Download - The Talon
April 1, 2011
Air Force uses
Global Hawk to
support Japan Re-
lief Efforts By: Pacific Air Forces Pub-
lic Affairs
Pacific Air Forces offi-
cials are using an RQ-4
Global Hawk from Andersen
Air Force Base, Guam, to
assist Japan responders in
disaster relief and recovery
efforts, following the March
11 earthquake and the result-
ing tsunami off the eastern
coast of Japan.
The Global Hawk, a high-
altitude, long-endurance un-
manned aircraft, is being
used to help assess damage
to towns, industrial infra-
structure and other facilities
affected during the earth-
quake and flood waters.
"The Global Hawk is an ide-
al ISR asset to aid in disaster
relief," said Gen. Gary
North, the PACAF com-
mander. "It directly comple-
ments ongoing efforts in the
region and represents how
advanced technology can
provide crucial and timely
support to senior officials
and search, recovery and
disaster relief efforts."
The Global Hawk also was
used for disaster relief efforts
following the 7.0-magnitude
earthquake that struck Haiti
in January 2010, officials
said. This will be the air-
craft's first use in a humani-
tarian operation in the Pacific
theater since it was perma-
nently assigned at Andersen
AFB in September 2010.
With approximately 30 hours
of flight endurance, the
Global Hawk provides a
broad view of the situation
on the ground, officials said.
Its ability to survey large
geographic areas also offers
decision-makers and first
responders near real-time
information to assess damage
and prioritize for local need.
Its long airborne dwell ca-
pacity also assures continu-
ous and long-lasting-support
for whatever require-
ments Japan's govern-
ment officials may require.
"The Global Hawk and the
expertise offered by our Air-
men further enhances the
country's already robust ca-
pabilities as our Air force
members work side by side
with Japan's Self Defense
Force profession-
als," General North said.
The aircraft allows the U.S.
to effec-
tively sup-
port contin-
gencies
throughout
the region,
demon-
strating a
commit-
ment to
partners
throughout
the Pacific,
and is one part of a wide
range of PACAF personnel
and aircraft that are support-
ing the Japanese operations,
officials said.
Brazilian Air Force Delayed Plans to procure a new advanced combat air-
craft for the Brazilian Air Force, originally
launched in the late 1990s, are facing a new
delay, sources in Sao Paulo have confirmed.
The final de-
cision on
which plat-
form will be
chosen to
fulfil the
FAB's F-X2
competition
for an initial batch of 36 fighters was supposed
to have been made before President Luiz Ina-
zio Lula da Silva left office at the end of 2010.
However, with Lula out of office his successor,
President Dilma Rousseff, wants to place the
approximately USD5 billion programme on
hold to reassess the options. The number of
new combat aircraft to be procured in a new
bidding process could be reduced to only 18
France to Receive CAESARS The Caesar truck-mounted artillery system is a
155mm 52-calibre self-propelled gun devel-
oped by Nexter Systems. The first production
Caesar system was delivered to the French
Army in July 2008.
Nexter Systems is set to complete the delivery
of CAESAR (Camion Équipé d'un Système
d'Artillerie) truck-
mounted 155
mm/52-cal self-
propelled artillery
systems to the
French Army by
the end of March.
The last four sys-
tems to be deliv-
ered are part of 77 CAESAR units under order
by the French procurement agency, the Direc-
tion Générale de l'Armement (DGA).
Royal Tai Navy Secures Ger-
man Submarines The Thai government has agreed to buy two
second-hand Type 206A diesel electric subma-
rines from the German Navy.
Payment for the purchase - which is under-
stood to be about USD220 million - has not yet
been secured, although funds are expected to
be sourced from the defense budget for Fiscal
Year 2012.
The German Navy
decommissioned
four Type 206A sub-
marines in mid-
2010. The boats are
35 years old and
were originally due for decommissioning be-
tween 2011 and 2015. German submarines had
been selected ahead of those offered by South
Korea and China, who had made available
Type 209s and Type 039s respectively.
Drowning in Paperwork By: Cadet Mark Ishizu
So last Monday I went to set out my uniform
and prepped for LLAB the next morning. My
nighttime ritual complete I climbed into bed
and started my favorite part of the day, or so I
thought…
Normally going to sleep is what I look forward
to with a passion! But if had known what was
waiting for me behind closed eyelids I would
have done anything, even go to FTP to avoid it.
In my dream I‟m walking towards the armory
when the door opens and instead of a scream-
ing POC it‟s a life size MFR! A monstrous
piece of paperwork starts chasing me around
campus! As I round a corner an FL-5 and a
LOC pop out and start hounding me!
Just when I thought it couldn‟t get any worse a
talking paper and a bullet background paper
start yelling at me to “DROP DOWN AND
WRITE A MEMO”. I‟m in no mood to argue,
as I‟m scribbling down a memo the ink seems
to come alive on the paper and it points out my
margins are .0098 off from the required inch!
At this point I‟m tossing and turning in bed as
form 1206 and form 48 pull out pens and start
to stab me!
I‟m shook awake by my wingman who lives
downstairs, as I return to consciences, I realize
I have to send in a weekly update to my flight
commander ASAP!
The moral of this tall tale? Don‟t forget to send
in your memos! And btw; Happy Easter!
Page 2
Exercise of the month! By: Cadet Jonathan Chavez
So, many of you are already aware of a certain
cadet wanting to be a marine. Now every time
we hit the gym, all I hear about is how badass
the Marines are. So here's to you cadet, a Ma-
rine workout
Needed for this exercise: Partner, a hanging
bar (pull ups)
-Start with 1/8 mile Fireman carry then switch
partners.
- One person jumps straight into pull ups, at
least 8(preferably 10+). While other person
goes directly to 30 push ups, then switch.
-Once finished, sprint 1/4 mile and directly go
to 30 sit ups.
-If you can do this, you've completed one set,
9 more to go. The goal is to spike your heart
rate and burn LOTS of calories. That being
said, this work out should be continuous with
small breaks, 15 seconds or less between sets.
-Good Luck and oh ya;
Semper Fi!
PT, a Mental
Battle
By: Cadet James Okeefe
PT: Is your mind a friend
or foe?
Each PT session you attend you always battle
something, whether it‟s sore legs and arms or
the blistering pain causing your chest to tight-
en up, but what is stopping yourself from
pushing past that? Is it the ability for your
body to continue or is it your mind telling
your body it can‟t go on? The biggest thing
most people assume when they can‟t do
something is the idea that they just aren‟t
physically capable. In most cases it‟s your
mind stopping you from continuing on. Eve-
rybody battles their mind during pt but the
problem is it takes practice to defeat it. Most
people don‟t think that it takes practice to
defeat their mind but it does. Every time you
workout you should practice going above and
past when your mind tells you to stop or slow
down. The longer you can go before stopping
strengthens your mind and body. Strengthen-
ing your mind will help you push through all
different types of new exercises, whether it‟s
P90X or a grueling Monday PT you will be
able to continue longer then you can think if
you work hard at each. But if you start you
must continue it into every workout you do,
or else you will lose this mental edge you may
have. What you create in your head is not
going to be an on-off switch you can keep
flipping anytime you want to, it will soon
become natural and you will have the mental
edge. So each time you try a workout and you
do this you will be able to increase the time
and the intensity of your workout making you
a stronger person both physically and mental-
ly.
Page 3
From the breakfast table
Do you know who said this?
“So I just found out I have a thing for gymnasts!”
“My biggest fear is torture, I’LL TELL YOU
WHATEVER YOU WANT, just don’t shock me!”
“So why are you eating eggs with a spoon?” “So I
can date a rich girl.”
“I thought you might have ma-
tured over Spring Break, but you
haven't changed a bit.”
“Do you shine your hair as much
as you shine your shoes?"
Balance By: Kelly Sidla
Balance -
something that
sounds so sim-
ple yet it is so
difficult for many of us to
manage. Whether it is school
work, a part-time job, prepar-
ing for LLAB, or school or-
ganizations; we are all faced
with the difficult task of bal-
ancing and organizing our
time.
Now imagine yourself with
another job added to that bal-
ance, the job of GMCA for
your wing. Not only does this
mean more to balance, but
greater responsibilities. C/3c
Ashton Schwinler is
GMCA for Eagle Wing I.
Throughout her
participation in
many organiza-
tions, as well as
working hard in all
her classes, she still
manages time to be
GMCA.
In an interview with
C/Schwinler, I asked
her about her experi-
ence as being GMCA.
She stated; “It has
helped me to see the
bigger picture in
terms of where every
cadet fits within Eagle
Wing I, and what we‟re all
training for. I would be jeop-
ardizing my integrity if I said
being GMCA was easy.
Balancing the priorities of
Wing Staff with the unique
needs and concerns of the
GMC is very challenging…
like walking a tightrope.” C/
Schwinler is an active partici-
pant in making Eagle Wing I
a successful unit. Through
her continued contributions
and hard work she is an ex-
ample of what all cadets
should work towards by be-
coming active participants
within the Detachment.
New Opportuni-
ties By: Kent Johnson
Anxiousness, Fear, Antic-
ipation. While these may
not be the path to the Dark Side that Yoda
warned Luke Skywalker against, they are
nevertheless a set of formidable roadblocks
to a job. Yet, that‟s how best I can describe
my feelings as I wait to commission and
eventually take off into the Wild Blue Yon-
der. Getting a rated slot wasn‟t the easiest
thing in the world, by a long shot, in a tech-
nical sense, or in an emotional sense. Nev-
ertheless, I got rated as a CSO and I could-
n‟t be more over the moon about it. I‟m
preparing to join the ranks of a mighty
brotherhood that includes two of my uncles,
and carry on the family tradition of military
service beginning with a commission
through ROTC at North Dakota State. I‟m
not going to lie; I‟m pretty nervous because
I know I have some big shoes to fill. At the
same time, I feel confident that everything
I‟ve learned here at Det 610 is preparing me
for something bigger and better out in the
“real world”. I hope your nerves never
overpower your reason for being here. As
they say in Star Wars, May the (Air) Force
be with us.
International Affairs: Lybia,
Sadun & North Katan
Instability in the Middle East and around the
world has put the U.S. in a questionable posi-
tion. Interfering outside of the UN lends itself
to international scrutiny, while playing by the
rules has not produced many results. Last
month‟s F15 crash and rising oil prices seem
to be the only results produced and while the
U.S. has followed suit behind the UN, cir-
cumstances of this morning‟s news may di-
vide the U.S. and the rest of the international
community.
Sources say that the aircraft which crashed
over the region of Sadun, located in central
Africa, took off from North Katan late last
night. It crashed
in the hostile
territory of
Sadun, a strictly
enforced no fly
zone since the
civil war of native
tribes explod-
ed in early 2001. Contents of the plane are
still unknown; however, satellite images re-
trieved directly following the crash show a lot
of activity around the crash site. The Sadun
region‟s no fly zone was solely enforced by
the United States military and it is safe to
assume the contents of North Katan‟s aircraft
have already been recovered or will be short-
ly. No official word has been issued on what
the U.S. plans to do about the violation of the
no fly zone or why North Katan was even in
the region of Sadun. One thing is for certain;
the contents of the downed aircraft are of high
value, and the U.S. will take action against
any rebel group whom may have secured the
contents.
Page 4
The Chili Madness By: Jonathan Keranen
The distinctive aroma of
chili went through the
Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse
on 2 March 2011. The source you may ask?
Why, none other than Eagle Wing I‟s Second
Annual Chili Cook-Off of course! People
from around the world gathered to gorge
themselves on all of the amazing chili, even
President Dean Bresciani was in attendance.
When the dust settled, a winner had to be
declared and “The C/General‟s 9-Pepper In-
timidator” by C/Ryne Lind-
quist took home the top
prize. A heated race was in
store for second place, but Lt
Porter eventually earned his
spot in the chili record books
with his secret home recipe.
The combination of C/
Daniel Parks and C/Karl
Koopmeiners shined above
the rest to earn third place.
This year‟s event was a great
success. A lot of planning
took place by both chili staff
as well as the cookers themselves
to make the event so great. Judg-
es were also kind enough to take
time out of their busy schedules
to assist in declaring a winner.
That being said, the biggest thank
you of all goes out to everyone
who attended the event. Your
support is what makes this event
so great. Hopefully everyone had
a great time, and we will see you
at next year‟s Chili Cook-Off.
Safety With-
in the Wing By: Dan Parks
Office of Special
Investigations
(OSI), the name in itself
evokes a certain level of mys-
tique and respect. Essentially,
the AFOSI officer acts as a
combination between a civil-
ian crime scene investigator
and government special agent
that one would see in the Fed-
eral Bureau of Investigation
for the United States Air
Force. As the cadets of De-
tachment 610 are surely aware
by now, we received a briefing
from not only an OSI, a FBI
Special Agent, but also a secu-
rity forces member. After
recent events that took place
on the UND campus, this
quick lesson will help Detach-
ment 610 cadets to recognize
any future threats, not only in
our cadet career, but also in
our future Air Force careers. I
know for myself, I took a lit-
eral cornucopia of information
from the three briefings
we received. It was in-
credibly informative to
have experts in the field
to give us the most re-
cent, important, and ef-
fective methods of coun-
ter-intelligence. I am sure that
every cadet that attended
walked away with something
that they never realized or that
they can use to ensure national
security stays uncompromised.
These skills will help us con-
tinue to evolve into flexible,
capable, and future sighted Air
Force leaders.
Lt Porter on Work Ethic
By C/3c Nick Proulx
We are over halfway there. It‟s crazy, but the
days are getting longer and the end seems
within reach. After mid-terms and a healthy
heaping of suspenses though, the phrase
“work ethic” sounds like an afterthought. It
might be easy to let things sit on the back
burner now, right?
Whatever your answer to that statement, the
truth is that the detachment can‟t really afford
laziness at the moment. There are still PMT
events to be completed and some cadets have
a QFR to work toward.
“What rings a bell for me are the core val-
ues,” said Lt Stephen Porter, Commandant of
Cadets at Eagle Wing I. For him, the core
values are the bedrock of good work ethic.
Integrity matters regardless of whether the job
is high scrutiny or largely unnoticed. Service
requires us to go the extra mile to help some-
one. Even if we‟re not the best for the job, we
need to always strive for excellence.
He cited his upbringing and his faith as con-
tributing sources for his own work ethic. “I
think it‟s something that‟s a little bit inherent
to
us,” Porter continued.
That‟s not to say that it‟s always been easy
for him. “The fall of my junior year was the
hardest four-month period of my life,” Porter
said, when asked about an experience that
challenged his own work ethic the most. As
an electrical engineering major, he was re-
quired to take the highest-level math courses
at the Air Force Academy, and he also had
relationship issues to contend with. Looking
back, however, Porter sees that period as a
turning point; he received his highest grades
that semester, which set him apart from his
classmates and later set him up for his job
assignment.
So, what advice does he offer to us cadets?
“Keep your head up. College is tough; what
you are pursuing is not easy, and it‟s not for
everyone,” he mentioned. “I‟ve always had a
motto, and that‟s, „Major on the majors, and
minor on the minors,‟” though Porter also
noted that we shouldn‟t give ROTC our lefto-
vers—we should do our best and use our
classmates for support.
So, before you put it on cruise control for the
next two months, find what really matters to
you and pursue the big picture.
Porter summed it up best by saying, “If you
want to get a mission done and done right,
you need the work ethic.”
Page 5
NAVY Tests UCAV By: suasnews.com
Already testing their Unmanned Air Combat Vehicle (UCAV), the X-47B
the US Navy is now seeking a new class of naval UAS.
The Naval Air Systems Command seeks proposals which conceptually
demonstrate that a UCLASS system can provide a persistent Carrier Vessel-
Nuclear (CVN) based Intelligence, Surveil-
lance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and strike
capability supporting carrier air wing opera-
tions in the 2018 timeframe.
The program anticipates leveraging existing,
deployed Department of Defense (DoD)
systems to launch, recover, and con- trol the
air vehicle, transfer data in support of time critical strike operations, and
conduct persistence ISR operations. The ongoing Unmanned Combat Air
System-Demonstration program will inform UCLASS development and
provide technology risk reduction for Unmanned Aircraft (UA) integration
into carrier environments.
The UCLASS system will enhance carrier capability, capacity, and versatili-
ty for the Joint Force Commander through integration of persistent and mis-
sion flexible UA into the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) by the 2018
timeframe. UCLASS will provide a UA capable of persistent surveillance
with precision strike. It will be a major step forward toward achieving oper-
ation and integration of manned with unmanned systems within the CVW
and will contribute to increasing sea-based capacity across the spectrum
of maritime and littoral missions. The system will be sustainable onboard
the carrier, maintained by fleet Sailors, and it should minimize increases in
the logistics footprint of the current CVW.
Spring Fever
Alert
By: Cadet Jacob Harstad
Oh the weather outside is…
warm? It‟s hard to believe but we can almost
start saying that about the weather up here in
the north. I don‟t know about you but I‟m
excited. Soon the heat can be turned off, my
fishing pole and golf clubs can come out, and
I can go from finding an excuse to stay inside,
to finding one to stay outside. What are you
looking forward to?
Now that may be great and all, but I would
like to give a little cautionary advice before
spring fever takes complete control. There are
still seven to eight weeks of school left. That
means more class projects coming to a close,
more exams and finals, and it even looks like
a little flood control. Might be a good time to
sit down and get a little prioritizing done. As
cadets, we have two main goals to focus on:
graduate and commission. That means contin-
uing to push forward in school, finishing that
paper and attending that last class on Friday
afternoon. It also means remembering to
check over that uniform each day before put-
ting it on. For the GMC, especially those
200s, it means continuing to review the D&C
manual and gaining as much field training
preparation as possible. Focusing on these
tasks will help us all to push through these
final weeks and into another great end to the
semester.
On the other end, I also remind you all to
schedule time for a little fun and a chance to
enjoy the weather. If you can, find yourself a
good book to read. Leadership is always a
good topic to begin with. If reading isn‟t your
thing, that‟s alright. Do something that clears
your mind and then gets you back in shape to
keep your mind focused; and keeps that spring
fever in check.
JACOB HARSTAD
C/LT COL, AFROTC
Inspector General
Eagle Wing II
2nd Annual Chili
Cook-Off
By: Cadet Yohanna Enders
Did you think that the ROTC
Cadets could be good cooks?
Well we have all tasted and witnessed the
cooking of many of our own cadet‟s master-
pieces. The Friday before Spring Break De-
tachment 610 hosted their second Annual
Chili Cook-Off! Many Air Force cadets,
Army cadets and Cadre mem-
bers were there to socialize, eat
some chili and take part in a
heated competition. All the
cadets were interested in seeing
who would win, especially
because there had been some
smack talk on the message
board. We had a wide variety of different
chilis at this year‟s Chili Cook-
Off. Some of the chilis were:
Cowpuncher, Sioux-age, and
Maui Poui. Our judges this year
had a very tough time deciding
which chili was the best, but after
chowing down and eating some corn
bread, they were able to come to a conclu-
sion. The overall winner was the Chili from
our very own GMCA Cadet Matt Stout, who
made the Cowpuncher. The Chili that took
audience choice was the Moui Poui by Ca-
dets Jaysen Ely and Ryan
McKinley. This year there
was a lot of smack talked be-
tween contestants, and we
hope next year those cadets
who talk smack this year, will
show up and make it happen
again next year!
Page 6
C/Stout
“Yap, because he said he
better be the first one to
find out.”
Current AF Sports Team Records: Hockey: 1 win 1 loss 1 tie - 1 loss 1-5, 1 tie 4-4, 1 victory 9-5
Soccer: 4 wins 1 losses - 2 forfeits, 1 victory 4-0
C/Jackson
“Stout, cause he was curi-
ous.”
C/Carney
“Gabert, because we were
both waiting to find out
and when I walked out I
told him.”
C/Harris
“Wiggins, he just hap-
pened to be in the office
when I heard the good
news. That‟s my boy right
there!”
C/Gabert
“Carney, he was the only
person in the front office.”
C/Wiggins
“My Mom! She told me
Good Job!”
The Future of the United States Air Force These 6 cadets have just received field training enrollment allocations. Not only are they
guaranteed spots at field training 2011 they are well on their way to pinning on golden 2nd
Lt. Bars.
The talon staff asked these cadets; “who was the first person you told when you learned
you got a Enrollment Allocation”? These are their answers, read and enjoy!
Page 7
The Reason For
The Guard
By: Cadet Kaitlin Bennett
As an EWII Guardsman,
you receive the opportunity to present the
colors at many public events: hockey games,
retirement homes, local conferences, combat
dining in and outs, and for special guests.
During my PDT at Nellis AFB as a seasoned
100 cadet, I followed the Nellis Honor Guard
and discovered the far less festive feel that the
Guard had on an active base. This was be-
cause most ceremonies done by base Honor
Guards are, in fact, funerals- a heavy respon-
sibility. Later, during my stay at Nellis AFB,
an F-15 crashed during an exercise and the
life of Lt Col Thomas A. Bouley was taken.
Suddenly, every event I had done as a guards-
men was lit in a different and more personal
light; all events boiled down to one thing:
Honor.
Handpicked to serve as a member of
the United States Air Force Honor
Guard, my standards of conduct and
level of professionalism must be above re-
proach, for I represent all others in my ser-
vice.
Others earned the right for me to wear
the ceremonial uniform, one that is hon-
ored in a rich tradition and history. I will
honor their memory by wearing it proper-
ly and proudly.
Never will I allow my performance to be
dictated by the type of ceremony, severi-
ty of the temperature or size of the
crowd. I will remain superbly condi-
tioned to perfect all movements through-
out every drill and ceremo-
ny.
Obligated by my oath,
I am constantly driven
to excel by a deep
devotion to duty and a
strong sense of dedica-
tion.
Representing every
member, past and pre-
sent, of the United
States Air Force, I vow
to stand sharp, crisp and
motionless, for I am a Ceremonial
Guardsman.
As officers, it will be very unlikely any of us
will ever have the privilege of serving on a
Honor Guard detail. So even though our cadet
Honor Guard does not typically participate in
the ceremonies of those fallen, we still repre-
sent those individuals. We serve as a solemn
and mournful reminder of the collective body
of brothers and sisters, our duty to our coun-
try, and the price that is paid. It is a unique
opportunity given to our cadets and it is an
honor that no Guardsman should take for
granted.
What do you say?
Even though we all wear the same uniform and march on exactly the same beat every single
ROTC cadet is different. We asked a few of our cadets; “what makes you smile?” Here's
what some of your fellow cadets had to say!
C/Bjorgan: Nice Cars, witnessing a good prank, and baby otters playing with stuffed walruses.
C/Jagstadt: C/Meiser at 0625 on Tuesdays
C/Jackson: Watching the Army march.
C/Tambeaux: Hearing a certain PFO (Rodriguez) call the wrong facing movements during stretching.
PHOTO CONTEST
1. One entry per cadet.
2. Can be of anything, not
just restricted to ROTC
related events (appropriate).
3. Deadline April 19 COB.
4. Either send the picture via email (JPEG)
or printed on photo paper, not computer pa-
per. To [email protected]
5. Picture has to be taken by the one who is
submitting it into the contest (no download-
ing off the internet or taking from some-
one else's photo library).
Go ahead,
Show off
a little!
You might
win a pretty
cool prize!
Cites/Disclaimer:
The photos used in this publication are not the sole property of the publication and are subject to their own copy write and infringement policies. The intended use of any photos or graphics is not for commercial or financial gain. This is a non profit publication to benefit
the Students of North Dakota State University and The students of the University of North Dakota. There is no intent to infringe upon nor claim credit for original works or photos. The cover photo is from the san Francisco sentinel , The f35 article is from www.af.mil,
The around the world section news is from www.janes.com and world net daily subject to appropriate copywrites. Copyright © IHS (Global) Limited, 2011 AFROTC DET610 Cartoon and other „funnies‟ section is created by cadets within detachment 610.
“This publication is published by the Board of Student
Publications at the University of North Dakota. Opinions
expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of
UND, Student Government, the Board of Student Publica-
tions or the administration, faculty, staff, or student body
of the University of North Dakota.”
This publication is a joint publication
between AFROTC Eagle Wing I and Eagle
Wing II. If you have any questions or
comments or corrections for the editor
please direct them to: Mark Ishizu at
[email protected] or Samantha Mail-
hot at [email protected]
Dynamic Follow-
ership By: Captain Micheal Blake
Here in ROTC we talk about
leadership and provide opportu-
nities for you to practice
“leadership” before you enter
active duty. The success of any
mission relies on good leader-
ship, but it also requires an ele-
ment of leadership that is not
talked about too often - follow-
ership.
As an Airman, I remember
learning about "dynamic fol-
lowership", but if you open the
enlisted Professional Develop-
ment Guide (PDG) today, you'll
only find one and half pages on
the subject. Inside the PDG
you will find the following list
of followership qualities: Or-
ganizational understanding,
decision making, communica-
tion skills, commitment, prob-
lem solving, integrity, adapta-
bility, self-employment, cour-
age, and credibility. These are
all good qualities, but they are
also qualities that make up
good leadership. So, what is
the difference? Instead of try-
ing to explain the book answer,
I‟ll give you a couple examples
of "followership pitfalls" to
avoid.
The first pitfall I see is when
people fail to change roles.
Have you ever heard someone
say, "The boss said we have to
do it" or "I don't make up the
rules, I'm just doing what I'm
told?" I‟ve heard this a lot dur-
ing my career, and granted,
sometimes there is no other
way to get the point across. I
remember once a few years ago
when I asked an NCO to cor-
rect his Airman's uniform viola-
tion. A few hours later his Air-
man came to me and mentioned
how he was now in compliance.
Instead of accepting responsi-
bility as this young Airman's
leader, he told his Airman "the
boss" wants you to correct the
violation. Unfortunately, when
we pass up the opportunity to
take ownership in doing the
right thing, we not only lose
credibility with our superiors,
but we also lose it with our
subordinates.
The second pitfall I see is relat-
ed to priorities. Have you ever
been frustrated with having to
support an idea or task that
seems unimportant to you, or
goes against what you think is
the right course of action? As a
lieutenant, I can remember be-
ing frustrated when my boss
told me to change my direction
on a particular project, or forget
what I was working on for a
minute and take care of some-
thing else. It is important to
always try to understand the big
picture and think in terms of
what is best for the team, not
just your particular office. As
followers, we shouldn't be
afraid to ask questions if we
need clarification, and as lead-
ers we should never assume our
subordinates automatically un-
derstand the big picture either.
While you continue your time
in ROTC developing your lead-
ership skills, don't forget to
commit yourself to being a
good follower as well. Practice
your followership skills, have
the courage to stand up for
what is right, and set your pri-
orities based on what is im-
portant to the team as a whole.
Page 8
EDUCATION:
1993 Associates of Applied Sci-
ence in Avionics Technology,
Community College of the
Air Force, Maxwell Air Force
Base, Alabama
2001 Bachelor‟s degree in Industri-
al Technology, University of
Southern Illinois, Carbondale,
Illinois
2002 Air and Space Basic Course,
Maxwell Air Force Base,
Alabama
2002 Basic Communications Of-
ficer Training, Keesler Air
Force Base, Mississippi
2004 Master‟s degree in Business
Administration, Touro Uni-
versity International, Cypress,
California
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORA-
TIONS:
Air Force Commendation Medal
(3 OLC)
Air Force Achievement Medal
with (1 OLC)
National Defense Service Medal
with bronze star
Iraqi Campaign Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMO-
TION:
Second Lieutenant - 15 Nov 2001
First Lieutenant - 15 Nov 2003
Captain - 15 Nov 2005
Cover Shot
A USAF Global Hawk Launched from
Beale Air Force Base, Calif., Jan. 13,
2010, to assist with the humanitarian aid
mission in Haiti .
Next Month look forward to an end of Semester
Special Edition.
The “the talon” is published by the Communication Squadron led with excellence by Cadet 1st Lt. Vinge