CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The 14th Airlift Squadron welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony here May 9.
Lt. Col. "Buddy" Czubaj, previously the 14 AS operations officer, replaced Lt. Col. Ricky Rupp. Colonel Rupp's next duty will be as the military assistant to the Executive Secretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon.
Colonel Czubaj was born in Buffalo, N.Y., and was raised in Jamestown, N.Y. He received a degree in electrical engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology and received his commission as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. He earned his first master's degree in information systems management from Webster University and his second in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College.
Why did you join the Air Force? I joined to get a college education in the AFROTC program. The idea of being able to attend a college I could not afford without a scholarship, and having an opportunity to serve in the Air Force to start a career as an electrical engineer, was too good of a deal to pass up. What I discovered was that incredible people and amazing opportunities were a part of every assignment, and what seemed like a good way to go to get a start in life turned out to be a very rewarding life of service to our nation.
What is an interesting fact about yourself? I enjoy playing the guitar and drums.
What is your major pet peeve? My major pet peeve is a lack of continuity. Great work and process improvement is lost because Airmen transition out of an organization simply because their great work was not institutionalized through proper documentation and training.
Who is your favorite author? Anthony de Mello
What is your favorite quote? "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." - Dr. Wayne Dyer
How would you describe your leadership style? I expect a great deal of myself and those I work with -- a pursuit of excellence. With that expectation as a baseline, I allow the experts to solve the issues and encourage folks to leave it better than they found it. With the talent and energy each individual brings to the organization, one of my primary roles is to vector, mentor and allow the team to take the organization to a higher level of performance and excellence.
Who is your role model and why? I can't say that I have one single role model. It is more like a synergy of people who have influenced me over the years. I have wonderful mentors in my family as well as other mentors who were previous commanders.