Download Get Ready By Chief Imo
Igone Yochim
The ship berths 27 personnel, a creative group of welders, riggers, fitters, divers, and seamen, ready for immediate response.
The SALVAGE CHIEF is proven and highly successful. The vessel has an enviable record of refloating several hundred stranded vessels and has rendered assistance to many other vessels in various types of distress. It is one of the best equipped salvage ships and is manned with the finest crew. It is unique in the world with proven capabilities
With a grasp of the guidon, Command Chief Master Sergeant Maribeth O. Ferrer assumed command chief responsibilities of the Air Force Sustainment Center Aug. 25, 2023, during a ceremony at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. AFSC Commander Lt. Gen. Stacey T. Hawkins, left, officiated the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Amy Schiess)
With a grasp of the guidon, Command Chief Master Sergeant Maribeth O. Ferrer assumed command chief responsibilities of the Air Force Sustainment Center Aug. 25 during a ceremony at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
Ferrer is the seventh command chief of the center and the first woman to hold the role. During her 27-year career, she has served in six different major commands with overseas assignments in Korea, Italy and Turkey and deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq and United Arab Emirates.
Traditionally, the command chief advises the commander on all enlisted matters including readiness, training, professional development, morale and quality of life. At AFSC, where the workforce is predominantly civilian, the command chief expands their role to ensure all Airmen, whether military or civilian, have their attention and support.
When you think of a chief of staff, you might think of someone like John Kelly, who currently holds the position in the Trump administration. At least that was my frame of reference until I recently spoke with Caroline Pugh, chief of staff to Aneesh Chopra, who was the first chief technology officer of the United States under President Obama's first term, and is now the president of CareJourney, a healthcare data analytics company. Before my conversation with Pugh, I was unaware that chiefs of staff have powerful and influential roles in the private sector, and that this role is a great opportunity for ambitious women.
Pugh organizes and hosts events for chiefs of staff in Washington, DC, and has done research about the role and its function in business. She has surveyed and spoken with over two dozen chiefs of staff including, the chief of staff to the CEO of Rolls Royce, Marissa Mayer, Tony Hsieh (Zappos), former Vice President Biden and Jean Case.
Above all else, a chief of staff must be willing to use their power and influence to lead from behind. They need to be passionate about their role and the mission of the organization and be a strong partner for the CEO.
Many chiefs of staff are female and this role provides a unique opportunity for women to have an impact at a high level. For example, at the last chief of staff event Pugh hosted, over half of those who attended were female. "Women that are chiefs of staff are sharing this career path and opportunity with their networks," she said. "It's having a domino effect where now more and more women are the right-hand women to CEOs of major Fortune 500 companies. They are being positioned as the next wave of C-suite executives themselves which is really exciting. The chief of staff role could be the very role that finally evens out the gender disparity in boardrooms."
Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger served as the crew chief of a radar team on Lima Site 85, a ground radar installation in Laos, during an attack on March 11, 1968. Despite having no combat training, Etchberger defended against the enemy with an M-16 rifle while coordinating air strikes and requesting air rescue.
While investments in a future fleet are vital, so is maintaining the readiness of the current fleet so that it's ready to sail into harm's way, should that be necessary, the chief of naval operations said.
U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi, Air Force Materiel Command command chief, discusses how Airmen assigned to Space Force installations will receive functional support from the AFMC during a town hall at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, Oct. 29, 2021. AFMC is the servicing major command to U.S. Space Force and provides functional support to Airmen assigned to Space Force installations. (Photo by Amanda Ryrholm)
To ready himself to assume his role at the Air Force Materiel Command and the myriad of responsibilities it entails, Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi did what he believes every good Airman should do to prepare for something big: he unplugged, spent time with family and took time to recharge his battery so that he would be ready for the challenge ahead.
Flosi is no stranger to AFMC, having just served as the Air Force Sustainment Center command chief. In fact, he started his Air Force career as an AFMC Airman at Kirtland Air Force Base, training as a nuclear weapons specialist following graduation from basic military training in 1996.
As the AFMC command chief, Flosi will advise the commander on all matters regarding the readiness, training, professional development and the effective utilization of more than 89,000 total force Airmen. These military and civilian Airmen work across six centers and more than a dozen installations, performing critical missions in support of all aspects of air and space.
As he immerses himself in the command chief role over the next few months, Flosi plans to approach each day with an open mind, with the goal to learn as much as he can from all of the AFMC Airmen. This is the same approach he has taken throughout his entire career, where an open mind has led to greater opportunities to learn more and experience new things.
That history and experience will serve Allvin well since he arrives as vice chief at a time significant change and challenge. He will be a chief advisor to Brown and Barrett as they reconfigure the Air Force to confront peer competition. Allvin will be an important voice helping Brown and Barrett ensure a successful partnership with the newly formed U.S. Space Force. All of that will take place amid a shifting political climate and budget pressure.
It is a job that requires highly accomplished, experienced officers like Allvin who are comfortable often operating in the shadows. While influential, the vice chief often achieves important goals without the spotlight that accompanies other officers of similar rank.
Some help is on the way, but it will take time. Three prospective officers are scheduled to attend the police academy in February and, if all goes well, they will be ready to be field trained after graduating 18 weeks later.
U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Green, the 6th Air Refueling Wing command chief, delivers a speech at the University Club in Tampa, Fla., Jan. 31, 2020. Chief master sergeants serve in the highest enlisted rank and hold strategic leadership positions with tremendous influence at all levels of the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Shannon Bowman)
Each week during Air Force basic military training graduation ceremonies, new Airmen raise their right hands and recite the Oath of Enlistment. Many of these Airmen enter the Air Force with aspirations of reaching the pinnacle of the enlisted force as chief master sergeants.
Looking forward to stepping into his new role as chief, Senior Master Sgt. Jorge Bonilla, the Joint Special Operations University enterprise management course director, explained that he will share his experience with his Airmen, so they, too, can reach their goals.
Though the road to becoming a chief is a challenging one, Bonilla explained that any Airman who aims to become a leader should remember the importance of guidance, mentorship and building relationships.
With just more than 24 hours before a strike deadline, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said Wednesday that offers from the companies aren't enough and the union is getting ready to strike.
Aspen Leadership Group (ALG) supports exceptional careers in philanthropy, recruiting presidents, executive directors, and chief advancement officers and helping them recruit, train, and inspire diverse, inclusive, and high-performing teams. Our search services and leader-to-leader consulting focus on building a team and a culture that enable an organization to engage all of its potential donors and volunteers and to drive unprecedented fundraising results.
Staff Sgt. Darion Hubbard, 372nd Training Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief instructor, supervises Airman 1st Class Erick Moreno, 372nd TRS F-16 crew chief, while he inspects an F-16 before flight, Nov. 17, 2020, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Instructors at Luke AFB introduced a new approach to training that allows for more time on station rather than traveling for training. The Right Time Training class is a new initiative to provide small group, instructor-led hands-on training for F-16 crew chiefs after they complete technical training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder)
Airman 1st Class Erick Moreno, 372nd Training Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief and F-16 Right Time Training student, grabs a headset while preparing an F-16 for flight, Nov. 17, 2020, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. During the six-week course, students learn how to perform basic crew chief functions such as launching, refueling and maintaining aircraft. The RTT class is a new initiative to provide small group, instructor-led hands-on training for F-16 crew chiefs after they complete technical training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder)
Staff Sgt. Darion Hubbard, 372nd Training Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief instructor, instructs an F-16 Right Time Training course, Nov. 17, 2020, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. During the six-week class, students will complete one week of instruction in the classroom and the last five weeks on the flightline learning basic F-16 operations. The RTT class is a new initiative to provide small group, instructor-led hands-on training for F-16 crew chiefs after they complete technical training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder)
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