Stay calm, work hard to become great leader

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Alan Boling
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing command chief

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Travis, it has been an honor and a privilege to have served with you, alongside you and for you. 

I would like to take this opportunity to leave you with some words of guidance I have reflected on in my own career as well as passed on to many of you.  If you have ever attended one of my briefings, these words will be familiar. 

To our great leaders of all ranks, remember to always be your unit's "duck." When you see a duck swimming in the pond, you see what is above the water.  The duck appears to be calm and collected, effortlessly moving on its journey.

This is what our leaders need to do and have been doing every day, motivating our great Airmen.  What you cannot see is the other half of the duck below the water.  Below the water is where our leaders work.  That duck doesn't just sit there and go places, but uses hard work to go places.  This is a fact you would never know this from on top of the water when watching a calm and collected duck.  A great leader understands what it takes to get the mission done and keeps their people moving without compromising their calm collective approach.

We’ve seen hard work by many of our key groups on base to include first sergeants, the legal team, the Office of Special Investigations, Equal Opportunity, the top three, 5/6 and ACE.  These teams help us led the way for the entire 18th Air Force as well as Air Mobility Command overseeing a significant drop in disciplinary issues, drug cases and DUIs across Travis.  Coupled with the leadership from our senior NCOs and officers in the development of our Airmen, Travis is great base with an unbeatable team. 

Private and professional organizations have changed their focus from fundraising to developing stronger better more professional Airmen.  This, in conjunction with the Career Assistance Advisor, First Term Airmen Center and Airmen Leadership School Staff, have built a super strong crew focused on building better Airmen than themselves. 

There is no end to what an Airmen can achieve if they focus on other people, focus on the mission and service to our country.  Instead of focusing on themselves. I couldn't be more proud of each and every one of you. 

AMC is a great command. Between their humble, servant leaders and Travis itself, it is the best large base I have ever had the pleasure to serve at in my career.