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Retired colonel speaks about teamwork, training

  • Published
  • By Brandkce J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE --  Retired Col. Chuck DeBellevue spoke to senior officials April 9 about teamwork and training at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. Colonel DeBellevue is the sixth speaker to participate in the newly implemented Senior Leader Forum. 
   During his address, Edmond-resident Colonel DeBellevue talked about his experiences in the Vietnam War, thoughts on leadership and the Air Force's core values. 
   "(Colonel) DeBellevue is an ace from the Vietnam War," said Col. Sid Banks, Senior Leader Forum program manager. "He was invited to share his wartime experiences and provide some data points on leadership successes and challenges to Team Tinker's senior leaders." 
   Colonel DeBellevue commissioned into the Air Force via a Reserve Officer Training Corps program following his graduation from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (University of Louisiana at Lafayette), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics in 1968. Prior to retiring in 1998, Colonel DeBellevue earned a masters degree, attended several other schools, and became a decorated Vietnam War veteran. 
   "Everything I learned about management, I learned in the Air Force," Colonel DeBellevue said. 
   Colonel DeBellevue began the first half of his April 9 speech with memories of serving in the Vietnam War. Among other recollections, he spoke about Operation Rolling Thunder, a U.S. bombing movement that took place from March 1965 until November 1968, and his fears of being shot down. 
   Colonel DeBellevue began his time in Southeast Asia in 1971, when he was assigned to the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand. While there, the colonel, who had navigator training, accomplished 220 missions, 96 of which were over North Vietnam. 
   Colonel DeBellevue is also recognized for destroying six North Vietnamese fighter jets during aerial combat and was named a leading ace, according to his written biography. 
   For his service in Southeast Asia, the colonel was awarded several honors including the MacKay Trophy for most notable aerial achievement and the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Armed Forces award, according to his biography. 
   Despite his accolades, Colonel DeBellevue said the real honor is not about his accomplishments, but what he and his teammates achieved together.
He used a modern-day analogy to make his point. He specifically referenced National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I basketball champions University of Kansas Jayhawks. 
   "Who was the most important person on the Kansas team," said Colonel DeBellevue. "I don't think there way anybody more important than anybody else. I think they were all important." 
   Colonel DeBellevue said teamwork, leadership, courage and discipline are virtues bound together by the Air Force core values. But one of the important qualities an Air Force member can gain from the core values is training. 
   "Whether you're fixing airplanes, fighting a war or managing 'X', it's the training that makes sure we can all survive," the colonel said. "It's up to us as leaders to make sure our people are trained to do the job they're supposed to do; they're equipped with the right processes to make sure when they get into harms' way, their training will take care of them." 
   Maj. Gen. Loren Reno, OC-ALC commander, introduced the senior leader forum as a way to expose senior Tinker leaders to other senior Air Force and Department of Defense members to hear their experiences and advice. The first speaker to participate in the senior leader forum was General Reno on July 27.