PACAF chief selects discuss leadership, gain insight from CMSAF

by Staff Sgt. Amanda Dick
Headquarters Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs

1/23/2015 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii  -- Fifty two chief master sergeant selects from around Pacific Air Forces attended the PACAF 2015 Chief's Leadership Course here Jan. 13 through 16.

"The course is designed to bring in all the new chief selects and provide them with a foundation of strategic level leadership to add to their tool kit," said Chief Master Sgt. Buddy Hutchison, PACAF command chief. "They're not going to all of a sudden disregard the 20 years of leadership and experience they've gained; the course adds to the foundations of their leadership. It's another valuable course of instruction that provides senior enlisted leaders additional tools to use as they lead and mentor Airmen."

The four-day course covered topics such as suicide awareness, sexual assault, resilient Airmen, professionalism and ethics and senior leadership perspectives.

Hutchison said he received positive feedback from the chiefs-to-be on how appreciative they were to gain first-hand knowledge and perspectives from senior PACAF leaders, especially from Gen. Lori J. Robinson, PACAF commander.

For one course attendee, she said the lessons learned from the class mentors regarding their first few years as chiefs proved invaluable.

"The course also prepared me for what would be expected of me from an officer and enlisted level," said Senior Master Sgt. April Gaines, 15th Medical Support Squadron superintendent. "[I learned] the role of a chief is taking care of Airmen in order for them to effectively execute the mission."

During the course, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody provided insight and answered questions from the soon-to-be chiefs, ranging from leading through challenges, to his vision on joint fighting, to new professional military education requirements.

When asked what his number one hot topic was, his response was immediate.

"I want you to lead -- get out there and stay connected with our Airmen and their families," he explained. "Our Airmen and their families need their chiefs to think about them as people and not as a means to an end."

Cody stated courses like this give chief selects broad exposure to what their major command and the Air Force expects of them by giving them the opportunity to interact with different levels of leadership.

"Chiefs in our Air Force operate at multiple levels -- tactical, operational and strategic," he said. "This is an opportunity to bring them all together and give them a command perspective on what's going on and how critical their leadership is in moving the force in the direction they need to support that MAJCOM."