The Supervisor’s “In-Basket” Activity Statement: • In a simulated situation, utilize management functions and principles, problem-solving, supervisory, and delegation skills to complete the daily duties of a new Air Force officer. Affective Lesson Objective: • Respond to the significance of effective supervisory skills as a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. Affective Samples of Behavior: • Assert the importance of effective supervisory skills for officers. • Complete the exercise using the experience and knowledge learned in your commissioning program. • Actively participate in guided discussion during the lesson. 306 THE SUPERVISOR’S “IN-BASKET” This exercise is an opportunity for you to use what you have learned throughout your commissioning program to manage and respond to the challenges presented and to “put it all together.” Supervisor’s “In-Basket” Exercise Today is 1 March 20XX. You are a 2d Lt assigned to the 10th Missile Squadron (MS), 341st Missile Wing (MW), Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB), Montana. You are a missileer, currently assigned as a deputy missile combat crew commander. You work directly for the 10th Missile Squadron Commander (10 MS/CC), Lt Col Markinson, who, in turn, works for Col Jessup, the Operations Group Commander (341 OG/CC). The next chart displays the organization of your unit: 341st Missile Wing 341st Missile Wing Commander Executive Officer Colonel Luke S. Skywalker Capt Michael D. Sorapuru (341 MW/CC) (341 MW/CCE) 341st Operations Group Commander Colonel Christy P. Jessup (341 OG/CC) 10th Missile Squadron 10th Missile Squadron 10th Missile Squadron First Sergeant Commander Section Commander SMSgt Lisa T. Green Lieutenant Colonel Marcus E. Markinson Your New Position (10 MS/CCF) (10 MS/CC) (10 MS/CCQ) 10th Missile Squadron 10th Missile Squadron Director of Operations Commander’s Support Staff MSgt George C. Brown, NCOIC Major Grover SSgt Arnold P. Stoner, Personnel Specialist (10 MS/DO) SrA Gail L. Wallace, Personnel Specialist TSgt Ivan M. Frivolous, Information Manager A1C Frank K. Jones, Information Manager (10 MS/CSS) Bravo Flight Alpha Flight (Your Former Flight) Charlie Flight Bravo Flight Commander Alpha Flight Commander Charlie Flight Commander Capt Anderson 6 Crews of Missileers 6 Crews of Missileers 6 Crews of Missileers 306 The Supervisor’s “In-Basket” 307 BACKGROUND INFORMATION The 341st Missile Wing, headquartered at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, is one of three US Air Force Bases that maintains and operates the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The 341st Missile Wing (MW) is responsible for the maintenance and operation of 150 Minuteman III ICBMs. Twentieth Air Force (20 AF) Inspector General (IG) personnel test this capability during Operational Readiness Inspections (ORI) and Nuclear Surety Inspections (NSI). One or both of these inspections occur annually. The 10th Missile Squadron (MS) is a part of the 341st Operations Group (OG). The 10 MS is responsible for maintaining and operating 50 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and five missile alert facilities. Malmstrom AFB is located in Great Falls, Montana, in the heart of the American prairie. Winters are long and cold, and summers are short, but relatively pleasant. Hunting and fishing are favorite summer pastimes. Scenario Captain White was formerly the squadron’s section commander (10 MS/CCQ). As the 10 MS/CCQ, he was the commander’s right hand for all personnel and administrative matters. On 28 Feb XX, he was relieved of his duties due to his lack of control over the Commander’s Support Staff (CSS) and its highly important duties. As the section commander, Captain White supervised MSgt Brown, the CSS NCOIC, SSgt Stoner and SrA Wallace, the personnel specialists, and TSgt Frivolous and A1C Jones, the information managers. MSgt Green is the First Sergeant for the squadron. She oversees all enlisted administrative matters. You are a relatively new 2d Lt and have been with the squadron for just under a year. You are a trained missile officer and have just recently been upgraded to the status of deputy missile combat crew commander. On 1 March, before heading out to missile alert duty, your flight commander, Capt Anderson, and the 10th Missile Squadron Director of Operations (10 MS/DO), Maj Grover, approach you with a memo from Lt Col Markinson, the squadron commander, appointing you as section commander. This position is normally for personnel officers only but you’ve been appointed to fill the gap until a new personnelist can arrive to take over permanently. You have not been trained for the position and at this point have never had an opportunity to supervise. You accept the position and its challenges with little reluctance… “Service Before Self” you remember. You start the job Friday, 4 March. Instructions Read item #1, the memo from Lt Col Markinson, then return back here to read the Rules of Engagement and Guidance. 308 Rules of Engagement and Guidance It is now 4 March 20XX, your first day on the job. You are the acting section commander of the 10th Missile Squadron. You have been given complete authority by being put on G-Series Orders. When you get to your new desk, you realize the pile of paperwork in the CCQ in-basket is piled high. You’ve also been given access to the CCQ organizational email box and see that the emails have been stacking up since Capt White was relieved of his duties. You must now use your leadership and management skills to prioritize and organize all the items in Capt White’s in-basket and prepare to run the section. NOTE: This scenario will play from 4-7 March… but past and future activities still need to be finished and/or coordinated. You don’t know exactly when Capt White’s replacement will arrive, so record everything you do. Draft all written correspondence and create detailed outlines for any oral communications you anticipate. Make notes on everything you plan to do. Finally, be prepared to brief Lt Col Markinson on what occurred while he was TDY, including problems you’ve encountered and preparations for the inspection. 10th Missile Squadron Section Commander (CCQ) Job Description: • Responsible for the administrative control of all 300 members assigned to the 10th Missile Squadron • Ensures all EPRs and OPRs for 10 MS personnel are generated, tracked, and proofed • Directly supervises five commander support staff (CSS) personnel • Under G-Series Orders, exercises nonjudicial punishment authority under the UCMJ unless withheld by superior competent authority. • Assists the squadron commander and works with the First Sergeant for health, morale, welfare, and discipline of all assigned personnel. • Manages Unfavorable Information Files (UIFs), Personnel Information Files (PIFs), the unit fitness program, annual/quarterly awards, the self assessment program, commander’s calls, unit recognition programs, and all written correspondence for the squadron commander. Now, proceed with the exercise, beginning with the calendar... 308 The Supervisor’s “In-Basket” 309 Use this calendar to keep your schedule organized and conflict free!! MARCH 20XX SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 3 4 5 Your first day! X 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Lt Col Markinson Returns from TDY 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Local Local Exercise Exercise Begins Ends 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 JANUARY 20XX FEBRUARY 20XX APRIL 20XX S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 31 310 ITEM #1 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 341ST MISSILE WING (AFGSC) 28 Feb XX MEMORANDUM FOR 2d Lt (YOU) FROM: 10 MS/CC SUBJECT: Selection to the Temporary Position of 10 MS/CCQ (Section Commander) 1. I wish I was able to brief you on this personally, but I will be TDY at Maxwell AFB. We’ll get together when I return on 11 March. I’m sure by now that Major Grover has briefed you on the situation. Capt White has been relieved and there isn’t a replacement available until October. 2. This is an excellent opportunity for you to demonstrate the leadership abilities you learned from your commissioning source and previous training. This is not going to be an easy task for you, but I’m positive you’re the best person to get the Commander’s Support Staff (CSS) back on track. MSgt Brown, the CSS NCOIC, will be a tremendous asset to help fix any problems you might encounter. MSgt Green is a brand new First Sergeant, but is eager to learn and will give you her best to fix any personnel or adminis- trative problems. 3. I have instructed Major Grover and Capt Anderson to give you this letter and all of the items in Capt White’s in-basket. Accomplish as much as you can, because I want to discuss your plans for the CSS when I return on Friday. I am very interested in your ideas to clean-up the CSS before the upcoming inspection in May. The programs you will be in charge of are critical to our squadron’s success. 4. I know this is short notice and I wish we could have discussed this together.