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Saying goodbye to Scott

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Christopher Juarez
  • 375th Contracting Squadron commander
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  It is hard to believe my 32 months in command are coming to an end. Pardon the cliché, but it seems like yesterday when I grabbed the guidon for the first time on Oct. 5, 2007. As the sun sets on my tour at Scott Air Force Base, I have learned many valuable lessons about being in a leadership position. I have listed five important ones below.

Most, if not all, are nothing new, so hopefully they reinforce what you already know.
It is all about the people - You have heard this one a hundred times, but it's so true. If you take care of your people, they will take care of you. This applies to both their needs for accomplishing the mission as well as their personal needs. When you see one of your subordinates having a bad day, pull them into your office, talk to them and help them. And for those of you thinking, "I thought the mission comes first," trust me, if you show your people you care about them, they will always put the mission first.

Never underestimate the importance of a simple gesture - I had been in command for about five months when I sent a handwritten thank you card to one of my master sergeants. I thanked the sergeant for his help on a large-dollar negotiation. I put the letter in distribution and forgot about it. Approximately one to two weeks later, I was talking to the sergeant by his cubicle. On one of his shelves was the thank you card. I was shocked. Here was a 19-year master sergeant displaying my thank you card. A simple thank you or public recognition at a commander's call will go a long way.

Mistakes are part of the job - I wish I could tell you I did everything right the first time. Obviously I cannot do that. I made mistakes my first month on the job, and I made mistakes towards the end of my tour. When we make mistakes, the first instinct is to kick ourselves or get down. But nobody is perfect. As long as you did nothing illegal or immoral and you truly were acting in your unit's best interest, then stop beating yourself up. Learn from your mistakes and then move on.

Attitude is everything - Whether you are having a good day or a bad day, your people will emulate you. This is magnified when you are in a leadership position. If you are having a rough day and it shows on your face or in your mood, word will quickly spread throughout the squadron that the commander is in a foul mood. Every time I was around someone in my squadron, I put a smile on my face and had a positive attitude. If I was having a bad day, I stayed in my office.

Leadership positions are a privilege - I want to foot stomp this one. Whether you are an officer, enlisted or a civilian in a leadership position, feel privileged to be in that position. Not everyone will be a commander or a superintendent or a deputy. You have been selected because someone senior to you thought you had the leadership skills to make very difficult decisions. Be proud you are in a leadership position, but be humble.

In closing, I will be forever grateful I was given the opportunity to command the men and women of the 375th Contracting Squadron. When I relinquish command, I will take these lessons with me and use them to make me a better leader in the future.