As "Team Mullen," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and his wife, Deborah, have championed the needs of service members and their families during the admiral's four years as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The chairman is the principal military adviser to the president, vice president, secretary of state and secretary of defense. Mullen turns over the chairmanship to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey Sept. 30.
The Mullens have worked as a team to tell senior U.S. government officials, members of Congress and influential business and civic leaders around the country about the efforts and sacrifices made by U.S. service members and their families and how the public can connect with them. They also worked to improve military family programs, care for wounded warriors, and, especially, to reach out to the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
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"Buy in." Is it a buzz word for the not quite committed?
Today's continuously changing military environment requires people who can adapt to change, think on their feet, make decisions and think through problems and issues, all for mission accomplishment. So what does this have to do with buy in? If you as a military member, do not have a buy in at different levels, you will fail to maximize your success. These levels are with your people, your job and the Air Force.
As a chief master sergeant, I didn't adopt the idea until I was a young NCO, but it progressively grew from there. My first real experience was when a close friend overheard a conversation between two Airmen in the dormitories talking about potentially creating some turmoil. She told them, "Not in my Air Force!" I thought to myself wow, that's real ownership. She's a stakeholder in this great Air Force (and that's how I want to be).
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The Air Force chief of staff and chief master sergeant of the Air Force have released public service announcements Sept. 20 to reinforce the importance of resiliency and encourage all Airmen to look out for one another.
Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy also drove home a key point to Airmen that seeking help is a sign of strength.
"It's important, now more than ever, we continue to build our strength," Schwartz said in his video. "Good wingmen stay ready for the mission -- physically and emotionally."
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Gen. Mike Hostage, commander of Air Combat Command; Lt. Gen. Burton M. Field, commander of U.S. Forces Japan; Maj. Gen. Margaret H. Woodward, commander of 17th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Africa; and Brig. Gen. Roy Uptegraff, commander of the 171st Air Refueling Wing, remarks during a panel at the Air Force Association's 2011 Air & Space Conference & Technology Exposition, National Harbor Md., Sept. 21, 2011.
Below is the transcript:
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It's the wonderful people that he's worked with that have made 43 years in the Air Force such a great experience, said William Davidson.
Davidson, the administrative assistant to the secretary of the Air Force, will retire in a ceremony here Sept. 30.
"They always say you'll know when to leave." He said. "I want to leave when I'm at the top of my game, and I can make the transition as smooth as possible. My wife and I are high school sweethearts, and now I want to give back to her and the rest of the family by cheering at my grandchildren's games."
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As a golden sun falls behind a cluster of mountains north of Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, a foot patrol team of international airmen comb through surrounding villages, farm fields and terrain occupying the area's ancient dry lake bed. They make use of what little daylight is left.
Working into the night, the Afghan air force security forces airmen of Kandahar Air Wing, trained and accompanied by U.S. Air Force security forces advisers, provide the force protection necessary to support the base defense of Kandahar Airfield and the 30,000 people who live and work here.
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When you are an Air Force combat controller in Afghanistan "just doing my job" can make for a very eventful day at the office.
That is how Staff Sgt. C. Caleb Gilbreath described his actions in a running firefight against the Taliban in Konduz Province Oct. 30 to Nov. 6, 2008, earning him a Silver Star for bravery.
Gilbreath was assigned to a U.S. Army Special Forces team when his unit was ambushed by a large Taliban force outside of a local village. As mortar and rocket-propelled grenade rounds impacted within 15 feet of his position, Gilbreath directed pinpoint bomb strikes that devastated the enemy and halted the attack, according to reports.
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Leadership is not given, ordained or a right. It doesn't come from position or rank. Leadership must be earned every day. Any Airman can be a leader as long as he is disciplined in his positive daily habits.
Andrew Carnegie once said, "The older I get, the less I listen to what people say and the more I look at what they do."
The acronym RESPECT provides the foundation to foster the right mindset and actions to become a leader.
R - Responsibility. A leader must be an example; someone who takes responsibility for his actions and understands all leaders live in a fish bowl.
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The Air National Guard is the affordable, operational, fully accessible force the Air Force needs during uncertain economic times, the director of the Air National Guard Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt said here.
"The Air Guard provides to the United States Air Force 34 percent of the combat capability on seven percent of the budget," he said. "I like where the Air National Guard is positioned."
Speaking during the Air Force Association's 2011 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition, Wyatt explained how the Air Guard has, is and will continue to be America's homeland force with a federal capability.
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Four medics recently graduated at the Kandahar Air Wing from the first Afghan air force Basic Flight Medic course, boosting the Afghan medical response capability.
According to medical professionals, the goal of the 40-hour course was to combine ground and flight medical training to produce a better-rounded medical professional.
"The course was meant to be only half emergency patient care, point-of-injury care and the rest included an introduction to flying in aircraft such as the Mi-17 and C-27 (Spartan)," said Tech. Sgt. Steve Guillen, a medical adviser with the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. "The course is still in its infancy and, just like all courses, is developed for technical training. It will need to evolve and develop as the (Afghan air force) does."
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