Moody Air Force Base, Ga. -- Moody recently hosted a flight commander leadership course, providing a critical training opportunity to equip emerging leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in their roles.
The four-day course focuses on enhancing participants' understanding of their duties and responsibilities in addition to providing guidance and increasing proficiency in key leadership behaviors.
With a primary objective to drive individual leadership growth through a structured program, the course combines theoretical learning with practical application while orienting flight commanders on unit policies, programs, plans and procedures.
“Topics and skills in the course are organized to improve understanding of flight commander roles, duties and responsibilities and increase proficiency in key flight-level leadership skills and behaviors,” explained Maj. Chase Abrams, 823rd Base Defense Squadron commander.
A variety of topics were covered from agile combat employment to emotional intelligence, and for participant Lt. Christopher Robinson, 23rd Maintenance Squadron section commander, the emphasis on Airmen health was most significant.
“The ‘Taking Care of Families’ class was particularly impactful for me,” he said. “It offered valuable insights on navigating the struggles that arise between family and work – as leaders, when we prioritize our own families, we set a strong example for our Airmen to follow.”
Although the course experience may vary from person-to-person, the curriculum, based on Air University’s Flight Commander’s Edge program, was tailored to incorporate local leadership practices and challenges, with subjects chosen to ensure participants are well-prepared to tackle any challenges they may face in their leadership roles.
The course content was carefully crafted to address both Air Force-wide leadership principles and the specific needs of flight commanders or similar-level leaders at Moody AFB.
One of the key features of the course is its three-tiered phase structure, culminating in the creation of a Professional Development Plan.
“The overarching concept of the leadership lessons within the course is to drive individual leadership growth through self-reflection and assessment,” Abrams said. “This self-reflection and assessment culminate in the creation of a Professional Development Plan to take back and discuss with their squadron commanders.”
Leaders from units throughout the 23rd Wing and 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing played a crucial role in bringing the curriculum to life, volunteering their time to share their knowledge and insights with the students. This collaborative approach not only enriched the course content but also fostered a deeper connection between the participants and the base leadership.
"This event was a success because of the fantastic support I received from leaders across the base,” Abrams said. “They brought the curriculum to life and made it an event to be proud of.”
For Robinson, the network of leaders and peers proved invaluable.
“This course invited classroom discussion, which was a key factor of its success,” he explained. “The opportunity to network with peers makes us all more effective leaders – nothing successful occurs in a vacuum, you will need the help of your peers.”
Flight leadership positions can feel lonely and isolating if the officer hasn’t found their support network. In time, each officer will develop their own way of connectedness and mentorship, but Abrams emphasized the power of collaboration.
“The course is designed to provide extensive opportunities to reflect on individual experiences and share those experiences with fellow students – each presenter brings their own perspective to the discussion,” he said. “That’s how students can benefit from the convergence of leadership education fundamentals and the specific circumstances surrounding leadership in the Air Force.”
The course also addressed the unique challenges of leadership at Moody AFB, as the presenting officers have already been successfully leading their Airmen through a high-operations-tempo environment with many deployments, family emergencies and countless unique, challenging circumstances.
“This course brings leaders from across the base to deliver the leadership education curriculum,” Abrams said. “The students are exposed to a wide variety of perspectives across the curriculum topics from leaders that work in the many different organizations that operate at Moody. The difference is made by bringing in different leaders that can make the connections between the students and the curriculum using their own unique stories.”
With two more course iterations already being planned, as the flight commander leadership course continues to evolve, the hope is that it’ll shape the future leadership of the Air Force, ensuring the next generation of officers is well-equipped to meet the challenges ahead.
“I think this is a much-needed course,” Robinson said. “It provided me multiple keys to success and has revitalized my enthusiasm and preparedness to serve as a flight commander. As officers, our primary role is that of a change agent – being able to effectively introduce and maintain change is a vital skill. Moving forward, my primary focus will be on sharpening my skills as a change agent and making it a top priority to support and care for families as much as possible.”
The critical role of mentorship and continuous learning in preparing officers to lead effectively is evident to students and leaders alike.
“Across the Air Force, we have to develop our new leaders,” Abrams said. “If we don’t, we are not fulfilling our obligation to prepare the next generation … This program is a way for us as leaders to extend our hand to the next generation – to build that connection. This is a way we can provide a variety of lessons and exposure to many different leaders so our new leaders can develop new skills to take back to their organization.
“If we do it the right way, these leaders will present at flight commander courses of their own in the future,” Abrams said.