Need to Know

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: A RECIPE FOR EXCELLENCE!

By Mr. Tony Rubino

Mr. Tony Rubino was the 412th Range Squadron Director at Edwards AFB and Air Force Flight Test Center. With a robust skill set that includes Leadership, Air Force, Program Management, Integration, Flight Test and more. He was the featured speaker at the PCR/RMR CCRSC in March of this year. Mr. Rubino shares his experience and insights into forming leaders.

As I met with Chaplains at Travis AFB in March during their annual Chaplains Conference, I was provided an opportunity to speak about Leadership Development which is composed of several components. Some of those are: Core Values, Safe Places, Health with Margins, and Dealers in Hope.

“Core Values” like the Air Force’s “Integrity First”, “Service Before Self” and “Excellence in All We Do”, provide an excellent foundation for any organization desiring to develop and maintain a sound culture for team members to operate at a very high level while also remaining grounded. This is extremely critical, especially when crises surface, or continue far beyond a day or two, much like the government furlough this last October and November or a long-lasting crisis like COVID.

“Safe Places” are critical when team members are trying to navigate through a crisis, or day-to-day, in the challenging circumstances many of us may experience. A Safe Place is when a team member needs to talk about situations they are experiencing and want to be able to talk about real issues with trustworthy teammates, sometimes that is a supervisor. A Safe Place looks like an environment where appropriate confidentiality is provided and maintained, trust is a given, and criticism, judgment and punitive behavior are absent. The result is an atmosphere where real issues can be presented, empathic listening can occur, resulting in a person feeling heard which can provide a path for resolution of difficult issues that can be processed in a healthy setting.

“Health with Margins” can provide team members with margin in various areas of their lives where they have margin left in their day, week and month, so that the pace and load can be managed at a reasonable level. Margins may look like a team member taking a short vacation once a month to get away to decompress, recharge or completely unplug, so that most, if not all the responsibility in their life is placed on hold for 24 or more hours. This approach can reduce the potential of burnout and other negative outcomes of a constant high pace, heavy load. Margin by Richard Swenson is a very valuable resource on the subject of Margin.

Leaders are “Dealers in Hope” and in today’s fast-paced, high demand, and sometimes negative society, hope can make a significant difference in people’s lives. “Hope for A Better Tomorrow” can be communicated with a simple smile, or a sincere, listening ear. As Leaders, we all are provided the opportunity to be “Dealers in Hope”, so pay attention to the opportunities provided to you each day and speak words of hope into that teammate’s life when they look a little blue in the face. You will be glad you did as you may have made “The Difference” in their life that day. In addition, You just might hear about the difference you made, sometime later down the road.

Encampment: How Can I Survive as a

Chaplain or Character Development Instructor?

by Capt. Jordan Diaz, CDI

Cache Valley Composite Squadron

You answered the call to serve as a Chaplain or Character Development Instructor (CDI) at encampment, congratulations! If you've never attended before, expect a challenging but rewarding experience. Encampment schedules are demanding, with long days, limited sleep, unfamiliar living conditions, and constant activity. More importantly, you'll be supporting cadets who may be away from home for the first time, facing new responsibilities, and navigating a high-pressure environment.

One of the most important things to remember is that you may be the only friendly, familiar face a cadet feels comfortable approaching. Your role is to provide emotional and spiritual support through a strong ministry of presence. Be available, listen without judgment, attend activities, and encourage cadets as they work through difficult moments.

To prepare, focus on three key areas:

1. Practice difficult conversations.

You may encounter homesick cadets, struggling cadets, or even serious situations involving mental health concerns. Approach every conversation with compassion, patience, and a genuine desire to help.

2. Take care of yourself and your team.

You are not expected to carry the workload alone. Work closely with fellow Chaplains and CDIs, take breaks when needed, and make time for aftercare and daily debriefs. Supporting others requires maintaining your own well-being.

3. Remember to have fun.

Encampment is a teaching environment, but it's also an opportunity to build friendships, create memories, and grow alongside cadets and staff. The challenges are real, but so are the rewards.

Serving at encampment can be intimidating, but it is also one of the most meaningful and impactful ways to support CAP cadets.

You Are Not Alone

Civil Air Patrol Spiritual Support Squadron

Please print and post the “You Are Not Alone” flyer and take a moment to review it with your squadron. Full size version available here.

The CAP Spiritual Support Squadron is a free support service available to all USAF and CAP family members, reminding them that spiritual air cover is just an email away.

Requests are treated with confidentiality and care, and may be sent to [email protected]

The Virtual Incident Command Post

Daily the Virtual Incident Command Post reports detailed information on the daily activities of CAP for CAP's National Command, and the First Air Force. Presented below is an end-of-month summary of key information from the larger daily briefing.