My Career in the Air Force

There are numerous definitions of the word “leadership” and it can mean many things to many people. For the purpose of this assignment I feel the best definition of leadership is “…the art and science of motivating, influencing, and directing airmen to understand and accomplish the Air Force mission in joint warfare."1 When taking over a new command it

The path to a personal leadership philosophy is made up of three parts. Each individual aspect is a facet of a complete whole. Much like a timeline that includes a past, present and future, my personal philosophy consists of a foundation, action, and growth. If you do not understand where your foundation of leadership came from, you will have problems acting in a leadership capacity. Also if don’t pay attention to how you are acting as a leader you cannot know in what ways you need to grow. Why should I spend the time and effort in developing myself as a leader? The Gunner’s Mate rating has a strength of just over 600 members. Maritime Force Protection Unit Kings Bay has 31 Gunner’s Mates assigned to it. I have a full five percent of the Gunner’s Mates in the Coast Guard that I lead. During my four year assignment at MFPU Kings Bay, approximately 55 Gunner’s mates (9.2 percent) will have been under my leadership. I see that as an enormous responsibility. As a young Gunner’s Mate I saw my senior leadership as people capable of effecting great change on the rating. Now today I am in the position to have that same impact.

Leadership is not a simple, static concept. It does not form overnight. Instead, it develops alongside experiences which form a person’s character. It is as dynamic as the events that shape our lives. My life experiences equip me with the knowledge to form my own leadership philosophy. As a Noncommissioned Officer, I ensure my subordinates understand my philosophy. I ensure they understand what I expect of them. The basis of my leadership philosophy is promoting self-development, serving others, being proactive, and being an example of effective leadership.

The creed of the noncommissioned officer is a baseline for all noncommissioned officers Corporal all the way up to Sergeant Major, on how to conduct oneself in the leading of soldiers. It does not outline every single situation you may come into throughout your military career but if you live this creed then you should be set for success. In this paper we are going to take an in depth look into the creed and how you can apply every aspect of it to leadership.

The very basis for my leadership philosophy starts and ends with the Army Values. I ensure each and every decision I make aligns with these core values. In 2007, after first pinning on Sergeant, I was in a position of limited leadership experience and charged with the health and welfare of three Soldiers. By utilizing past experiences and understanding the young Soldiers point of view, I developed the foundation of my Leadership Philosophy, the

This concise paper addresses a lifetime of learning on part of the author and the gracious graduated squadron commander interviewee who leant his time and wisdom. In the next few paragraphs the three key elements that will be addressed include: the author’s leadership philosophy, elicited in the hot seat from the Group Commander, a summary of the author’s commander interview, and an analysis of the interview through the lens of the author’s own philosophy.

As an officer in the United States Army, it has been imperative for me to understand every facet of leadership and why it remains important to be an effective leader. During this course, I have learned some valuable lessons about myself as a leader and how I can improve on my leadership ability in the future. The journal entries along with the understanding of available leadership theories have been an integral part of my learning during this course. For all of the journals and assessments that I completed, I feel it has given me a good understanding of my current leadership status and my future potential as a leader. All of the specific assessments looked at several areas in regards to leadership; these assessments covered several

Purpose. This memorandum outlines my vision on leadership as a senior noncommissioned officer. It also defines my leadership philosophy and principles towards seniors, peers, and subordinates. My philosophy reflects the foundation of my personal and professional beliefs that makes us successful Soldiers.

Throughout my life and my military career I have experienced various leadership styles, from civilian employers to military Officers and Non-Commissioned officers alike. Each had their own approach to leadership, some I found to be effective and others I did not. I have attempted to create a leadership philosophy based on a fusion of the leaders I have encountered and my own personal experiences.

After serving over 15 years in the Ohio Army National Guard, I have experienced many different leadership styles. Some styles have had a positive impact on both my personal life and my military life. While others, have had a negative influence. My experience with different leadership styles has taught me what type of leader I strive to be and highlights the impact I have on others as a peer and leader. These experiences helped define me as not only a leader, but as a person. I have been given the privilege of influencing young Soldiers and our future leaders. As a leader I value integrity, hard work, and service.

I am Joseph Maruska, I am currently a Major in the United States Air Force. This essay will introduce you to my personal command philosophy. It will also summarize and analyze a brief interview recently conducted with a current squadron commander using my own leadership philosophy as a guide. Throughout this essay I will draw upon my own personal experiences and thoughts, lessons discussed throughout the Leadership and Command Course, as well the discussion with a current squadron commander. Leadership and command styles come in many different forms and there is not necessarily a correct or incorrect way to lead depending on your organization or current turn of events. This essay is simply my thoughts after being in the Air Force for the last eleven years.

1. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide a brief synopsis of the leadership philosophy of Second Lieutenant Joshua Dunn.

Throughout my first ten years in the Coast Guard I had the opportunity to serve at several different units. I learned a tremendous amount during that period of my career. I had several mentors that taught me many great traits. However, some of the leaders I served with also taught things not to do. I believe that examples of poor leadership teach you just as much as good leadership does. It wasn’t until my tour as the Executive Petty Officer on an 87’ WPB when I served with a Master Chief that showed me true leadership. This Master Chief showed me that compassion and respect is contagious. His persona within the crew built an atmosphere of trust and dedication. Our crew was driven to be successful, enjoyed everything

This thesis will cover the Support of the Commander’s Leadership Philosophy, command climate, strategies, and the role of the gunnery sergeant’s importance in the execution of the Commander’s leadership philosophy for Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. We feel that the command climate at this unit is good. The three strategies that we will use to discuss this will be communication, training and leadership and how important they are in order to establish an effective and productive environment. We will also discuss how the gunnery sergeant’s important role is the key to ensuring that these strategies are

Beginning in boot camp and continuing throughout my career, I’ve seen the Coast Guard promote the leadership model to be: “You” influencing “Others” to achieve a “Goal”. With all the different ways leadership can be defined, this simplistic model which has been permanently engrained in my thinking definition still rings true for me. As such, when defining my own personal definition of leadership, I align it to this same model. More specifically, while I support the fact that leadership involves influencing others to achieve a common end I propose that is not the whole story. Leaders must not be stagnant in their vision and must lend themselves to the possibility they may have to adjust their leadership styles depending on the goal. The best leaders are the ones that understand their own personality traits as well as those traits of the people they are trying to lead.