives advice about life through speed mentorship

by Airman 1st Class Emily A. Bradley
36th Wing Public Affairs

4/1/2014 - ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam  -- Dozens of Team Andersen Airmen gathered and met with military and civilian subject matter experts and leaders for a speed mentoring event here March 20.

Based on the concept of speed dating, speed mentoring provided Airmen an opportunity to pursue a mentor relationship with individuals they would not likely have met otherwise.

The mentors included a University of Guam professor, senior enlisted and officers from Andersen and Naval Base Guam. Each mentoring session occurred in a shortened timeframe, about five minutes, to allow for attendees to meet with every mentor.

"The great thing about this event is that it is not all about the military; it's also a place for men and women to voice their personal concerns," said Tech. Sgt. Segonia Cameron, 36th Force Support Squadron NCO in charge of fitness. "These people are able to pass along invaluable information about life and its hardships, and that has been a wonderful learning experience."

Each five-minute mentorship session allowed participants to hear the mentor's experiences, which were based on their years of accomplishments and lessons learned, Cameron said.

"We have to encourage people to get a head start at a younger age," said Dr. Mary Katherine Fegurgur, University of Guam professor. "I chose to be a mentor and participate because of my strong ties to the military and I wanted to share my own experiences with these amazing men and women."

The purpose of the event was to build a foundation for future mentors who, when called upon, could rise to the occasion with advice, Cameron said.

"I have always been an advocate for events like this," said Maj. Rosalind Ross-Perry, 36th Medical Operations Squadron Environmental Health Flight commander. "I have had mentors all my life who gave excellent advice and helped me get where I am today, and all they asked of me was to pay it forward."