Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (AFSNCOA)’s Post

If you have not read David Goggin's book "Can't Hurt Me" it should be required reading if you are in sales. Goggins is the only person to have completed US Army Ranger School, US Air Force Tactical Control Party Training, US Navy SEAL Training and attempted Delta selection not once, but twice. Each of these programs are nearly impossible on there own, but Goggins not only conquered them all, he also served honorably, undertaking a combat deployment to Irag in 2001 with Seal Team 5. Coggins is a national hero and if you haven't read his book its an awesome read. His feats in endurance events will blow your minds. In 2013, David Goggins broke the Guinness World Records title for most pull-ups in a 24 hour period. 4030 pull-ups in 17 hours, 16 minutes. If your in sales his book is a masterclass of endurance, mental toughness and pushing past perceived limits. Reading "Can't Hurt Me" will inspire you to overcome obstacles and grow your career.

Today, I witnessed a significant moment as my son took part in the pre graduation "Turning Green" Ceremony at Ft. Moore marking the end of basic training and the first step in a significant journey. Aidan's dedication to applying for the U.S. Army "Street to Seat" warrant officer aviation program has led to a remarkable achievement. After a nearly year and a half long process his selection, along with 18 peers to become U.S. Army Aviators, is truly awesome. Reflecting on this experience, I am reminded of the qualities that propelled him forward: - Focus - Determination - Drive These attributes are essential for progress towards our aspirations. Remember: 1. Focus on your goal and devise a plan 2. Determine your capabilities 3. Drive yourself forward during challenges Consistent application of these principles paves the way to realizing your ambitions. Aidan's journey is a testament to this. Perhaps these principles can guide you towards your goals too!

The thing I keep trying to tell people as I transition out the military, is that just because you have the experience, does it mean that you know every single thing. Being humble is part of being a leader. I work in a squadron that has airmen first class that were lawyers prior to join the military. I squadron who have airmen who have in bio engineering. And a military sometimes we tend to look at rank as their level of experience. And maybe back in the day that was the case, but nowadays we cannot judge somebody based off their rank or position. The majority of people that come in nowadays have more computer experience than we do. Unfortunately, some of us were not even around when the computer was not even available to everybody.( somebody had a Commodore 64.😬) If you’re the smartest person in the room then you’re in the room with either a bunch people who will agree with anything just to not cause an argument or lose favor, or you’ve employed the wrong people. If you can go to a staff meeting, if you can go to any meeting and not learn a single thing, not gain any information, or not have somebody in the room that has input that you don’t know or learn from, you don’t have the right team with you. #leadership #experience #humility

Transition tip for veterans: Creating trust and confidence that opens doors requires time and patience. Stepping out on new walks of life are part of that journey. Business owners build customers one at a time. Leaders build trust one interaction at a time. Companies make bets on leaders based on confidence in aligned values and proven ability to deliver what matters to the company. How many advocates did it take to achieve O-5 command? Command delivers transformative experience. So does leading a business unit. They’re not the same, although they share common elements. Leading people is not the same as managing finance - and managing a command budget definitely isn’t the same as managing a capital project or program. Common threads - different goals, challenges and values. Think of your network as a way to build like-minded advocates - One at a time. Bigger roles require larger trust networks. In business, trust generally equates to capital responsibility and head count. Earning that trust happens one project and one mentor at a time. My observation: Don’t worry about the title. Focus on the opportunity to learn and grow. And: don’t overlook the chance to bet on yourself by starting your own company. The ultimate leadership experience requires no resume. Here’s a great way to contribute to some insightful research. I don’t align to the title but I do appreciate the intent. Misty Cook #dreambigger

NEW LOGO! Since taking a short break over Christmas, we have re-designed our logo and wanted to explain our thought process behind it and receive your feedback on it. The brand ‘Hire a Veteran’ was spawned as something that passed the “Ronseal test”. In other words, it does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a recruitment consultancy that provides businesses with access to thousands of talented people who can go that extra mile for them, harnessing the skills and training they received in the UK #armedforces. We have always believed that if you can get through basic training, you have a resilience and determination that will be an asset when you leave and join Civvy Street. A military career then gives you additional skills, some of them less tangible such as leadership and integrity, but many of these are incredibly useful in the commercial world too. The logo seeks to incorporate the colours of the three Services – (Royal) Navy blue, Army red (incorporated with the Union flag) and the light blue of the Royal Air Force. Each Service has its own traits, of course. For example: • Naval engineers are extraordinary – multi skilled and innovative. • RAF H&S has to be spot on, otherwise aircraft fall out of the sky. • And the Army…well they just find a way to get things done, no matter the obstacles. We want HAV to become synonymous with military transition in the UK. By following our page, you can help this happen. We hope you like our new logo and what we represent. Please share this post far and wide. The more people that see this, the better able we are to help our ex-military people to navigate the next step in their career! #hireaveteran

Genuine ostrich. Three payments. Oh! Wait, what? I'm just goofin'. New boot goofin'. Before you jump to conclusions (see what we did there?), #DYK Ranger Challenge is a great way to break in those new boots and stay in shape? You also might make some new friends and find some grit as you overcome tough physical and mental challenges. We talk an awful lot on here about Ranger Challenges and Sandhurst, but feel like we may have glossed over an educational moment where we could hit you with some knowledge. The U.S. Army Cadet Command (that's us), which encompasses the entire United States, Puerto Rico, and Guam consists of over 1,000 colleges that participate in #ArmyROTC – whether they're a host, extension, or cross-town program. That's a lot. So, for our sanity, the U.S. is broken up in to eight regional brigades. Each of the eight brigades hosts a Ranger Challenge during the school year. This began in partnership with Army ROTC's interest and invitation to compete against the United States Military Academy at West Point at their Sandhurst Military Skills Competition. Ranger Challenges are meant to push teams of nine Cadets to hone their strengths – both physical and mental – and overcome a series of challenges using the training and knowledge they've been working on all year. At the end of each Ranger Challenge, the top two teams are awarded the opportunity to travel to USMA and compete on an international level against the best teams not only in the country, but in the world. It's great to learn...because knowledge is power! So power up those boots and consider giving Ranger Challenge a chance. For more information about Ranger Challenge, march those boots on over to your school's Army ROTC program. #BeAllYouCanBe | #DecideToLead US Army TRADOC | U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) | GoArmy | US Army

As a three-time CoS (2 yrs 2nd Infantry Division - Korea, 2 yrs Eighth Army (Official) and as XO/assistant to US Army TRADOC CoS) this book struck me as an accurate assessment of the role. Though the scope of my experiences could not match the incredible magnitude of WH CoS, the processes, roles and functions were quite familiar. The CoS, in civilian or military context, helps frame decisions, preserves the leader’s time for things that matter, act as honest broker, integrate and lead a staff. The measure of a staff’s functionality, effectiveness and efficiency usually turns to how well the Chief is doing his or her job. My TOP quote: “The people who don’t succeed as White House Chief of Staff are people who like the ‘Chief’ part of the job and not the ‘staff’ part. You’ve got to remember you’re staff even though you’re powerful.” (Jim Baker, CoS to Ronald Reagan) U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) | The Army University | U.S. Army Combined Arms Center | Army University Press

Most people think leading in the military is about giving orders. Most people are wrong. I used to spend about half the year flying all around the world. I would be in charge of a crew of between 4 and 8 people. Together we would be responsible for tens of millions of dollars worth of hardware and often dozens of lives. I don’t remember ever giving an order. Instead, I remember asking for opinions and making decisions. As an officer in the military, you are very often less informed than the people you are leading. Enlisted members of an aircrew will stay with the same aircraft and sometimes same base for years longer than is common for an officer. This makes them technical experts in most things. But it is still up to you, the officer, to make the final decision. When you become a manager, the same thing will inevitably happen. You have many new responsibilities that take you away from the core technical skills that likely got you promoted in the first place. The people on your team are closer to the problem, have more information, and maybe more skill than you. This means leading is likely different then you thought it was. It isn’t about having all the answers. It isn’t about giving orders. Leadership is about creating an environment where people are willing to share their opinions. Leadership is about gathering all of this information together and then making the best decision based on that information. Put another way, leadership can be boiled down to just four words: Less talking, more listening. #Leadership #Management #Military

Lead by example, Ductus Exemplo. This is the motto of Marine Corps Officer Candidate School, where I received my first military training.  It is essential for leaders, both military and civilian. In the Marines, this meant I would make a point of doing any tasks my Marines did, from taking a turn cranking up a 110’ telescoping antenna, to serving as an augment on convoys in Afghanistan. But what does this look like in an office?  ·      Keep the hours you expect your team to keep. ·      Follow the procedures you expect your team to follow to follow (is there a team calendar people need to put PTO in?) ·      Complete required training ON TIME. What does this tell your team? ·      You understand the frustrations with some aspects of the job. (Not all required training is exciting) ·      You are holding yourself to the same standards they are held to. ·      You can help them through some questions they might have with these processes. What is the result of this? ·      You earn the trust and respect of your team. ·      People will be more likely to own mistakes, not make excuses for them. ·      You foster a positive dynamic for your team. #Leadership #DuctusExemplo

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): If you still represent yourself as a military member after retirement, act like it! CCM(Ret): What does that mean? While I normally will post about leadership, agriculture, education, military/veterans and other items of professional interest, today I’m pointing out a problem I’ve noticed, and I hope that together as #Veterans we can address it politely and properly.  Those who have chosen to use their last held military rank with (Ret) after it and even continue to use their military photo as their profile – I have no issue here and respect your service, as I hope you respect mine (as a retired Command Chief Master Sergeant and former public-school educator). However, if you do choose to use your military photo and/or rank in your profile, use discretion: You’re still representing your branch of service to the public. This should come with a measured approach to all reposts and comments you personally contribute to our online community. Someone with their RANK(ret) in their profile referring to the current President as a nickname derived from a NASCAR chant (I just saw this over the weekend) is not only improper, but it also degrades the public's trust and is disrespecting the uniform you choose to continue to present yourself in. Regardless of the rank you earned; you, my former colleagues, should take care when posting about the current, or former Commander in Chief or even candidates for public office. If you still represent yourself as a part of the United States Military: Act like it or change your profile! Honor and Integrity don't evaporate when you retire. I continue to work each day to live up to my core values, even though I am now USAF, retired. Please join me in keeping the public trust. #retwithhonor United States Air Force US Army United States Marine Corps US Navy United States Space Force Air National Guard Army National Guard U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) American Legion