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Show COMMENTARY flMES June 3, 2010 On leadership, sticky situations and making decisions TIMES Weekly Since 10 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Catherine McNally Hilltop Times Writer Lee Anne Hensley Hilltop Times Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail hilltoptimes@standard.net or call (801) 625-4273. For Classified Advertising, call (801) 625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call (801)625-4388. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corporation, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under, and in compliance with, a Memorandum of Understanding with Hill Air Force Base. The content of the Hilltop Times does not necessarily represent the views of, nor is, it endorsed by, the U.S. Government the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Hill Air Force Base (collectively, the Government). The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Government of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Standard-Examiner, 332 Standard Way, Ogden, Utah, 84404. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call (801) 625-4273 with story ideas or comments, or contact the editor, Mary Lou Gorny, at mgomy@standard.net Call (801) 625-4300 for Classif ied Advertising or (801) 625-4388 for Retail Advertising. est BY CHAPLAIN (LT. COL.) KEN CROOKS Team Hill Chaplain W hat is leadership? It's an interesting thought and has been the topic of books, classes, courses and doctoral dissertations. The military and business both study leadership. And I suppose there are some out there tike me who ask, "What can a chaplain contribute to the topic of leadership?" I have been observing leadership for years, both good and bad, both in myself and in others. And over time I have collected some random thoughts about leadership that I use in life. In fact, they are on "yellow stickies" which I keep posted on a bulletin board over my computer. The first "yellow sticky" leadership thought deals with its nature and who can be a leader. I heard Dr. John Maxwell say, "Leadership is influence or the ability to influence others." If that is the case, then everyone can be a leader. The parent at home with their children can be a leader. The teacher in the classroom can influence and be a leader. The high school student can influence her peers — for good or bad. The preacher in the pulpit can influence and be a leader. If leadership is influence, then I can definitely be a leader. The second "yellow sticky" leadership thought has to do with when to lead. It comes from now retired Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Howard. He had had some interesting assignments — some that he couldn't tell even me, the chaplain, Chaplain {Lt. Col.) about. But at one AirCrooks man Leadership School graduation I heard him say to the graduates, "Most leaders don't get to pick the situations the lead in. They become known as leaders by how they lead in the situations they are in." His point was that we won't usually get to set the conditions we are called to lead in. Situations will come up. life happens. Stuff goes wrong. And you just might find yourself in a bad situation. But that is when leaders are exposed. They don't whine about their situation but find a way out for them and their people. Whether it's a complex funding problem for their organization, a group of rowdy dorm neighbors or the sudden death of a key family member, the people who get 777-7000 action.line.pa@hill.af.mil When you call or send an e-mail, your comments will be recorded and staffed through the agency responsible for action. Please give your supervisor and chain of command the opportunity Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their' services: to work with you in answering questions and solving problems before calling the Action Line. This will help me better serve your interests. Items of basewide interest will be published in the Hilltop Times. Security Forces 777-3056 24-hr. Crisis Information 777-3056 Force Support Squadron 777-4134 Base Restaurants > 777-2043 Retirement/Compensation ....777-6142 (dviliOn) Equal Opportunity Office 777-5455 Employer Relations : 777-7129 Military Pay -.777-1851 pvilian Pav 777-6246 Air Force Suggestion 777-69Q1 Program Hill Straight Talk 777-9696 IG Complaints .777-5305 (for appointment) Battle of Midway paved way for Allied efforts esewhere THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2010 DUIs: 24 Hill's Last DUI: Unit Involved; 7S&L Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when ; designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight set up a surprise of its own. U.S. Navy aviators sunk two Ogden Air Logistics Center History Office Japanese aircraft carriers and severely damaged two others, une 2010 marks the 68th anniversary while one American carrier was lost. Japan's heavy losses of the Battle of Midway. This fight in carriers and aircrews peris referred to as the most decisive naval engagement of World War II in that it manently weakened their nachanged the course of the war and ultimate- val force. Japan's shipbuilding and pilot training programs ly led to the Allied victory. Midway was a were unable to keep pace in victory of intelligence as well as skill and replacing losses, while the U.S. steadily incourage, and allowed the U.S. military to turn its attention back to the European thecreased output in both areas. ater and storm the beaches of Normandy While deciphering Japanese radio mestwo years later. sages a few weeks prior to the battle, the U.S. Navy's Combat Intelligence Office disMidway was somewhat of a precursor to information operations and led to today's covered information that made them suspicious of an upcoming attack. Deciphered important program and role of operations transmissions pointed to a plan of attack security, OPSEC, in national defense. Not on a target named "AE" The head of the only did America win the battle, but in the eyes of the American people, sinking some Combat Intelligence Office, Commander Joseph P. Rochefort, was pretty sure "AF' of the aircraft carriers that launched the was Midway, but he needed proof and soon attack on Pearl Harbor boosted morale and led directly to the Allies winning the war in came up with a clever way to obtain it. the Pacific. The U.S. had an underwater cable phone line that led to Midway that could not be The battle occurred June 4-June 7,1942, tapped by the Japanese. Using the phone, approximately one month after the Battle Rochefort called Midway and asked them of the Coral Sea and six months after the to put out a transmission that the water deinfamous attack on Pearl Harbor. salination facility on the island was broken, - The Japanese operation, like the earlier meaning that the Americans on the island attack on Pearl Harbor, aimed to eliminate the United States as a strategic power in the would soon have a shortage of drinking water. This false information soon showed up Pacific and give Japan a free hand in East Asia. Moreover, they hoped another demor- in a Japanese radio message, which stated alizing defeat would force America to nego- that the desalination facility at "AF* was tiate an end to the Pacific War on conditions down. This was the proof Rochefort needed and helped the American Navy commander, favorable to Japan. Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, place forces The plan was to lure the United States' in the right location at the right time with few remaining aircraft carriers into a trap. knowledge of the enemy's plan of attack. However, the plan was handicapped by faulty assumptions of American reaction Still, defeating the Japanese was no and poor initial dispositions. Most signifieasy task as their armada was superior in cantly, American code breakers were able numbers: 16 submarines, four aircraft carto determine the date and location of the at- riers, 250 aircraft, 16 cargo ships with 5,000 tack, enabling the forewarned U.S. Nafy to troops, nine battleships, eight heavy cruisBY AMY KEMP BUTLER J Report suspicious activity viatbeAFOSI EAGLE EYES program Dial-. 777-5056 / 3057/ 3058. Watch- Report Protect Force Protection is Our Business - Everyone is a Sensor Military Housing.....,...:....." ;825-9392 Fraud, Waste of Abuse,..:.. 777-5361 (recording) Maintenance Loud Noise 1-877-885-9595 Safety Office 777-3333 Safety Office Hotline 586-9300 &(compiaints) 75th Medical Croup,.,..^.v..777-4918 Union 777-3257 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline 777-1852 iGyil Engineering .:..;.,......I.... 777-1856 Family Assistance Center 777-3090 (when activated) Fitness Tip from the Health and Wsilnost Center Learn to make Fitness Fun at a Tuesday, June 8, class at the Health and Wellness Center. Find out the fundamentals which encourage an active lifestyle while incorporating fun and new technology. Call the HAWC at (801) 777-1215 to reserve your seat. the title "leader" get it because of what they choose to do with the situations they are in, not the one they wish they were in. The last "yellow sticky" leadership thought regards decision-making, a key part of leadership. It comes from a former wing commander who gave us his decision matrix for how he made tough decisions. As a commander, both at squadron and wing level, he was constantly presented with ideas of how to do things or equipment he should buy for the mission. He came down with three filtering questions: "Is it good for the Air Force? Is it good for the unit? Is it good for the individual?" He would ask them in that order of priority too. Leadership involves making choices, sometimes tough choices. Having a clear decision-making matrix can help with those decisions. So, what have I learned about leadership? Well, I've learned that anyone can be a leader at some level, those with leadership aptitude seem to step up when the going gets tough and having a clear decision-making matrix can help when a leader has to make tough decisions. And I've learned that being a leader requires my constant attention. Maybe it's time to put another "yellow sticky" on my board. It should say, "Are you leading now?" The Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu is shown maneuvering during a highlevel bombing attack by U.S. B-17 bombers, June 4, 1942, shortly after 8 a.m., during the Battle of Midway. U.S. Air Force ers, and several destroyers. Nonetheless, with key intelligence, three aircraft carriers, and just a few more than 100 aircraft, the U.S. Navy prevailed. Not knowing that the Americans knew of the pending attack, Japan's Admiral Isoruko Naguma initially sent out half of his aircraft. As soon as the U.S. forces detected them, their land-based aircraft took off from Midway. Because Japan outnumbered American aircraft, they succeeded in bombing Midway. They thought the resulting damage was sufficient enough to prevent any U.S. air attacks from the island. They prepared for another assault on Midway in preparation for invasion. Meanwhile, a Japanese patrol aircraft spotted an American ship in the area.While the pilot reported the sighting, he failed to mention that it was an aircraft carrier. Because of the lack of that information, Admiral Nagumo did not take the report as seriously as he should have. To Nagumo's surprise, the tables were turning. As some of his fighters were flying at low levels looking for ships, the fighters were bombarded by 37 U.S. Navy dive bombers, flying high above the Japanese carriers, which were full of fueled aircraft ready for launch, vulnerable to attack. Successive American dive bomber attacks lasted only a matter of minutes, but See Ml SWAYI page 5 |