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Back to Blue event aims to help Airmen with leadership skills

  • Published
  • By Kimberly Woodruff
  • Staff Writer
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Military and civilians alike were treated to a fun working lunch at the Tinker Auditorium last week to boost their leadership skills.

Back to Blue is an initiative that meets the installation command chief's emphasis on professionalism and the Wingman culture in order to help Airmen better understand their Air Force heritage.  Each quarter a different subject will be presented in different ways. The focus of the Feb. 26 event was on intrusive leadership.

"Intrusive leadership is important because it challenges us to get out of our comfort zone and deal with situations that might not be the easiest to deal with," said Col. Christopher Azzano, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander. "For Airmen and first time leaders, it can be really challenging. One person can really make a difference, like at a party when you see someone who has been drinking and clearly shouldn't drive."

Live skits were presented with a little tongue-in-cheek attitude, but the situations were serious and audience members were able to pose questions or suggestions for dealing with the situation.

Leading a few skits, put on with the help of Airmen from the Top 3 and Network 56, was Senior Master Sgt. David McGillick, a logistics liaison officer with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center.

The first skit featured "Airman Cash," who, after receiving some advice from friends, finds himself in some financial trouble.

Airman Cash has been called in to speak to his supervisor over an issue of missed payments to his Star card. He explains that his friends told him that while he's in the military he doesn't have to pay his credit card bills. To further exacerbate his situation, he just purchased a new car that he can't afford.

Airman Cash's supervisor told him that what he was doing was unhealthy and offered to help him get back on the right track by setting up a one-on-one financial counseling appointment for him with the Airman and Family Readiness Center.

Sometimes with intrusive leadership, leading the person to the right helping agency can give them someone to talk to for some sound advice.

Airman Cash received a letter of counseling, explained as a preventative tool to help keep him on track.

Everyone watched a video in which "Sergeant Intrusive" stepped in to stop a potentially bad situation during a gathering with a group of friends. There was a lot of drinking and one individual had a different idea of a party than the others.

The last skit regarded a promotion party in which a sergeant missed out on a promotion and wasn't very professional about it.

The sergeant said he had tested nine times and didn't study at all. He was sure he was getting promoted, but when he didn't and two of his Wingmen were instead, he was upset, but also rude and disrespectful.

His friend was promoted and went about to set him on the right track and brought him in for counseling in light of his bad attitude.

This skit sparked a few responses from audience members. Some of the comments were about his attitude and his lack of priorities in his own life. One comment was made that the person who was promoted needed to help his subordinate find what motivated him so he could conform and do better in his career.

"This was a little over the top and silly, but intrusive leadership is hard," said Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Christopher, 72nd Air Base Wing and installation command chief.

"When you're out of your comfort zone, you have to care enough to step between the problem and the solution and say, 'I'm here to help.'"

The next Back to Blue will be held April 30. It will recognize Vietnam veterans at the Maj. Charles B. Hall Memorial Air Park flagpole. Anyone with access to Tinker is welcome to attend Back to Blue events.