JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Airmen were challenged to think outside their normal scope of leadership and learn how to become strong joint leaders during the Lunch N’ Learn event, July 7, at the McChord Chapel Support Center.
One of Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen David Goldfein’s priorities, strengthening joint leaders and teams, is a topic guest speaker Lt. Col. Daniel Magruder, commander of the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, is very familiar.
Magruder leads more than 150 Special Tactics Airmen and combat mission support personnel working closely with sister services to enable air and ground integration across U.S. Special Operations Command. Magruder has led special operations forces in joint contingencies such as Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL to enable global access, personnel rescue, precision strike and battlefield surgery operations.
“Day-to-day warfighting stops if you don't have Airmen involved,” said Magruder. “Airmen are at the leading edge of most contingencies and we have a very important direct and indirect impact.”
Airmen were asked about their thoughts on the presence and importance of joint leadership in today’s Air Force during the seminar.
“Joint leaders are required at all levels of warfare from strategic to tactical,” said Magruder. “Their particular expertise is integrated and aggregated over time.”
To gain a better understanding of joint leadership, Magruder encouraged Airmen to utilize self-study and hands-on experience.
“You have to educate broadly for uncertainty,” said Magruder. “Experience is exponential; you can read about it in a book, but until you have done it you're lacking.”
It is important for Airmen to “think outside the box” and express their ideas to leadership in order to better the Air Force, said Magruder.
“Anticipate requirements of your joint and international partners and always take the hard job,” he said. “Know what you are responsible for, and do what only you can do.”
The Lunch N’ Learn concluded with a time for Airmen to have their questions answered by Magruder.
Attendees where grateful for the shared perspective on joint partnership and leadership.
“This was eye-opening to me, and makes me want to gain a broader spectrum of knowledge and experiences of joint partners,” said 2nd Lt. Alexander Bow, 627th Civil Engineer Squadron chief operations engineer. “It was great to hear his personal ‘boots on the ground’ experience and I appreciated the insight into the military academia of it.”