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Show COMMENTARY O Hilltop Times August 11,2005 HILM Mission first, people always What are you doing to prepare for the Operational Readiness Inspection? Airman 1st Class MattThurman 75th Dental Squadron dental assistant "With the training that I've had, I've been able to focus and prepare for every aspect of it. I think we will be pretty proficient at it by the time we're done training. I'm excited for the ORI." Airman William Herko 75th Dental Squadron dental hygienist "We have training once every two weeks. We also have to carry our Airman's Manual." BY COL. ROBERT HAMM ' 380th Expeditionary Maintenance.Group commander SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) — Over the years I've watched many leaders — officers, chiefs, NCOs, and Airmen alike — take our organization to even higher levels of achievement. Like you, I have studied those I considered to be outstanding leaders and I've watched others struggle with the challenges of leadership. But I learned from all of them. Growing up in our Air Force, I found the greatest challenge was balancing the needs of the people with the needs of the mission. It seemed to me a leader was described as either a "people person" or a "mission-oriented person," but seldom did I see a leader who effectively balanced both — until I met Master Sgt. Kenneth Kelly. Sergeant Kelly understood it was his job to make sure his shop was capable of performing its wartime tasks but just as importantly to ensure the welfare of the troops. "Accomplishing the mission is the primary task of every military organization; everything else must be subordinate," according to AFPAM 36-2241, Promotion Fitness Examination Study Guide. "However, a successful military leader recognizes that people perform the mission and that without their support, the unit will fail. Thus, meeting the needs of the people is a responsibility equal in importance to meeting the requirements of the mission." Sergeant Kelly said it this way: "Mission first, people always." Sergeant Kelly balanced the needs of mission with the needs of people better than anyone I've ever Communication, understanding keys to handling conflict First, he or she expects conflict. The Creator has MCCONNELL AFB, designed spouses differentKan. (AFPN) — Domesly, beginning with gender. tic violence is a continuing Beyond gender, however, plague in homes across internal wiring — our gifts America. and abilities, our passions, Unfortunately, Air Force our personalities, our life homes arer'njpt immune; experiences — are differThere is soine indication" ent. that domestic violence is One is foolish to think that increasing among our Airtwo very different people men. Undoubtedly, the can live closely together iSl^essjfOLjiuaierous deplpy-v •without conflicts-Conflict nients^has^ueled the indescends into-arguing and cfeaseTTliatifeed not be the violence, wher£one is surcase, however. prised and unprepared for Sacred scripture states it. Mature people are never that arguing, especially surprised by conflict. They arguing that descends into expect it. violence, reflects immatut Second, a mature person rity. Immature people lack respects conflict. While a proper understanding of marriage is full of delight, conflict. Therefore, they it is also full of danger. Part mishandle it, leading to of the danger is conflict. arguing, fighting and even If you are unprepared and violence. untrained for conflict, it As one who has argued will erupt into arguing and more than I should in my violence, blowing up your 31 years of marriage, I have relationship. found sacred scripture to No one would do convoy be "right on." I argue with duty in Iraq without proper my spouse not because of training to deal with imconflict, but because of my provised explosive devices. immaturity. How does a ma- To do so would be foolish. ture person understand and In the same vein, to drive handle conflict? down the road of marriage BYCHAPLAIN _(C0L] J0.M iC.H^NK^ 22nd Air Refueling Wing Staff Sgt. Richard Lowrey 388th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron avionics systems journeyman "I'm reading my Airman's Manual to make sure I review everything so that if someone asks me a question, I won't have to search through the manual to look' for the answer." . \ Senior Airman Michael Arredondo 3SS# Aircraft Maintenance Squadron avionics systems journeyman ^ w mm ;,.... full ' ^^H^^HH^gH "There's an ORI coming •••WJH up? Just kidding — I'm ^^Bi^^^Sl ' ^H making sure that we have ^^Hj^^H^^^^^^H all our equipment ready." 1 1 .^^fa^^fe. 1 -. r •-> i 7 v.T> fl S i£*r*•iff5fcl MB B . .*• gjfl «•* - ** 1 Capt. Betty Venth 75th Medical Operations Squadron element leader known. Sergeant Kelly didn't confuse taking care of his;: troops with trying to make all the troops happy. Being a leader isn't about being popular. Given some of the things^ we're asked to do, it's not realistic to expect everyone to1 be happy all the time. In his mind, taking care of troops meant ensuring they were properly trained, healthy, propr erly equipped, held to the highest standards, all the while making sure they understood our core values of integrity, excellence, and selflessness. He wasn't easy on us. He challenged our team and didn't tolerate substandard performance. As a young Airman, I never wanted to disappoint Ser-. geant Kelly. As a matter of fact, at the time, I didn't think, he cared if we were happy or not. Incidentally, I was wrong, on that one. But he was always honest, fair, and consistent. I knew what he expected from me and it was always made it very clear to us when we didn't meet expectations. On the other hand, he made sure we were recognized for the outstanding work we did. Sergeant Kelly taught me that balancing the needs of the mission and the needs of our people isn't easy. It's an art developed over many years of experience. Years later, I read in Air University's guidelines for command: "... leadership requires hard work, enthusiasm for the job, and sensitivity to what's going on around you. You must set your standards high, be involved, listen, know what the problems are, remove the weak, promote the strong — and to do this well you've got to be tough." It's just like Sergeant Kelly taught us. It's mission first and people always. without conflict training is just as foolish. Mature people expect and respect conflict, so they make sure they are trained to defuse it. Third, a mature person appreciates conflict. Unlike a roadside IED, there is a good side to conflict. Both men and women crave intimacy. They want to love and be loved, to honor and be honored, to know and be known — not on a surface level; but d'own deep, to the cdj-e of their being. Mature people understand that you cannot achieve this kind of intimacy without conflict. Conflict is the price to be paid to become intimate with another person. When I reveal my deepest self to my wife, she will be surprised and shocked by what she sees in me, and vice versa. Sometimes the shock comes because what we see is "bad." But most often we are shocked because it is just different. Mature people are willing to shock and be shocked in order to be close. To avoid conflict is to avoid intimacy. Mature people appreciate conflict, because conflict is the pathway to drawing close to one's spouse. Finally, a mature person utilizes conflict. While' respecting its dangers, the7 mature person appreciates^ its benefits. Therefore, the mature person utilizes conflict to improve his or her marriage. He or she does so by learning to handle conflict in such a way that it doesn't blow up, but rather builds up the marriage. Proper handling of conflict begins with communi-' cation. The mature person doesn't shout to be heard, but becomes silent to hear. The mature person seeks first to understand before trying to be understood: The mature person doesn't argue a case, but rather seeks a connection. Conflict invites one of two. DVs into your home. If mishandled, it invites domestic violence, inflicting hurt on all involved. Properly handled, however, it becomesa distinguished visitor that brings a new intimacy into your marriage. Your maturity determines which DV will visit your house. How mature are you? Action Line "I'm sleeping with my BDUs on in case the phone rings." 777-7000 • action.line.pa@hill.af.mil ^= Maj. Richard Hayes 75th Medical Operations Squadron group practice manager "I'm the Medical Control Center chief for phase one and I'm the deployed MCC for phase two. 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