Hill Air Force Base Newspapers | 2011-08-25 | Page 2

2 COMMENTARY I Wimp TIMES August 25, 2011 Reflections on tenure, transition as CV prepares for a new post ),) TIMES War-winning capabilities... on time, on cost BY MONICA Weekly Since 1948 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter ... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Anne Morrison Hilltop Times Writer Hilltop Times Krista Starker Correspondent Ryan Larsen Hilltop Times Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the June 24 prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail [e-mail] or call [phone]. For Classified Advertising, call [phone]. For Retail Advertising, call [phone]. Setting our AFMC priorities AFMC Warriors, My leadership philosophy is based on three principles: No. 1 — Safely and professionally execute the mission No. 2 Protect, conserve and consume resources under your control as if they were your own No. 3 Positively motivate yourself and others toward continued service in the Air Force I want to take a minute and focus on the first principle — safely and professionally execute the mission. Mission accomplishment is always our first priority, with safety and professionalism as the cornerstones to mission success. Safety is critical because every human life and resource is precious and required to meet mission demands. Professionalism dictates how we do our job, how we train, and how we train others to effectively meet the demands placed on us. When young pilots graduate flight school, we place them with experienced mentors to enable them to safely and professionally grow into the combat and test pilots we need at the tip of the spear. We do the same with our new engineers, nurses and maintainers. We give our newest Airmen time with those who know the mission, know how to accomplish it correctly, and who will shape them into future Air Force leaders. Conversely, a lack of safety discipline and professionalism, such as a technician who relies on shortcuts instead of following the prescribed technical order, a pilot who fails to apply aerial discipline, or an Airmen who attempts to exceed his or her motorcycle skill level becomes a danger to mission accomplishment. Within AFMC in the last 90 days, we have experienced 49 mishaps that took our personnel off the line and out of the action for over 700 days. Fractures, strains and lacerations from a combination of falls, overexertion, inattention and improper procedures comprise the bulk of these mishaps. In an organization as large as ours, 2 man-years of lost productivity may not seem like much but think for a moment of your individual contribution to the mission those last 2 years. Each of us has vital role in the professional execution of the mission. I challenge each of you to keep a strong focus on mishap prevention and professional conduct so we can continue to execute our mission of delivering war-winning capabilities ... on time, on cost. Jacki and I wish you and your families a safe and enjoyable end of summer. Gen. Donald Hoffman Commander 4 "I'd like to make an official apology. I have had a little time to think about it and I hate to admit it but I was out of line. I probably let my emotions get the best of me and I'd just like to say that I am sorry if I offended you ... I don't know about you, but I feel better that we have cleared the air and now we can move forward and get back to the task at hand." Deputy Director, 309th Missile Maintenance Group HAWC Nest The Freshstart program to quit tobacco is a four-part series that meets weekly for one month. All active duty, dependents, retirees, Department of Defense federal employees and contractors are eligible to attend. Call Pat Cerone Health and Wellness Center at 801-777-1215 for more information. THINK SAFETY W RIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — Progress — that's the legacy Air Force Materiel Command Vice Commander Lt. Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger hopes to leave behind as her tenure at Headquarters AFMC draws to a close this week. "As I look back on this time frame, my hope is that I will be remembered not only for taking care of the command's mission, but also for the progress made in process improvement activities that are truly making our Air Force better," the general said during a recent interview. Wolfenbarger departs from Headquarters AFMC to fill the post of the military deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. On Aug. 2, the Senate confirmed the reassignment of Wolfenbarger from AFMC vice commander to military deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. Upon assuming her duties as AFMC vice commander in December 2009, the general became the Air Force's Lt. Gen. Wolfenbarger highest ranking woman. As vice commander, Wolfenbarger holds responsibility for providing research and development, acquisition management, test and evaluation, and logistics support for a variety of Air Force aircraft and weapon systems. The general is quick to highlight that professionalism and dedication stand out foremost in her mind as the defining characteristics of AFMC's civilian and military members. "I have appreciated the opportunity to engage with our very capable and professional AFMC workforce, and each day serves to remind me of the expertise and dedication our people bring to the AFMC mission," she said. Before walking the halls of the headquarters building one last time before stepping into her new position, Wolfenbarger shares a final message with the more See WOLFENBARGER I page 5 Clearing up conflicts with listening, communication and apologies BY KELLY CAPENER Fitness Tip front the Health and Wanness Cantar MORALES Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs 4 The Hilltop limes is published by Ogden Publishing Corp., 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 [e-mail] . Call 801-625-4300 for Classified Advertising or 801-6254388 for Retail Advertising. D. I am truly amazed at the power of an apology. As a leader within the 309th Maintenance Wing, I have been asked on occasion to serve as a Representing Management Official in an Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) negotiation. When an employee and management disagree with one another, the ADR is an effort to try and resolve the dispute prior to getting attorneys involved and advancing the case to a formal litigation process in the court system. Often times, relationships are strained and communication is awkward. At times, face-to-face communication no longer exists in the work place and is instead replaced with e-mail messages or even worse, messages relayed via a third party. Keep in mind that e-mail is the best and worst thing that ever happened to mankind. The problem with e-mail is that it is not a form of communication. It is merely a one-way transmission. You don't experience emotions or witness expressions, body language or tone of voice. You can't tell if the sender is angry or just in a hurry. The worst thing about e-mail that Capener can result in conflict is that you assume the recipient did in fact receive it and fully understood what you meant and then in turn acted upon it as you intended (what are the odds?). The ADR setting is an environment where each party comes together in a neutral facility and sits down face-to-face. It affords the other party the opportunity to explain the situation as they understand it and to truly listen to the opposing point of view. Each side expresses how they feel and, in the end, what they want. A third party mediator is also in attendance to ensure fairness and civility. In the majority of the cases that I have been involved with, the complainants have several issues that they are at odds with management about. But more often than not, when all is said and done, both parties' eyes have been opened and they can find some middle ground that they can live with. Sometimes the situation isn't even close to what is perceived to be the case. These misunderstandings can be cleared up by simply talking them through. The best outcomes are between two people that are willing to compromise and arrive at a "win-win" situation. Even if one party holds all the cards in a negotiation, it is important to allow the other to "save-face" — after all, we are expected to be one another's wingman. As leaders in today's Air Force, it is important to understand that we don't have to be 100 percent right all the time in order to accomplish the mission. And I am amazed at the power of a simple apology. In a couple of the ADR cases that I have been involved with, I have witnessed people that came to the negotiation table secretly wishing the other a malignant tumor, only to end up shaking hands and treating each other with the respect they deserve. Multiple issues have just melted away with respectful communication and a sincere apology. The Air Force "Core Values" begin with, "Integrity First," and I challenge each of us to be more tolerant of one another and also have the courage to admit it when we are wrong and then apologize. It has been my experience that if we apply this simple principle, we will be more successful in our professional lives and better served in our personal lives. Hill's Total 2011 DUIs: 23 Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: Hill's Last DUI: fury 3, Unit Involved: 777-7000 [e-mail] sgra "oeteitaie Naiateacif tee Sgetai/tga 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. 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 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. Report suspicious activity via the AFOSI EAGLE EYES program Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. watch - Report - Protect Force Protection is Our Business - Everyone is a Sensor Security Forces 777-3056 24-hr. Crisis Information 777-3056 Force Support Squadron 777-4134 Base Restaurants 777-2043 Retirement/Compensation 777-6142 (civilian) Equal Opportunity Office 777-5455 Employer Relations 777-7129 Military Pay 777-1851 Civilian Pay 777-6246 Air Force Suggestion 777-6901 Program Hill Straight Talk 777-9696 IG Complaints 777-5305 (for appointment) IG Complaints 777-5361 (after hours) 777-5361 Fraud, Waste or Abuse (recording) Loud Noise 1-877-885-9595 (complaints) 75th Medical Group 777-4918 Civil Engineering 777-1856 Hill Pride Hotline [phone] Public Affairs 777-5333 Military Housing 825-9392 Maintenance Safety Office 777 3333 - SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSISTANCE Mental Health Clinic 777-7909 Chaplain 777-2106 Military OneSource [phone] [phone] National Suicide Prevention Line TriWest Crisis Line [phone] TriWest Behavioral [phone] Health Contact Center EAP [phone] 777-1163 Occupational Medicine Services Wingman Advocates 777-2255 Safety Office Hotline [phone] Sexual Assault Response 777-1985 Coordinator (or) 777-1964 Union 777-3257 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline [phone] Family Assistance Center 777-3090 (when activated)