Air University AU-2 Guidelines for Command A Handbook on the Leadership of Airmen for Air Force Squadron Commanders Prepared by Air Command and Staff College Air University Press Air Force Research Institute Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama Project Editors Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Belinda Bazinet Jeanne K. Shamburger Air University (U.S.). Air Command and Staff College. AU-2 guidelines for command : a handbook on the leadership Cover Art, Book Design, and of airmen for Air Force squadron commanders / prepared by Illustrations Air Command and Staff College. — Second edition. L. Susan Fair pages cm Includes bibliographical references. Composition and Prepress Production ISBN 978-1-58566-251-7 Nedra O. Looney 1. United States. Air Force—Officers’ handbooks. 2. United Print Preparation and Distribution States. Air Force—Rules and practice. 3. Command of Diane Clark troops—United States. I. Title. UG633.A523 2013 358.4’1330410973—dc23 2013013228 AIR FORCE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AIR UNIVERSITY PRESS Director and Publisher Allen G. Peck Published by Air University Press in March 2015 Editor in Chief Oreste M. Johnson Managing Editor Demorah Hayes Design and Production Manager Cheryl King Air University Press 155 N. Twining St., Bldg. 693 Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6026 [email protected] http://aupress.au.af.mil http://afri.au.af.mil/ Disclaimer Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or im- plied within are solely those of the authors and do not necessa- rily represent the official policy or position of the organizations with which they are associated or the views of the Air Force Re- search Institute, Air University, United States Air Force, Depart- AFRI ment of Defense, or any other US government agency. This pu- Air Force Research Institute blication is cleared for public release and unlimited distribution. ii Contents Preface vii Commanders Connection Team ix 1 Taking Command 1 What Is Command? 1 Making the Most of Your Preparatory Time 3 The Change-of-Command Process 5 Making the Right First Impression 7 Key Leadership Positions within Your Squadron 9 Familiarizing Yourself with Base Agencies 13 Vision 21 Squadron Goals 25 Your First Commander’s Call 27 Assessing Your Squadron’s Strengths and Weaknesses 28 Making a Difference: Leaving a Legacy 31 Commander’s Transition Checklist 33 2 Leading and Developing Airmen 43 Leading versus Managing 43 Leading by Walking Around 46 Leading in the Midst of Change 47 Leadership and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 49 Enlisted Specialty Training 51 Enlisted Professional Military Education 55 Enlisted Promotions 57 Enlisted Assignments 59 Officer Professional Military Education 62 Officer Promotions 65 Officer Assignments 67 Leading Civilians 70 Feedback 75 Officer and Enlisted Evaluations 78 Awards and Decorations 81 Building Future Leaders 83 Squadron Mentorship Program 85 3 Commanding Expeditionary Forces 89 Overview of the Air and Space Expeditionary Force 89 iii CONTENTS Air and Space Expeditionary Force Key Roles and Responsibilities 90 Unit Type Code Overview 94 Air and Space Expeditionary Force Reporting Tool Management 95 Status of Resources and Training System 97 Air and Space Expeditionary Force Training and Exercises 100 Online Air and Space Expeditionary Force Resources 104 Shortfalls, Waivers, and Reclamas 107 First Seven Days of Deployed Command 110 Postdeployment Issues and Concerns 112 4 Commander’s Programs 117 Safety Programs 117 Traffic Safety Program 120 Security Programs 123 Antiterrorism and Force Protection Program 126 Environmental Management 129 Air Force Emergency Management Program 131 Risk Management 134 Equal Opportunity and Treatment Program 137 Military Drug Demand Reduction Program 140 Dormitory Management Program 143 Fitness Program 144 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Program 148 Military Leave, Passes, and Permissive TDY Programs 152 Unit Budget 157 Government Purchase Card Program 160 Government Travel Card Program 162 Individualized Newcomer Treatment and Orientation Program 165 Informal Recognition 167 Commander’s Call 169 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 171 Interactive Customer Evaluation 172 5 Maintaining Standards and Administering Discipline 175 Nonjudicial Disciplinary Options 175 Courts-Martial Charges 181 Pretrial Confinement 183 Arrest by Civilian Authorities 184 iv CONTENTS Rights of Suspects 187 Investigations and Inquiries 190 Searches and Inspections 193 Line-of-Duty Determination 195 Report of Survey 198 Absent without Leave 200 Unprofessional Relationships 202 Standards of Ethical Conduct 204 Financial Responsibility 205 Protest and Dissident Activities 207 Base Driving Privileges 209 Airman Reassignment Restrictions 211 Selective Reenlistment 212 6 Airman and Family Assistance 215 Leading Airmen and Families in Times of Distress 215 Air Force Readiness EDGE and the Integrated Delivery System 217 Key Spouse Program 219 American Red Cross 220 Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program 221 Exceptional Family Member Program and the Special Needs Assignment Consideration Process 223 Mental Health Flight 224 Chaplain 226 Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program 227 Death of a Unit Member 229 Violence Involving a Unit Member 231 7 Compliance and Inspections 235 Preparing for Inspections 235 Self-Assessment Program 237 Readiness Exercises 239 Staff Assistance Visits 242 Formal Inspections 243 Postinspection Activities 247 Documenting and Sharing Best Practices 248 Abbreviations 251 v Preface Squadron command is often described as the best job in the Air Force. It is also one of the most demanding. Commanders are entrusted with in- credible power—in terms of legal authority and personal influence—and it is critical you honor that trust by commanding effectively with balance, purpose, and dedication. As the commander, it is your responsibility to set the tone, establish priorities, and take the lead. As you meet your daily challenges, remember that ultimately command is not about you or how skilled you are in your Air Force specialty. Command is about accomplish- ing the mission and taking care of your Airmen. This guide will help you on your way. There is no “all-encompassing” checklist or “how-to guide” for command— no manual could hope to be so comprehensive. How you lead your squadron depends on your experience, ideas, goals, values, and willingness to learn. Your past performance has demonstrated that you are up to the task—if not, you would not have been selected for command. Even so, you will not know everything before you start, and the job will always be a learning endeavor. You can, however, take advice and learn from other commanders’ experi- ences to make you a better, more effective leader. That is the intent of this publication—to advance the practice of command. This edition of AU-2,Guidelines for Command, is not a full re-creation of the previous edition. Instead, it is the result of the research project from the 2011 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) Commanders Connec- tion team members, most of whom are former commanders. The team turned the previous edition into an online wiki on the Commanders Con- nection website (currently not active). This allowed AU-2 to become a living document, enabling commanders to give immediate feedback about its content, acceptability, and relevance. While this edition includes much of the previous edition’s content because it is still valid, it also contains revised and updated information. Thanks to the responses of many commanders with expertise in their fields and the 2011 Commanders Connection team, this edition is fine-tuned and up to date at the time of publication. The following articles and “tips for success” are not regulations you must follow, nor should they be your sole source of information. They are only guidelines based on the experiences and lessons learned from a diverse group of Air Force leaders. Used properly—and supplemented with other sources—this handbook will help to prepare you to effectively meet the needs of the mission while also taking care of your people. We greatly appreciate the support of the following Air University organi- zations at Maxwell AFB, Alabama: ACSC; the Commanders’ Professional vii Development School, Ira C. Eaker Center for Professional Development; and Air University Press for their assistance in making this revised publi- cation a reality. Without their support this project would not have been possible. Good luck in your command! viii Commanders Connection Team ACSC Class of 2011 • Maj (Lt Col, USAF, retired) Jeffrey A. Baldwin, Aircraft Maintenance • Maj (now Lt Col) Dona L. Byron, Force Support • Maj (now Lt Col) Kenneth D. Dewlen, Force Support • Dr. Lynn M. List, Instructional Systems Specialist • Maj (now Lt Col) Louis J. Marnell, Aircraft Maintenance • Maj (now Lt Col) Tracy L. Parrish, Force Support • Maj Ryan D. Sullivan, Operations Air Command and Staff College Faculty Support • Lt Col Mike Hower, USAF, retired, Commanders Connection pro- gram manager • Lt Col Michael Hills, PhD, Commanders Connection instructor • Lt Col Gonzalo Reyna, Commanders Connection instructor ix Chapter 1 COMMANDTAKING Taking Command What Is Command? Original Author: Maj Shannon Smith 14th Security Forces Squadron (SFS) Commander “Command is the best job in the Air Force!” I heard this statement echoed at countless change-of-command ceremonies, mentoring sessions, and train- ing courses. When my own change of command was just two months away, I began to ponder the following question: What