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New leadership attends Materiel Leader, Squadron Commander, Director and Spouse Course

  • Published
  • By Stacey Geiger
  • Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Air Force Materiel Command hosted 43 first-time commanders and 18 spouses for a week-long Materiel Leader, Squadron Commander, Director and Spouse Course here April 7-11, 2014. The course, held twice a year, provides newly assigned commanders and their spouses with the information and leadership tools needed to successfully accomplish the mission, develop Airmen and support their families.

"The course is designed to expand the knowledge of squadron commanders in all aspects of their day-to-day operations with emphasis on leadership, accountability, personnel programs and functional areas," stated Mandy Smith-Nethercott, course director and a communications manager in AFMC's Directorate of Manpower, Personnel and Services. "We were also glad to have spouses back this year after a two-year absence due to sequestration."

The objective for the spouses' course is to provide information on the vision, mission and role of AFMC and to create awareness of opportunities, resources, tools and challenges that may surface during their spouse's command. Video teleconference capability for the spouses was added as a new element to this year's course. It gave spouses who were unable to attend in person the opportunity to discuss the expectations of them as a commander's spouse and to share their concerns and ideas.

AFMC Commander Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger opened the course with the command's mission brief -- for those leaders new to AFMC -- and shared her priorities and leadership principles.

"It is a gift to be placed in these visible leadership roles," she said. "You should be proud that you have been singled out and selected for these roles, but there is also a huge responsibility. I don't think any of us are ever done being students of understanding how we can do better at the work we are asked to do as leaders."

Speaking to the spouses, Wolfenbarger encouraged them to find opportunities to support Airmen.

"This lifestyle is hard, challenging and different, and we all make sacrifices that go well beyond a nine to five job, but there are tremendous rewards that can come from being a part of the Air Force family. We all have the opportunity to contribute," she said. "Airmen are our foundation for everything we do and there are many opportunities to help them that can be very rewarding."

For the rest of the week, commanders attended sessions on topics such as Manpower, Legal and Force Development while spouses received briefings on topics such as Protocol, toured the Fisher Nightingale House and visited 88th Force Support Squadron, where they learned about services that are currently available to assist Airmen. Joint sessions were also provided to both commanders and their spouses on all subjects that would provide direction for their new role -- from Ethics to Public Affairs to Equal Opportunity and more.

Each day throughout the week of the course, a senior mentor sat in on sessions with the attendees to offer over-arching guidance and answer questions. The mentors were led by AFMC Executive Director Michael Gill for the leaders and retired colonel Craig Wolfenbarger, Gen. Wolfenbarger's husband, for the spouses.

Commander and spouse panels were a new addition to the course, giving attendees an opportunity for question and answer sessions with experienced leaders.

The panels and the rest of the course had a big impact on the attendees.

"The information given to us on the responsibilities was all encompassing and if you haven't been exposed to that level, you are just not aware," said Maj. Tammy Breiner, who will assume command of the 78th Comptroller Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., in July. "The external agencies such as mental health coming here to explain how they can help us do our job as commander was very beneficial."

Her husband, Barry, who attended the spouse portion, stated the course helped put his mind at ease: "The course helped us as spouses relax on what our responsibilities would be. Many of us came in thinking there were all these enormous functions that we would be required to handle."

The course closed at the end of the week with a graduation.