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Travis chaplain a 'Warrior' in Leadership Pathways

  • Published
  • By Nick DeCicco
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Capt. (Chaplain) Dave Haltom had a mission.

The 60th Air Mobility Wing chaplain enrolled in the Air Force's Leadership Pathway program in January with the goal of covering as many courses as he could during the first quarter of the year.

The chaplain didn't just achieve his goal. He did it better than anyone in Air Mobility Command.

Haltom is the first in AMC to exceed 30 credits, earning him the command's Warrior-level recognition.

"I'm new to AMC and also wanted to learn more about the entire Leadership Pathways program and process advertised on the SharePoint home page," Haltom said. "I began to search out what courses were being offered for the 'Spiritual' domain/pillar of Comprehensive Airmen Fitness and that led me to the full course list igniting my interest in all areas."

The program was implemented in 2012 to support the four domains of CAF - mental, spiritual, physical and social.

LP is designed to encourage the active duty, Reservists, Defense Department civilians and family members to participate in wing programs and activities that strengthen individual, family and unit resilience using CAF's four domains.

Each course is worth 0.5 credits per hour, meaning Haltom has invested at least 60 hours in the LP program. Recognition comes in a tiered structure in multiples of 10.

Wes Yancey, 60th AMW community support coordinator, said the program's reach is expansive.

"(It) promotes resilience; fosters individual, agency and community connections; encourages help-seeking behaviors; optimizes use of limited resources; (and) provides effective tools for Airmen to help themselves and others," Yancey said.

Travis leads AMC in participation in the LP program. The base had more than 13,000 attendees in 2013 and leadership has its sights set even higher this year through the creation of new process that delivers CAF programming through LP in a way that targets community concerns identified at the Community Action Information Board.

Additionally, base helping agencies developed and delivered a CAF curriculum through Leadership Pathways for its recent Wingman Week. The curriculum was used to help all base personnel reach "wingman" level in the LP system while simultaneously addressing community concerns identified by the CAIB.

"I believe this fusion of processes is an efficiency benchmark which will dramatically improve the availability and awareness of CAF programs and therefore the overall fitness of all Travis personnel," Haltom said.

Yancey said the LP programs focus on all Airmen, not just those who identify that they have a problem or need.
 
"Changing the focus from negative or problem focused to leadership and positive self-help, allows Airmen to openly attend a class for themselves or to help others," Yancey said. "It destigmatizes the concept that a problem exists when you attend a class."

For Haltom, he said he feels healthier in all four areas of CAF as a result of the LP program.

"My passion is helping others become comprehensively fit through pastoral care, counseling and ethical advice," he said. "If what I've learned helps me lead more effectively and add value to others, then the achievement is time well spent."