Local leaders receive commander's advice at Grand Forks

Published Oct. 13, 2011
By Tim Flack
319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Aspiring local leaders were able to seek advice from the top Air Force commander here during an Oct. 12 visit and tour.

Thirty-five members of the Grand Forks, N.D., and East Grand Forks, Minn., Chamber of Commerce Leadership Training Program met with Col. Tim Bush, commander of the 319th Air Base Wing, for an early-morning mission briefing and Q&A session.

Rick Sandwick, a human resources officer with the University of North Dakota, asked the colonel to describe the toughest obstacle he had faced in his more than 20 years of service.

"Being a commander is the biggest challenge you have as an Air Force officer," Colonel Bush explained. While civilian leaders will face some of the same management difficulties, he said, military leaders are sending troops around the world in support of contingency operations.

"We're going to put them in harm's way," Colonel Bush explained. And that means the mission of "organizing, training, resourcing and equipping" Airmen is vitally important, Colonel Bush said, adding that 150 to 200 Airmen are deployed from Grand Forks on any given day.

Colonel Bush also said that while it's not easy, holding Airmen accountable for misconduct is also a key to leadership.

Later in the day, Mr. Sandwick lauded Colonel Bush's response to his question. Mr. Sandwick, who is working on developing a leadership course for the university, said it's sobering to imagine making decisions that can ultimately deal with life and death.

He also said he admired the colonel's straight-forward answer on having to deal with disciplinary issues, even if that meant discharging Airmen from the service.

"As a leader it's easy to steer the ship when it's smooth sailing," Mr. Sandwick said.

Master Sgt. Pat Holtzman, who graduated from the course last year, helped lead the Oct. 12 tour. He said he enjoyed his own training and thought it "was neat to see how our leadership training translates" with the civilian community.

Lisa Swanson, vice president of the chamber's operations section, said during a phone interview Wednesday that the group's focus is on developing skills and leadership qualities and that it "connects people with people."

She said this is the 26th annual training session, and that participants meet eight times over about three months.

And the day-long visit to the base helps the civilians in the class learn "how important the base is to our community and to get a better understanding of it," she explained.