View Full Version : Commanders Directed To 'Engage' In Troops Lives
Now commanders have to be directed to do this? Really? :confused:
Richard
New rule directs commanders to 'engage' in airmen's lives
AFTimes, 21 May 2014
Air Force commanders must pay close attention to the morale and welfare of their subordinates, according to a new Air Force Instruction.
AFI 1-2, titled “Commander’s Responsibilities” and dated May 8, said that commanders have to be aware of issues — both on- and off-duty — that could affect the climate and morale of their units.
“Commanders have the unique authority and responsibility to engage in the lives of their subordinates, where appropriate, to improve quality of life, promote unit morale, and ensure all members are treated with dignity and respect,” the AFI said.
(Cont'd) http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140521/CAREERS03/305210066/
It's sad that they have to be admonished to take an interest in their people.
I always thought "leadership" meant having a vested interest in those you lead.
It's truly embarrassing to me that leaders have to be told some of the things they are told these days.
Tree Potato
05-23-2014, 10:55
It seems more like preventive maintenance; until now there hasn't been a regulation that specifies any minimum standards for commanders yet there are many such regs for other duties.
This should make removal of toxic commanders, at least in the AF, a faster and easier process and short circuit the ability of removed commanders to claim they were unfairly removed or discriminated against. It was only a matter of time until a toxic leader removed with "lost confidence in your ability to command" would turn it into a fiasco.
Having just spent several weeks with a few dozen inbound wing and group commanders at Maxwell I didn't meet a single one who seemed to need to be told these things...it's obvious stuff.
I was always trying to get the Commander and Chain of Command out of my Life and now they have to be ordered to . What has happened to our country's military.
Tree Potato
05-23-2014, 20:39
Tony Carr has an interesting take on the new AFI in his article "Off-Target: Air Force’s Command Cookbook a Recipe for Mediocrity": http://www.jqpublic-blog.com/target-air-forces-command-cookbook-recipe-mediocrity/
Nested in his article is the crux of our current problem: the mismatch between mission load and sufficient resourcing. When enough personnel, equipment, time and funds aren't provided to do what is tasked some things will fall off the plate. Commanders are generally doing the best they can with what they have. This new AFI won't change that nor make commanders more effective at it, especially as USAF processes have continued to diminish the role of commanders in actually impacting the things troops care about most.
Many commanders at wing level and below believe the sickness currently gripping the service is a function of staffs dumping work on operational wings, constantly creating administrative task saturation without providing the time or resources to contend with it.
That said, Carr seems to be getting input mostly from easily offended prima donnas. Maybe the reg didn't hit the mark, but many of the complainers probably whined about lack of a commander instruction sometime earlier. Some say the reg is incomplete, but if it were longer they'd probably gripe it was too detailed and constraining them.
One thing is for certain, it's touched a nerve, but most commanders will simply say "new AFI telling me how to manage command? noted... now, here's what we're going to do."
Well...so much for taking care of the troops.
Relieved of Command: Leader Tried To Reach Out; investigation Cites Favoritism
AFTimes, 31 May 2014
Lt. Col. Craig Perry and his wife, Caroline, involved themselves in the personal lives of airmen and families at their new command, a leadership approach encouraged from the top down to help identify those in need.
A month after Perry took the helm of a support squadron sustaining basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in July, Caroline revived the languishing Key Spouse Program to reach out to families in her husband’s unit. She delivered baby gifts to first-time parents, cooked lunches for flight members and welcomed an airman alone during the holidays into their home.
But what the Perrys considered acts of kindness expected of commanders, investigators called favoritism and fraternization.
A January command-directed investigation report obtained by Air Force Times concluded Perry engaged in unprofessional relationships with enlisted members in his organization. He was relieved of command of the 737th Training Support Squadron on March 27 and issued a letter of reprimand.
(Cont'd) http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140531/NEWS/305310038/Relieved-command
And so it goes...
Richard
I have said it before and I'll say it again, the senior military leadership in this current administration is woefully lacking in leadership capacities and capabilities.
Joker, I'm thinking you've been hanging out around my team room maybe?
"I've said it before, I'll say it again, we work for morons!" LOL
Joker, I'm thinking you've been hanging out around my team room maybe?
"I've said it before, I'll say it again, we work for morons!" LOL
Your team room? I wish. The farther one gets from the team..., we'll let's just say I'm one of the morons at the moron command. :(
mojaveman
05-31-2014, 15:42
I have said it before and I'll say it again, the senior military leadership in this current administration is woefully lacking in leadership capacities and capabilities.
Agree. In our entire society too, in politics, business, public administration, etc. Something happened to old school leadership in this country.
Your team room? I wish. The farther one gets from the team..., we'll let's just say I'm one of the morons at the moron command.
I don't think anyone in charge is actually dumber (or smarter for that matter) than us out here in the trenches. My step dad use to say, "Boy, you can either bitch about that 'dumb-sum-bitch' in charge or BE that 'dumb-sum-bitch'."
Awesome.
I want to see more stories like this.
In fact, we need to search out cases like this and just fucking slam everyone involved. We still need to cut a hundred thousand or so troops from the roles; this kind of stuff not only gets rid of the controversial folks, but its entertaining to read about.
If you need to be TOLD to care about your troops, you're fired...
...chalk one up for the force draw down.
If you mettle in the affairs of junior troops, you're fired
...chalk ANOTHER one up for the troop draw down.
Don't like being a victim of the system? Well, you should have stayed in school and gotten an education; you would't be stuck in this predicament.
\
Sounds like a case of piss poor officers turning on a good officer because he is making them look bad from their point of view. Looked at another way he was doing his job and it was obvious they were not so they screwed him to make themselves look better and make an excuse for their inaction's.
I don't personally know Lt Col Perry, but I met him briefly once and know people that have worked with him. From what I know and have heard from others, you've summed up the situation very succinctly.
Tree Potato
06-03-2014, 13:13
Tony Carr's blog followup alleges toxic leadership at the group commander level...similar to what has been pointed out here already.
"New rule directs commanders to 'engage' in airmen's lives"
Is this what they meant?