Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel

    Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Air Guard's leaders discuss top concerns at Midwest summit By Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
                National Guard Bureau
 ARLINGTON, Va. - Safety, culture and the Air National Guard's future were among topics adjutants general, wing commanders, command chief master sergeants and others from around the nation discussed at a recent conference in Wisconsin. More than 500 Air National Guard senior leaders and safety experts met at the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center Aug. 11-15 for the Air Guard's 2008 Leadership Summit. Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, director of the Air Guard, Maj. Gen. Wendell L. Griffin, the Air Force's chief of safety and commander of the Air Force Safety Center, and Brig. Gen. Garry C. Dean, the Air Force's deputy inspector general (IG) were among the speakers. The summit carried a theme of "A look at safety, culture and other challenges," and it provided a venue for the leaders, guest speakers and other subject matter experts to discuss what is working well for the Air Guard and what could work better, said Air Force Col. Marcus Quint, director of safety for the Air Guard, who oversaw the conference. He added that the primary focus was to bring the Air Guard's senior leadership, including Army National Guard adjutants general, together to apprise them of trends in safety and safety mitigation strategies. "To get them in focus during our turbulent time of day-to-day operations," he said. Colonel Quint said the conference participants understood the need to refocus on safety after back-to-back years of Air Force safety mishaps followed the Air Guard's historically best flight safety year in 2006. "They wanted to be exposed to the safety discussion at the senior leadership level, and that's what they got." "I just think this summit, which we've done for several years now, helps us focus on very important topics," said General McKinley, director of the Air Guard. "This event allows us to come together as senior commissioned and enlisted leaders and re-energize and commit ourselves to making the Air National Guard better through strong leadership," he said. **Air National Guard safety trends** Before a packed room, Maj. Stephen Stilwell of the Missouri Air National Guard described in graphic detail how his F-15 Eagle broke apart in flight during a November 2007 training mission. His left shoulder was dislocated and his left arm was broken. He shared his recovery story about getting medical care and other assistance as a traditional Guardmember injured on drill status. Colonel Quint said having someone describe their experience in a [class-A] mishap, and how they dealt with its aftermath, personalized their safety message. "Commanders need to have such information at their fingertips "¦ that is going to help them take care of Guardsman," he said. He agreed it was also valuable for wing commanders and vice commanders to network with the hundreds of Air Guard safety professionals in attendance. General Griffin gave a keynote speech on Air Force safety following discussions on Air Guard safety trends, statistics and strategies. The statistics showed that traffic accidents, motorcycle accidents, and sports and recreation accidents were the main causes of accidental death and injury in the Air Force. The conference discussed the likely causes of those accidents and injuries including failures to wear seat belts, using cell phones while driving and not wearing protective motorcycle gear. Colonel Quint stressed the importance of having effective and targeted strategies to stamp out poor risk management. "We have to find ways to make safety a part of our daily routine and cultural outlook," he said. **Air National Guard culture and diversity** Culture and diversity was another important part of the summit, officials said. Among other presentations, officials of the Air Guard's Office of Cultural Transformation presented a Gallup poll program to apply toward the Air Guard's strength-based development. Conferees discussed how focusing on workplace strengths in skill placement can increase Airmen's engagement in their jobs, help maintain an Airman's high quality of life and reduce the Air Guard's overall safety mishaps. Brig. Gen. Garry C. Dean, the Air Force's deputy IG, then addressed conferees on the IG perspective in culture, accountability and leadership. "It's really simple," said General McKinley. "When it comes to safety, diversity and our culture, and insisting on the highest standards in those and other areas, it all comes down to one thing: You can trace everything back to leadership." The director also discussed his philosophy and vector of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, and he answered questions during separate sessions with the adjutants general who were present, wing commanders and command chiefs. **Air National Guard roadmap guidance** Final break-out sessions provided forums for 13 adjutants general, the Air Guard's steering committee for long range planning, senior mentors and subject matter experts from the major commands and the National Guard Bureau. The groups worked on proposals as a whole and discussed the roadmap guidance for the Air Guard. Maj. Gen. Darryll Wong, commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard and steering committee chair, oversaw the discussions. The results were provided back to the field Aug. 22 for senior leaders to gather comments and report back. The resulting drafts and roadmap guidance will be further refined until the Air Guard's national planning conference this fall in Austin, Texas, officials said. "It's a dynamic process. It's not a document you produce and put on the shelf," said Brig. Gen. Donald Haught, vice chair for the steering committee. "We are basically building a way ahead for the Air Guard." Some of the many issues the leaders looked at were: **Cyber missions.** Discussing what interest the Air Guard will have in future cyber missions.
	**Air defense.** Defining air defense requirements to develop a program with a better funding base for air sovereignty alerts and other demands that follow air defense.
	**State joint force headquarters.** Realizing that sourcing joint force headquarters is a high priority for the adjutants general.
	**Total Force.** Defining the way ahead for how the field will integrate with the Air Force and operate in the future.
	**Homeland defense.** Meeting homeland security and homeland defense requirements and capabilities, this will be evaluated and aligned with the National Guard Bureau's joint requirements and capabilities.
	**Mission fit.** Discussing how well a mission fits in a state and if it's the right mission for that state, can the state recruit to the mission, and does it have an industrial base that allows it to do the mission easier than another place.
	**Mission distribution guidelines.** Discussing the use of FEMA regions as criteria to ensure essential capabilities are in each state and the Air Guard's role in those regions. General Haught said the roadmap event was well received by those in attendance. "Developing this roadmap guidance is just another step in the process for us to do a long range planning and to decide our future," he said. "The field definitely has a loud voice in the process. Their input will decide how it all works and goes together."
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course
 By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith,
  38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise
 By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry,
  Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska
 By 156th Wing
  More
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course Guard News • 4 hours ago
 38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise Guard News • 11 hours ago
 Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska Guard News • 12 hours ago
 Air National Guard Conducts Sentry Savannah Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 Hawaii Air National Guard Hosts Sentry Aloha Joint Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 2024 (196)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil