Oh...yeah...maybe I should say something about that...

Just a quick note to say I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I've spent most of the last 2 years working hard at Shaw AFB in SC after returning from Afghanistan.

I say most as my new assignment is with the Army, at Ft. Leavenworth Kansas. One year of "jointness" with the Army learning lots of Army stuff. To be fair, it's great training (education, actually) here at the Command & General Staff College. I've learned a lot about how a joint staff is supposed to work, studied Clausewitz and Jomini, and learned WAY too much about ARFORGEN (Army Force Generation).

"Best year of your life!" Or so the saying goes...

More to follow...just don't ask when...

;)

My leadership philosophy...

Major Pennington’s Leadership Philosophy

I believe a leader of an organization is responsible for everything that happens in that organization, under his or her watch. With this concept in mind, a few important leadership thoughts guide my actions:

Leaders "own it" from the day they walk into an organization. Regardless of position in the organization, if you lead people, you are responsible for all that comes out of your part of that organization, doubly so if you are the commander. Any negative aspects of the organization are your responsibility to rectify.

Leaders ensure all credit for positive events go to your people. Your people make it happen. Amazing things happen when everyone in the organization, starting with you, are focused on the task or mission and not on who is going to get the credit.

Leaders lead from the front of the organization. Physically, you must get "eyes-on" with the majority of your troops on a regular basis. Leadership by emails, orders from behind the desk or memos from "on-high" accomplish nothing, but create needless space between you and your organization. Set the example in all aspects of your job. Know your "core business" better than anyone else. Get to know your people and their workspaces. Know your place in the "big picture" and be able to explain it to anyone. Understand not only the mission of your unit, but how your people make that mission happen, what tools they use and what systems or other units they depend on to make the mission happen. Know all these things and ensure your people and processes are all geared toward accomplishing the units’ mission. Set clear expectations for everyone’s performance...especially yours!

Leaders are above reproach. All leaders, in order to be effective must earn their organization’s trust. In order to earn trust, you must be perceived as fair, abiding by the rules, and worthy of your position by those you lead. Anything in your behavior, actions, appearance or policies that your subordinates perceive as morally questionable, detracts from your effectiveness and will be detrimental to your organization.

Leaders care. You must truly care about the organization you lead, the people in your organization and your parent organization. Listen to everyone, regardless of rank or experience, realize you are most likely, not the smartest person in the room and acknowledge everyone you meet as you walk around the organization.

Leaders are loyal. Loyalty to your country, service, unit and fellow members is integral to being a productive member of the armed forces. It is the price of admission into our organization and cannot be faked. People are the most important part of your organization...take care of them! Leaders, most importantly, remember their primary role: enabler for their people.

Leaders grow their people. Spend time mentoring when the opportunity arises. Provide feedback or corrective action on the spot, focusing on behavior, not the person. Don’t embarrass your people in public. Provide guidance and direction, otherwise...why are you here? Know where you want to take your organization and tell them! Focus on the most important goals and help people prioritize when necessary. Stay on message. Make sure it's the right message!

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

Taking a helicopter ride to a Forward Operating Base. This is a pic from my point and shoot. You can see the conditions down there.

            

This was the first pic on the ground there. The second helo in the distance really isn't that far away. This was the dust storm that forced us to this Combat Outpost, instead of the FOB we were supposed to visit.

The next morning we were at the FOB. This was a pic taken while waiting to take off for Kandahar. The HUMVEE on the right was the fire truck. One each fire extinguisher and an axe on the back. Primitive at best. Good times!!

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

Thinking we've got some awesome looking jets! These are a pair of my homestation jets, currently deployed up the road. Reportedly, the pic was taken minutes before they got the call to schwack a Taliban cave. They brought the rain!

Beautiful, no?

afmajbuck out...

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

Getting promoted!

The post pin-on pic...

afcaptbuck is now...afmajbuck...

The long wait is over! I've already messed up answering the phone a couple of times today, but, that's ok. Still feels really good!

It feels just a little different, not much, but a little. I like the fact that it has finally happened and I'm now not waiting for it...

So...I'm off to get my remaining uniforms changed over. Out with the old!

afmajbuck out...

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

Comic relief...the first thought I had after the bathrooms were "fixed." It was very...um...revealing. Yeah. That's the word... Made the gym a lot more popular I hear...

Find humor where you can! Another example:

Probably a lot easier to process through than it's big brother off to the Northwest!

Mildly amusing, but of course, had to have it removed:

Just a couple of examples...more pics to follow...

afcaptbuck

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

So I've discovered the templates available to me via BLOGGER. You decide if it's worth the pain in the @$$ to try and figure it all out...

So the pic above was taken with my point and shoot. Not bad, IMHO...for a little $150 camera...

Standing on the flightline, watching A-10s headed off to ensure the bad guys get delivered to their 70 Virginians...or something like that...

You can't see the A-10s, because they were long gone by then. My boss and I were just standing there admiring the nice sunset. It's the little things when you're deployed.

Speaking of the little things...

Those are what you miss the most. Take a shower, for example, not a suggestion...

Most people don't have to walk more than 20-30 feet for a shower. Usually on carpet, tile or wood and usually in their bare feet. That's a nice feeling, being bare-footed. Here (like most deployments I've been on) the shower is a shared affair. And far away. Worst case, couple of hundred feet, best case across the road or the next structure over. Usually across gravel (best case) or dirt/dust (worst case).

I always look forward to that first shower back in the states! Sometimes at home, sometimes in a hotel, either way...great feeling!

The sound of crushed gravel underfoot is a distinct "deployment sound" for me...always has been. Walking across an unimproved parking lot in the states, or across the neighbor's RV gravel storage pad always makes me think of being deployed.

Standing there watching the sun go down though...almost makes you forget where you're at...for a minute anyway...

Gotta love the little things...

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

This is an all too common view around here...dust is EVERYWHERE.

This is not unlike last year's adventure in Iraq...but there are some differences:

1. The food isn't as good...which isn't necessarily a bad thing! Last year's fare was significantly better, with a huge selection available, nearly every meal. There was also an ice cream bar and world class cheesecake available every lunch and dinner. Not good. This year...well...let's just say I won't have to worry about that issue!

2. The accomodations aren't nearly as nice. I'm still in a tent, awaiting assignment of a "mod." Mods are modular buildings with about 6 to a room. Last year I was in a trailer, with only one roommate. I actually had more room as an A1C in Desert Storm in the tent I was in back then!

3. Travel and transport around here is much harder to come by. Last year I had a vehicle, this year we're all sharing and getting to chow, the flightline, laundry, etc. is a much bigger production than last year. Also, while we did encounter some of the dusty conditions, all of the roads/streets were paved. Here, not so much.

4. The job is MUCH better this year! Last year I was in charge of a small flight. In fact, the smallest I've ever had in my career as an O. While the responsibilities were there, they weren't that many. This year, well...450+ personnel and 65+ aircraft of 5 different types, in 8 different units...and I'm number 2 in the squadron. I run maintenance and my boss is the squadron commander. MUCH busier...and that is a VERY good thing!! The mission is also much more tangible. Results of our collective efforts are evident EVERYDAY.

5. This deployment is longer...last year's was a quick 125ish days...this year's 185+...although missing the kiddo's B-day was a repeat and the holidays will be a bust again. Oh well...it's what we do...

So those are the major differences...more to follow...

Hope all are well!!

afcaptbuck

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

This is the view from behind our work tent. Actually kinda nice, no? I'd love to be able to take pictures this nice. I've purloined this one from a talented Master Sergeant who sits about 10 feet from me. He's got the requisite eye for photography, IMHO.

It's my "day off" today...all that means is I slept in (0720), am in PTs vs. ABUs and I'll only spend 6-7 hours working, vs. the "normal" 12-15.

But I do enjoy these days. Today will be especially nice! Dad sent me some Acid Deep Dish cigars!! I'll enjoy the first one today...been waiting for the time when I can sit and enjoy without having to worry about being pulled away. At least that's the plan...

Most days go something like this:
~0530-0600 Wake up and perform the daily morning rituals...WITHOUT coffee...
This is a significant issue about being deployed. Full disclosure: I'm an addict. I must have coffee.

The "fix" comes after I arrive at the work tent, a scant 100 feet from the tent I currently call home. As the first cup is being consumed, I review a couple of reports before sending them up the chain and prep myself for my morning meeting with my maintenance unit OICs. I spend about 1/2 hour getting status of aircraft from my OICs, grilling them, prepping them, mentoring them, about how to brief our Colonel. Less is more. Stop talking if he moves on. Listen. Don't formulate your answers to the question until AFTER you've heard the whole thing. Full disclosure isn't always necessary, because the "facts" at 0800 may not be "facts" at all.

We've got 30 minutes to go over 60+ aircraft in 8 different units, of 6 different types. Then the real challenge starts...

At the 0830 meeting our Colonel runs through his slides, anywhere from 100-142, depending on the day...we talk about everything from manning to vehicles, broken aircraft, parts for broken aircraft, scheduled maintenance, how flying went yesterday, what's planned in the future, etc.

This meeting goes anywhere from 20 minutes up to 75 minutes. Thankfully the Wing meeting starts then and it's my turn to brief all aircraft to our Wing commander. That's actually a very short meeting with a lot of "Got it" moments. Fighter pilot talk. "Got it" means "I understand, move on...now..."

So after the Wing meeting I begin my day in earnest. Mop up from the taskers in the 3 meetings prior, find a few minutes to get out onto the flightline and touch some aircraft, grab a bite sometime before the 1600 Production meeting.

Our deputy group commander conducts that meeting and we review strictly maintenance issues. Much shorter meeting. Usually 15-20 minutes.

After that there's lots of paperwork, email and other projects to work on...

I usually skip dinner at the chow hall and eat some stuff from home. Beef jerky, tuna, cashews, almonds, banana chips and often an MRE. I like MREs. Meals-Ready-to-Eat. The Potroast with vegetables is my favorite!

In the mid-late evening I'll try to talk to the family back home and see how their day will go...we're 11.5 hours off...makes for crazy contact times.

Usually head to the tent to read and fall asleep between 2200-2330...and do it all over again!

So there I was...in Afghanistan...

...posing in a helicopter...yeah, I'm a poser. At least in this pic...

I haven't posted in a long time...favoring Facebook...but it dawned on me the other day: I can access the blog, but not F/B from work, where I spend most of my time...too much, truth be told.

So...I'm going to start updating this blog o'mine, hopefully fairly regularly.

The above pic was taken the first week I was here...about 5 weeks ago. We were out touring my new units and I couldn't resist the obligatory "I'm a WARRIOR...dammit!" photo opportunity!

All that being said...the HH-60 Pave Hawk I'm shamelessly pretending to be a part of is one of the most important platforms in the theater.

It saves lives.

I've sent my dad a couple of pics and notes since I've been here, so I won't repeat those, but if you're interested, head on over to his place:

Exileinportales.blogspot.com

He's the writer of the family!

Out for now...

afcaptbuck...soon to be afmajbuck...but that's a post for a not-to-much-later date...