JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
"Followership" is a key to success for our military. We all must be good followers, no matter our rank. We all must follow at some point in our career. No one starts at the top ... we must work our way up through the ranks.
Followership is defined as the ability or willingness to follow a leader. Air Force Pamphlet 36-2241 talks about followership and some of the qualities of followership ... so let's look at some.
The first quality is organizational understanding. This means knowing where you fit in. You must be able to see that your job matters to the overall success of the unit. Every job in the military matters; do not let anyone tell you differently.
The second quality is communication skills. Followers must have good and effective communication skills. We need communication skills to train others efficiently and to pass on vital information. Effective communication skills can save an Airman's and your life.
The third quality is commitment. We all need a high level of commitment to serve in our military today. The Air Force is getting smaller so we need to be committed to our jobs and fellow Airmen. We must depend on one another to succeed.
The fourth quality is adaptability. The Air Force has changed over the years. As good followers, we have to adapt to change. We must adapt even when we do not understand why change is happening. We must follow our leaders and we adapt and overcome.
The last quality I want to talk about is courage. Courage can be complex and simple at the same time. Do you have the courage to call someone out who is out of uniform? Think about the courage you displayed when you signed to join the Air Force to protect and defend the United States of America.
Followership is very important to the military. So leaders, take time to praise the followers who keep our Air Force running strong. I personally want to thank the men and women who have served or are serving in our military. Thank you for keeping my family safe.