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An E-Team Skydiver delivers the U.S. Flag to show center during the playing of the National Anthem at the 2011 Joint Service Open House Opening Ceremony here May 21. JSOH affords the public an opportunity to meet the men and women of the Armed Forces and to see military equipment from the Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard. JSOH is planned and conduct through the efforts of active duty, guard and reserve servicemembers, as well as civilian employees, retirees and family members. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Nichelle Anderson)
2012 Andrews Air Show and Open House scheduled to ‘take off’ May 18-20

by Senior Airman Torey Griffith
11th Wing Public Affairs

5/7/2012 – JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. — The skies over the National Capital Region will be filled with the sound of freedom May 18 – 20 as the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, headline the 2012 Joint Service Open House here.

Celebrating 100 years of Marine Corps aviation, the 2012 JSOH will continue its legacy as the largest DOD air show with displays from every service on the ground as well as in the air.

Also performing will be the U.S. Army’s premier parachute demonstration team, the Golden Knights. These professionals do their best work at 12,500 feet above the earth’s surface.

Friday, May 18, is reserved for DOD personnel, school-sponsored children and invited guests. The open house is open to the public May 19 and 20.

In addition to dozens of current and vintage military and civilian aircraft on display and in the skies, ground activities will offer something for the entire audience–from aircraft simulators and military displays to food and fun throughout the flight line area.

Spectators from the general public will need to park at FedEx Field or take Branch Avenue Metro in order go through the appropriate security screenings and be shuttled to the event. Those with base access are able to park on base and walk through security checkpoints before entering the flight line to see the show.

For additional information, visit the Joint Service Open House Web site at http://www.jsoh.org. Social media socialites may also “like” the Andrews Airshow Facebook page or “follow” @AndrewsAirshow on Twitter.

FunRun 5k

Announcing New Public Service Announcements for the inTransition Program

By: Lolita T. O’Donnell, RN, Ph.D., deputy director, Clearinghouse, Outreach & Advocacy Directorate, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury

Transitions in military service – call to active duty, relocation or other events – can be challenging. Service members presented with such a transition while in mental health treatment may need extra resources. To help meet this need, the inTransition program is launching six public service announcements to educate warriors, health care providers and family members about its coaching resources.

 

The PSAs provide an overview of what the inTransition program can provide to each audience and how to contact the program for more information:

 

* ”Maze”: Explains how service members can navigate the switch to a new mental health care provider when experiencing a change in status

* “Insights-Providers”: Addresses the important role of healthcare providers as they help service members maintain continuity of care when they encounter a change in status

* “Insights- Family Members”: Discusses, from the family member perspective, how inTransition helped loved ones maintain their mental health care treatment during changes in status

 

When transitions including deployment or permanent change of station occur, it’s important to help make sure our nation’s service members have the right support systems in place. For those receiving treatment for psychological health concerns, the inTransition Coaching and Support Program offers support as they move between health care systems or providers. This support helps them effectively navigate changes and maintain mission readiness.

 

InTransition coaches are master’s-level behavioral health clinicians who understand today’s military culture and issues. They can provide telephone coaching on how to change providers at the time of transfer or discharge; provide referral support and new provider follow-up; and provide crisis intervention when necessary. They understand and respect the privacy of service members and veterans. Coaches are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are accessible from any location. Please visit http://www.health.mil/intransition/PSA.aspx to view the PSAs or to learn more about the inTransition program.

For more information on the inTransition Program, please visit http://www.health.mil/inTransition or call their confidential, toll-free number at 800-424-7877.

What does it mean to be a good wingman?

By Senior Airman Kailie M. Dougherty
89th Communications Squadron

In December of 2010, I was one of three Airmen tasked by my commander, Lt. Col. Bryan Richardson, 89th Communications Squadron commander, to brief my 200-member squadron on the importance of what I thought being a good wingman meant. If you could only imagine my reaction when I found out my commander had challenged me with a task so large. It made me feel important as an Airman to have that responsibility. It even brought value to me as a wingman, to know that my leadership wanted to hear my opinion.

I began to think. I thought about my life before and during my Air Force career. I thought of my family, who thankfully was always there for me. I thought of my friends, peers, and leaders, but there was one day I just couldn’t get out of my head.

During the fall of 2008, I had the quietest day of my Air Force career. I remember it like it was yesterday. That day nobody spoke, we had our mission to focus on. We began with the morning brief, sat at our consoles and started our morning radio checks. It was painful to see all the held back tears in my fellow Airmen’s eyes. It was only hours prior that one of our wingmen had lost his life to a motorcycle accident. We all knew he was never coming back. I felt sad and out of place. I was practically the newest Airman to the squadron. I didn’t know what to say or how to react. So I said nothing.

After going over that painful memory over and over again, I wanted to go back and tell them all that they can lean on me. I wanted to help them through the terrible ordeal that occurred. To this day I wish my actions would have reflected what I think a wingman truly is. The following is what I said to my squadron …

“Each and every person is a wingman. Whether in your past or present, you have opened yourself up to someone in a time of need. You have made someone laugh or helped someone in pain. For some, a wingman can be your spouse or child or your parent. For others, your wingman can be your fellow Airmen, your neighbor or even the pizza guy that delivers to your dorm every night. We are all wingmen.

You don’t have to be physically strong or even highly educated to be a wingman. You don’t have to go to a special class or sit through another 20-session Computer Based Training on how to be a wingman. You just have to be you.

Some may not be that wingman for a particular person when another is, and that’s okay. Everyone is different, everyone has different needs. The main thing you have to know about being a wingman is that you don’t always have to be the hero. Sometimes you have to sit and just listen. Try to be the best you can be and, at the end of the day, don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back.

A key aspect of being a wingman is to help yourself before helping others. This might seem selfish, but if you don’t help yourself first you will not be able to help your fellow wingman to the best of your ability. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everyone needs a shoulder to lean on at one point in their life. You don’t always have to be the wingman every time. Be strong and open minded and you will come to realize that everyone needs a wingman.

Whether you are in a bad relationship or maybe someone close has passed on, you may need a helping hand. During hard times, many people feel it is their duty to act strong and keep their bearing, when in all honesty, they may not feel that way. But that doesn’t mean you shut everyone out. As wingmen, we are like family. We naturally seek fellow camaraderie between our Airmen. We want that emotional acceptance to help raise our spirits.

You develop a certain bond between the men and women you meet throughout your life. These bonds are almost like adopting a new brother or sister, or even a parent. Someone you know will always care about you. Someone who might have seen you at your very worst, but is still there to pull you up by your boot straps or lend a shoulder to get you through any troubles…someone like a fellow wingman.

In conclusion, I was given the task on what I think a wingman is. Looking back, I realize that each and every person has a different definition of a wingman. In my eyes, the word wingman shouldn’t be so much defined, as it should be honored. I don’t believe it should be a duty to be a wingman, but a moral responsibility in the hearts of every man and woman reading this today. It should be one of the many traditions that the Air Force holds – not only to our country but to ourselves.” Thank you.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease

By Airman 1st Class  Bahja J Jones
11th Wing Public Affairs specialist

All too often, Airmen muffle their complaints, questions and concerns, venting to other Airmen and others who are unable to affect change.  They think that it may be better to suffer in silence rather than address things that really matter to them because they feel as though their voices may not be heard due to the lack of stripes on their shoulders.

Upon arrival to Andrews a few months ago, I had a few problems with my dorm room. I addressed them with  dorm management on numerous occasions but continued to see no change.  When I spoke with other Airmen, a few stated that they’d been waiting for problems to be addressed in their dorms for quite some time and to “take a number.”

When I met with my first sergeant, he asked how things were going and how was I adjusting to life on Andrews. I seized the opportunity to address my concerns about my dorm.

He looked into my work orders and took down a few notes and the next morning I began to receive calls about the statuses of my work orders.

Within two weeks, my room received all the maintenance that I requested.

Sometimes being in the junior enlisted tier, makes Airmen feel as though they have no power, but there is power in using the resources that we have been provided to get things done.

Your chain of command is your single, most powerful tool. We may not have the stripes to make the changes, but we have leaders  whose duties include ensuring that we have all we need to be effective, productive Airmen.

How Andrews fits into the social media scheme of things

By Airman 1st Class Kat Lynn Justen
11th Wing Public Affairs website and new media management specialist

New media is a powerful communication tool that has revolutionized the way people across the globe interact with one another. It is no wonder then, that the U.S. military has recognized its vast potential for connecting and communicating with servicemembers, their families, retirees and the general public. In light of this revolution, Andrews Air Force Base opened up its government personal computer systems to allow Andrews members access to social media sites earlier this year. Since then, units from Joint Base Andrews have collectively set up more than two dozen social media sites.

As a result, Joint Base Andrews members now have accessibility to a myriad of new media sites geared toward keeping them informed on base activities, exercises, clubs, news and entertainment.

The 11th Wing, the host wing at Joint Base Andrews, alone established and operates five social media sites to include Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Photobucket and WordPress.

The Joint Base Andrews Facebook page can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/jointbaseandrews. Anyone can post to the wall, comment, like, download photos and watch videos from our page.

The Joint Base Andrews YouTube page can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/user/JointBaseAndrews and includes commander’s calls, presidential speeches, mission and U.S. Air Force Band and Honor Guard videos.

The Joint Base Andrews Twitter page is currently reserved for some of our higher interest items such as major events, news, and exercises. You can become a follower here: http://twitter.com/AndrewsAirForce.

Our Photobucket site is populated with downloadable, free photos from around Andrews. Check out all of the Andrews imagery here: http://s984.photobucket.com/home/JointBaseAndrews/index.

WordPress is a developing blog called “Just another day at Andrews …” and includes commentary from Joint Base Andrews members, which can be seen here: http://jointbaseandrews.wordpress.com/.

For more information on unit Facebook pages, check out the “Favorites” section on the Joint Base Andrews Facebook page.

Everyone is welcome to submit content to 316wg.pa.newmedia@afncr.af.mil. Submission does not guarantee publication. For more information, call 301-981-4512.

Lead from Behind

Commentary by Lt. Col. Timrek C. Heisler
1st Airlift Squadron

As summer slips away and you start packing away the beach gear, it’s a great time to take a good hard look at your organization. While spring may be the best time for cleaning, the fall is a perfect time to focus on organizational preparedness. I’d like to share a couple of thoughts on how to approach improving a unit’s ability to consistently perform at a high level and respond appropriately during a crisis.

We have all heard the familiar term, “lead from the front.” I would like to offer another viewpoint on leadership, “leading from behind” or what some may call “coaching.” The military has, through the years, created more agile organizations that no longer have the advantage of excess personnel or resources. With this in mind, each member of the organizational team has become more valuable and must be prepared to respond to external events within the boundaries laid out by our leadership. In order to create a unit with superior capability, as supervisors, we must empower our subordinates with the knowledge of their spectrum of responsibility, acceptable responses, and how much latitude lies within each realm. So instead of focusing on teaching followership traits, we focus on developing the leadership potential within all of our team members and hence their ability to respond quickly and appropriately. You do this not by telling someone what to do but rather by explaining why it should be done.

The real key to this relies on your subordinates’ ability to view you as an expert in your mission area. You can imagine how difficult it would be to coach a team if you don’t know the rules or how to play the game. So, before you can instruct, you must be a student and learn all you can about your mission; and once people trust your abilities, you can focus on coaching your subordinates and developing their individual potential.

The leader who provides vision on how the unit might respond to crisis and requests feedback will find that the members of the team may have some great ideas of their own. Then, like any good coach or leader, you incorporate the feedback to strengthen the game plan. The goal is to create leaders within each element of your organization and arm them with a common vision they can execute without hesitation. Ideally, as you develop these skills with your direct subordinates, they will continue the effort by developing the skills of their team members. The goal is to develop conversations in the hallways that emphasize “us” and “we” instead of “me” or “I.”

By “leading from behind” within your organization, you increase your operational capability and the unit’s ability to respond quickly. So no matter who is on duty when the unexpected occurs, they will respond appropriately. Of course, as supervisors and leaders you must always be prepared to assume your position of authority and lead your people. While I would never suggest that as leaders we delegate our responsibilities, I am offering a framework to use to increase overall capability by coaching our team members and focusing them on the unit’s vision. In doing so, we create leaders at all levels of the organization that have the skill and knowledge to decrease response time and increase effectiveness when faced with unexpected events.

In closing, moms and dads all across America have entrusted each of us with their sons and daughters as well as the security of our great country. It’s worth our time to examine our organizations and make sure we are taking care of both to the utmost of our abilities. So try “leading from behind” and see if it works for your organization.