Vol. 45 No. 29 July 22, 2005 Inside COMMENTARY: People or mission?, Page 2 NEWS: Cadet saves enlisted trainee, Page 3 Innovative manning techniques, Page 4 Prep School sets up cadet candidates for success, Page 6 FEATURES: Yee-hah! Cadet cowboy skills, Page 13 ‘Extreme Makeover’ home for family, Page 14-15 Field day activities, Page 16 SPORTS: Falcon fencers, Page 19 Cardiac cops rally over Comm, Page 20 Briefly Academy Picnic USAFA’s 2005 Picnic will be at the Prep School Parade Ground 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 5. Tickets are $1 per person and are available from first sergeants. Children 3 and Yee-Hah!! under eat free. Food will be Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. John Rosa leads a procession that opened the final day of competition at the Pikes served at 11 a.m. Peak or Bust Rodeo. More than 1300 basic cadets also enjoyed the western activities on Academy Day, Sunday. See Attendees are urged to story on Page 13. (Photo by Danny Meyer) carpool. A shuttle bus to the site starts at 7:30 a.m. and runs every 15 minutes. BOV: Cadets must focus on mission Head Start Head Start, a non-profit By Butch Wehry the way of the cadets training or the respect inspections and basic cadet training field preschool program, has Academy Spirit that the American people owe to these cadets,” day activities. several openings at the Mr. Gilmore said. “And there is serious The Board meets to review the morale, Academy’s Pine Valley class- Efforts to improve religious respect and danger that we are going to distract the cadets discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical room. other Academy issues for cadets must not from their duties and their progress.” equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods There are several free detract from their efforts to become Air Force Chairman Gilmore noted that the board and other matters relating to the Academy. openings for 3- and 4-year-old officers, Board of Visitors officials said had been through a lot of different issues and The board is required to meet at least four children in the classroom. Saturday. briefings during their quarterly visit. times annually, with at least two of those Community Partnership After two days of briefings, fact finding The board chairman said the visit had meetings at the Academy. for Child Development and exchanges with cadets and the Academy’s produced a good understanding of what cadet The board prepares a semiannual report administers the Head Start senior leadership July 15-16, Air Force, life is like. containing its views and recommendations program throughout El Paso Academy and BOV officials shed insight “Their focus is on being good cadets,” pertaining to the Academy, based on its County, including the into their thoughts and findings. chairman Gilmore said. “We’re not going to meeting since the last such report, and any Academy classroom. Academy Superintendent, Lt. Gen. John drive spirituality and religion from the other considerations it determines relevant. The program is available Rosa, said that the two-day sessions had Academy. We want to ensure that we do not Each report is submitted concurrently to the for low-income families, as produced a lot of good interaction between interfere with progress.” Secretary of Defense, through the Secretary well those with children with board members and the Academy staff. Mr. Michael Dominguez, Acting of the Air Force, and to the Committee on special needs regardless of James Gilmore, former Virginia governor Secretary of the Air Force, also attended the Armed Services of the Senate and the the family’s income. and BOV Chairman, cautioned against over- BOV meeting. Committee on Armed Services of the House For more information, working efforts to improve Academy condi- Board members had opportunities to of Representatives. contact Jennifer Lange, 635- tions view various aspects of cadet training The next board meeting is scheduled for 1536, ext. 323. “We want to ensure that it doesn’t get in including Global Engagement, drill and Oct. 5-6 in Washington, D.C. Academy Spirit 2 COMMENTARY July 22, 2005 What’s more important, mission or people? By Col. Robert Hamm Sergeant Kelly understood it was taking care of his troops with trying to consistent. I knew what he expected 380th Expeditionary Maintenance his job to make sure his shop was make all the troops happy. Being a from me and it was always made very Group commander capable of performing its wartime leader isn’t about being popular. clear to us when we didn’t meet Air Force Print News tasks but just as importantly to ensure Given some of the things we’re expectations. On the other hand, he the welfare of the troops. asked to do, it’s not realistic to expect made sure we were recognized for the SOUTHWEST ASIA — Over the “Accomplishing the mission is the everyone to be happy all the time. In outstanding work our team did. years I’ve watched many leaders — primary task of every military organi- his mind, taking care of troops meant Sergeant Kelly taught me that officers, chiefs, NCOs and Airmen alike — take our organization to ever zation; everything else must be subor- ensuring they were properly trained, balancing the needs of the mission higher levels of achievement. Like dinate,” according to AFPAM healthy, properly equipped, held and the needs of our people isn’t easy. you, I have studied those I considered 36-2241, Promotion Fitness accountable to the highest standards, It’s an art developed over many years to be outstanding leaders and I’ve Examination Study Guide. “However, all the while making sure they under- of experience. watched others struggle with the chal- a successful military leader recognizes stood our core values of integrity, Years later, back in the classroom, lenges of leadership. that people perform the mission and excellence and selflessness. I read in Air University’s guidelines But I learned from all of them. that without their support, the unit He wasn’t easy on us. He chal- for command: “… leadership requires Growing up in our Air Force, I will fail. Thus, meeting the needs of lenged our team and didn’t tolerate hard work, enthusiasm for the job, and found the greatest challenge was the people is a responsibility equal in substandard performance. sensitivity to what’s going on around balancing the needs of the people with importance to meeting the require- As a young Airman, I never you. You must set your standards high, the needs of the mission. ments of the mission.” wanted to disappoint Sergeant Kelly. be involved, listen, know what the It seemed to me a leader was Sergeant Kelly said it this way: As a matter of fact, at the time, I problems are, remove the weak, described as either a “people person” “Mission first, people always.” He didn’t think he cared if we were happy promote the strong — and to do this or a “mission-oriented person,” but balanced the needs of mission with or not. well you’ve got to be tough.” seldom did I see a leader who effec- the needs of people better than anyone Incidentally, I was wrong on that It’s just like Sergeant Kelly taught tively balanced both — until I met I’ve ever known. one. us. It’s mission first and people Master Sgt. Kenneth Kelly. Sergeant Kelly didn’t confuse He was always honest, fair and always. Change: adapt to it, embrace it By Maj. Kevin Payne Unfortunately, it is hard to always 435th Communications Squadron embrace organizational change while it is occurring because most of us don’t RAMSTEIN AB, Germany — want to modify our work environment. • BDU headgear may be stowed We’ve all heard the saying, “The only But, change happens. thing constant is change.” The Air Force must change the way in either the left or right BDU Despite the fact that change is it organizes, trains and equips its pant cargo pocket. If BDU always occurring around us, some Airmen in order to adapt to changing people don’t like change and often resist threats, political climate and technology. headgear is stowed in either of it as much as possible. Unit reorganizations, force shaping and these pockets, it must not be Resistance can easily evolve into base closures may appear negative at negative behavior that affects perfor- first but, given time, the benefits shine visible and the cargo pocket mance. Even worse, negative behavior through. buttons must be buttoned. can become contagious and spread We must not only adapt quickly Ref: Table 5.10, p 5-28 through a unit, affecting co-workers. when a change occurs but also learn to Adapting to change is essential for a see it coming. This is why companies The Cadet Sight Picture unit to maintain high morale and to that foresee the changing economic effectively accomplish the mission. market and respond to it succeed, (Cadet Wing Manual 36-3501) When I entered the Air Force in whereas companies that refuse to provides an insight into the 1992 after the Cold War ended, a change ultimately fail. day-to-day requirements for cadets. massive military manpower reduction The Air Force and major commands was under way and large reorganiza- will continue to reorganize in order to tions were taking place. Thirteen years better accomplish the mission. later, we easily can see that those We need to look at the overall bene- changes to our force structure were fits that the change brings and do our necessary. part to ensure its implementation occurs For example, integrating the as seamlessly as possible.