Page 2 - Nellis AFB Bullseye 6-26-15

2 June 26, 2015
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Leaders: Good, bad, forgotten
By Col. Sean McKenna
Air Education and Training Command, Director
of Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RAN-
DOLPH, Texas — It’s been my Air Force
experience there are three categories of lead-
ers — the good, bad, and the forgotten.Ev-
eryone reading this probably thinks they’re
in the first category, but we know that’s not
the case. Airmen who work for you certainly
wish that were true, but not every leader’s an
all-star, some not even close. So while most
think they fall into the “good” group, only the
Airmen working for them can make that call,
and many would choose otherwise.
The “good” category features men and
women remembered fondly.
Airmen think so highly of these good
leaders they invite them to preside at and
attend their promotion ceremonies and
retirements — personal events reserved for
those greatly respected and who have truly
touched their lives. Airmen remember good
leaders for being fair and level headed, hold-
ing people accountable, communicating ef-
fectively up and down the chain, and treating
everyone with dignity and respect.
These leaders took the time to get to know
all the members in their unit and showed
grace, understanding and compassion when
subordinates and peers stumbled or fell on
Are you ready to transition out of your uniform?
By Lt. Col. Sean Martin
3rd Flying Training Squadron commander
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. — Leav-
ing themilitary isnotassimple asstaying home
the day after your service commitment is up.
Almost 23 years ago, after a summer vaca-
tion that lasted less than 48 hours, I showed
up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with about
1,000 of my new closest friends.
Fast forward to the present, and it is now
time for me to plan an exit strategy from
the only job I’ve ever known — my days as a
grocery store cashier were short-lived, so I’m
not counting that.
It should come as no surprise that there
are regulations that list what needs to be com-
pleted prior to leaving the military.
The Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire
Heroes Act of 2011, and the Veterans Employ-
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hard times. They praised people publicly
for their hard work and corrected others
privately, so as not to humiliate, demoralize
and embarrass them unnecessarily in front
of their co-workers. These good leaders did
not scream or panic when crisis came, but
rather calmly gave direction and then let
their people come up with creative solutions.
People looked forward to coming to work be-
cause the good leader cared about them, had
positive things to say, nurtured a collabora-
tive environment where everyone had a voice,
helped people understand what they did was
important, and fostered an environment of
teamwork and family. People probably even
had fun. They certainly had satisfaction. In
this unit, everyone was valued and treated
equally. A good leader does that.
The “bad” leader pretty much did the
opposite. Perhaps not surprisingly, Airmen
remember their bad leaders well, sometimes
even more vividly than their good ones. Abu-
sive relationships leave lasting impressions.
Airmen use these so-called leaders as
examples of what not to do and are quick
to tell stories of surviving under their reign.
These supervisors and commanders fostered
a climate of fear and exclusion. They regularly
scolded their people and embarrassed them
in front of their peers. They picked favorites
and divided the team. They had no interest in
learning the names of their teammates’ fam-
ment Initiative require that four mandates
be completed by all military personnel prior
to separation or retirement: pre-separation
counseling, the Transition Assistance Pro-
gram, VA benefits briefings, and CAPSTONE.
CAPTSTONE is an Air Force requirement
to meet with an Airman and Family Readiness
Center representative who fills out and Depart-
ment of Defense Form 2958, which is signed by
a squadron commander and confirms that you
have attended TAP, and received Department
of Labor and veteran’s benefit briefings.
And, all of these mandates do not include
the effort that goes into finding a new job, a
house, and creating a budget to survive on.
There are also mandatory timelines as-
sociated with the very act of applying for
separation or retirement. It is important to
know which timelines apply to your specific
situation, so read the guidance and ensure
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ily members, nor could they pick them out of
a lineup. They didn’t recognize achievement
nor did they console or advise when mem-
bers lost loved ones, got sick, went bankrupt
or experienced divorce. They excluded the
opinions of most and held their opinions
higher than anyone else’s. They were inse-
cure and jealous when those around them
achieved success and largely claimed any
group victories as their own. They likely
yelled regularly and were indecisive when
vital calls had to be made, failing to lead
during the most critical times. And when a
superior noted the unit fell short of expecta-
tions, these leaders were quick to point the
finger at everyone but themselves, and then
took their ire out on their people rather than
place the blame on their shoulders, as good
leaders do.
The final category is the most perplexing.
The “forgotten” leader is the one that Airmen
can’t remember after parting ways.
When someone asks if they recall their
supervisor from Base X, Airmen stammer
and stumble before answering: “Bradford?
Bradley? Branson? Brennan? Starts with a B.
Oh, it’ll come to me.”
This boss made absolutely no impression,
good or bad. Forgotten leaders were largely
absent from the lives of their members, in-
vested primarily in themselves rather than in
their people and in mission accomplishment.
you understand what each step means for you.
I have not even touched on my medical
out-processing yet. To be fair, there is a wide
variation gap of complexity between a sepa-
rating five-year senior airman and a retiring
twenty-eight year colonel.
The airman’s medical folder may not
have anything in it compared to the “more
experienced” colonel’s, but there are always
exceptions.
Leaving the military can be more com-
plicated than just staying in. Luckily, there
are people who are experts on the process of
leaving the military. It is their job to help you
as early as two years out from your retirement
date — in some cases — and get you ready for
civilian life.
Recently, there has been a high volume
of voluntary separations in addition to force
drawdowns. The past couple of years have seen
status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other
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Maybe they came in late, left early, took long
lunches, and worked out excessively during
duty hours. They stayed in their office and gave
little direction. Indecisive, they either delayed
making calls altogether or deferred to others
on major decisions. They didn’t celebrate pro-
motions, accomplishments or birthdays with a
pat on the back, a note or a card; instead, they
did nothing. These leaders, like everyone else
privileged to serve in significant roles, had
every opportunity to make a positive differ-
ence in the lives of their people and the Air
Force mission, and they blew it. Instead they
bided their time and moved on to not make an
impression somewhere else. Perhaps they were
too inexperienced or too scared. Maybe they
lacked confidence, felt like they were in over
their heads. They quite possibly were just too
incompetent to lead others well. Regardless
of the reasons, their Airmen have forgotten
them and that’s sad.
Our experiences are shaped by those
who’ve led us — good, bad or indifferently.
We’ve largely learned how to lead from them
— our parents, our teachers, our coaches, our
superintendents, our commanders. Armed
with the skills absorbed from these influential
people, everyone in the Air Force has an amaz-
ing chance to positively shape lives every day.
You’ve served under leaders from all three
categories — the good, bad, and the forgotten.
Which category are you?
many well-publicized nationwide shortfalls
when it came to the administrative needs of
the nation’s veterans.
It’s important to start early to minimize
and overcome delays. The experts suggest
getting the pre-separation counseling two
years prior to retirement, or one year prior
to separation. I completely agree with that
advice, because I cannot believe it has already
been a year since I had my counseling session.
Here is the good news. The local people at
the Airmen and Family Readiness Center are
experienced, knowledgeable and eager to help
you once you decide to call it a career.
Their knowledge and resourcefulness,
coupled with the guest speakers that are
brought in during the mandatory transition
training, will set you up well for a smooth
transition; provided you take the time to start
it early enough.
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