Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, graduates Airmen from the Airmen Leadership School. (U.S. Air Force video by Airman First Class Jack Gardner)
Transcript
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am that starting telegram and on behalf of the chief surgeon Grace eight. Peterson Airman Leadership School way Welcome. Used. Today’s graduation is my pleasure to introduce our most honored guests. And the reason we’re here today. Class 20 Echo, please enter and be recognized. We stand or remain standing for the playing of our national anthem. Quarter ready? Thank you for being here with us today. I would like to introduce E. I would first like to introduce our host for today’s event. Commander 88 Air Base Wing Colonel Patrick Miller and his wife, Mrs Miller, 88 Air base, Wing man Chief. And last 20 each. Chiefs Mentor, Chief Master Sergeant Stephen Narbona. Thank you to all of the leaders, co workers, family and friends that are joining us today. A special thank you to all those that are celebrating with us on Facebook live. We’re very excited to be able to share this special event with all of you in any way that we can. Class 20 Echo is our first class to graduate from our hybrid. A less scores Class 20 Echo. I know these circumstances have been less than ideal. First and foremost, I want to tell you how very proud I am of you. Typically, we talk about resiliency. We talk about adaptability and flexibility in the classroom. And we give you this rules that you need to be successful. Last 20 Echo. You didn’t just talk about it. You lived through it while you were here at l s. U stayed focused. You remain true professionals throughout the many challenges we’re facing today. Although you may not see it now, this experience has better prepared you to be supervisors and great leaders in the United States Air Force. Congratulations. I would now like to invite Chief are bona as command chief and cost 20 echoes. Chief mature to say a few words. Okay. All right. Good afternoon. Thank you. Saw Graham. I appreciate I appreciate this opportunity. First of all, I want to thank all the supervisors commanders. So 20 Echo. It has been a phenomenal past four or five weeks for me. I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope you guys did as well. I do want apologize for my my lack of words. A few minutes ago, when I was presented that gracious gift, I was literally caught off guard, not expecting. And I’m deeply touched by. So I do want you again. Thank you. That is I’m humbled and I’m honored that I get to be your classmates are is the honor and privilege is truly mine. So again, we’re here at Airman Leadership School. Graduation, not airman followers. School way. Don’t need you guys be followers. I guess that comes. We should already be followers right there in the military for the wars. We follow directions, final guidance and may if I’ve and things of that nature. But now we need you guys to step outside of that and become leaders. So it’s very important that you guys attend this school. What a contract we have. We’ve got some of the finest in the Air Force right here. We Maybe it’s a small team before, but manner they might. And this is the calibre of NGO that you’re gonna become because you are learning from their experiences. So I want to talk about that. You be the supervisor being bossy, we’re talking for and I know a lot of people as we discussed, you know, kind of soon that there are all synonymous and not All right. So what do you have to do to be a good supervisor or to be a good leader? Be, quite frankly, just got to do just that. Massive lead. Leave your listen. Listen to what Your air minutes pay attention to what they’re saying. But as you learn, part of communication is not just I got a listening watch for this novel. Now. I’m not saying every time and every comes with you with a complaint or an idea, and you got to take that as gospel and run with it. But listen here, amount here would they got to see and understand when you can follow through or or implement something as a zey come into. So listen to what they’re saying, but I will tell you also pay attention and listen to what they’re not saying. What are they not saying to what? And that’s are they not saying around? If they have problems, are they talking to you or they talking to somebody else’s? So listen to what they’re saying, What they’re not saying and power your him. Let them know that they have full rains to go out there. Dr. Do execute the mission. Let them know that they are empowered to make decisions were impossible to come up with. Ideas. Innovate. Advocate for your you should be your airman’s biggest fan and shooting. You should be selling them every opportunity you get, and that comes more than just submitting for quarterly or annual awards or below the zone or or any other type of formal recognition. But when I G’s get ready to come to town, make sure your leadership knows that you want your chairman out front. You see, they wanted me. I want you to be visited by those inspectors. Advocate on Behalf Year Air me for things that you know was gonna break their back if there’s just too many task is coming down. Too much work. Little for somebody. But somebody else you know, has has made a lot of work advocate for your airman’s for that evil dispersement of those responsible. And lastly, we need to develop your development. Needs to be delivering shouldn’t happen by chance. So every opportunity you have to sit down with your Eman and salt him about the various lessons that you learned during this course. Sit down, show them how to write. They shouldn’t have to be a supervisor. Before they figure out how to write a bullet. You could start teaching them. Now, start developing your chairman now, you should make them a better version of you. That’s the goal. Smart people learn from their mistakes. Intelligent people learn from mistakes about us. I’m one of the smartest people I know. I’ve made plenty of mistakes and I learned from a ball, and it’s been my job to make you all intelligence. So I ask you do the same with your army has developed. Use your use. Your examples usually experiences, use your knowledge to develop them. So when they become senior staff sergeant coming through this course, they’re just better than you at any given time. If if if you’re not sure, if you’re doing it right, If you are being an impactful positive leader, then I’m gonna leave you with this one thing I’m gonna ask you to do. It’s one thing and one question. I want you to get up in front of a mirror and ask yourself this one question. What? I want to follow my own leadership in my type of leader that I want to follow. I want you to ask yourself that question. And if the answer is anything other than Oh, yeah, maybe needs to take a look and see. Figure out what exactly are you falling short glass. 20 Echo has been a great ride. I know you guys are doing great things, and I can’t wait to see what you do as I get to move out and sit on the sidelines and watch you guys navigator in this environment becoming supervisors and leaders in his air force. I know you have what it say’s you guys have they prepare right. Success occurs when preparation meets opportunity. You guys have prepared stay. That opportunity will come not. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you, Chief for bona on behalf of class 20 ago. They want you to know how much they appreciate your dedication and commitment to be their mentors. That leaders was really walk the walk and not just talk the talk. The class presented chief with the gift private ceremony that is on display for everyone to view afterwards. Cheek, We, as a Qadri cannot thank you enough for your support. Not just for the last 20 Echo, sir. but for Aaron, leadership school as a whole were honored that you chose to minister in the last a less class prior to your retirement. And we think it’s pretty amazing that we’re having our graduation on the drill pad that wouldn’t even exist if you work for you. So thank you to. Now it is time to announce our award winners. Our first award is the Leadership Award. This award is presented to the student who foster teamwork and demonstrated integrity service before self professionalism and excreta poor, thus making a significant contribution to the overall success of the class. The leadership award recipient for Class 20 Echo is from 88 Medical Operations Group senior airman Haley Van Valkenburg. I swear the second award is the Academic Achievement Awards. It signifies scholarly excellence based on objective and individual performance evaluations. This student showed mastery of our academic program and achieve the highest overall academic standing in the class Academic Achievement Award Recipient for Class 20. Echo is from National Air and Space Intelligence that Air Signals Analysis Squadron Senior Airman Christopher White. The Distinguished Graduate Award recognizes the student who excelled in all areas of the course and graduated in the top 10% of their class. Their selection is based on academic and performance evaluations, as well as demonstrated leadership qualities. Distinguish, distinguish graduate for Class 20. Echo is from the National Air and Space Intelligence Center Signals Analysis Squadron, Senior Airman Christopher White and finally, the John L. Lovato. John L. Lovato Award is named in memory of an enlisted member who received our nation’s highest award, the Medal of Honor. This student is a leader, a scholar, and Class 20 echoes top award recipient. John L. Lovato award recipient is from 88. Security Forces Squadron Staff Sergeant Lacey Bachmann Her Miller, Would you please join Chief? Are bona to present the graduation certificates? Last 20 Echo, Prepare to graduate started with a cook Feel flight from the 88 Operations Support Squadron. Staff Sergeant Tyler Boatman from the potential squatters staff started Tamar Henry Communications Zachary Michael right around the course. Of course, Squadron staff sergeant from the medical operations group Yurman Haley Booth from the National Air and Space Center, down to all the problems in the place from 88 medical operation, your General Tower, the national centres staffed the national space Intelligence Center database Information brand. Staff Sergeant Christopher Way with National Airing Space Intelligence Center Signals and Elvis watering and flight leader for right field plate. And finally from Paterson. Feels like from the 88 Medical Operations Squadron Senior Airman Austin Parts from National Air and Space Intelligence Center Plans and Operations Directorate. Senior Airman William, off from 88 Security Forces Squadrons. Staff Sergeant Sean Gardner from National Air and Space Intelligence Communications Information Directorate. Staff Sergeant Thomas from the National Air and Space Intelligence signals Analysis. Watchin is flight leader from Paterson in real life. Senior Airman Checchi A lot today from 7 11 Performance from eight for Support Squadron. Senior Airman. Nice win, Miller. If you would at some closing comments, please. All right. So I will make this quick is we’re standing out in the sun. You know, uh, you want to get back to work, right? No, that’s like this wing of Do I stand in the center? Get back after so I’m gonna arm you with one last thing. That is probably the two most powerful words. You will be able, Teoh, hand out as a leader. Let me show you how this works. Okay. Thank you. Thanks for your investment to this team. Thanks for growing leader. Professional development, the foundation of our success. You’ve armed them and equip them to be supervisors. Really? Thank you for all that you do for this. I appreciate it. Chief. Where’d you duck off? Two. All right, Yeah. I’m looking at you. See your over here. Thank you. Thank you for being the classmate. It was just on just briefly. This is Chiefs last class. He’s gonna retire after a long and honorable career. He’s not leaving the family. He still got another cheap on our team. Right? When she gets back, she’s jumping right back in. But he’s continuing to serve as our command chief and as a dad, while his fellow Aaron and his wingman is serving down range. Chief, thanks for imparting your knowledge or experience to this team. Thanks for making them better Leaders that are airman better people. Thank you for your service. It’s all our supervisors, peers, mentors for this class. Thanks. Thank you for your investments of them. More importantly, thank you for stepping into the gap that was created to allow them to come here and be part of this course way. Appreciate your sacrifice and service and keeping the mission going while we make a significant investment into their growth and development. I know that they’re coming back armed and ready to serve and fired up to be front line supervisors. So thank you. Saw all the colleagues, peers, mentors, supervisors that are out there with us today. We’re watching and the last thank you to the families. Our students are chairman. Our leaders cannot do this without your support. You see the supporting cast back here? You know, in our pop up, Alice graduation. Thank you. We’ll continue to support them without you. They can’t come here and do what they need to do day in and day out to serve our nation. I know there were some long nights and frustrating weekends working on speeches and homework assignments and those types of things. Odds are you also help around the house on a normal day to day basis laundry dishes, all those types of things, cooking meals, taking care of little ones. And you were pulled away from that for a little bit to be part of this class. And we’ve asked loved ones to pick up that gap at home so that they could become better leader. So thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for what you do for our nation. We truly appreciate. So it’s all the families out there. Thank you for what you’ve done for these leaders and finally to you. Are they less class? Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for your intestinal fortitude to get after this dig in and day out. Thank you for capitalizing on this opportunity to become better leaders to become better. I appreciate what you do. So I argue with that simple to with a simple two words. Thank you. Use them often whether it’s just a day to day pass or in the big things were a volunteer force. Everybody gets a vote with their feet. It takes your leadership and your appreciation recognition of everyone Service to keep this moving forward. So thank you