To give generously.

On Friday, I got to celebrate the Air Force's decision to promote me to Major. Many important people couldn't be there in person, so I thought I'd share the prepared remarks here... Thank you all!

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While leadership is a blend of “nature” & “nurture,” I’ve received a lot of nurturing throughout my life, so the number of thank yous reflect.?I’ll do my best to be brief.

To my wife, Nicole.?If there’s one person who has “sustained” the “sustainer” it’s you.?I am so grateful that I found a wife who loves, encourages, & cherishes me.?I love you & I would not, could not, do this without you.

Mom & Dad, thanks for making the trek over to be apart of this.?There’s so much about who I am that comes from you.?While I’m appreciative that my days of getting paid a penny a rock are over, there are so many lessons that stay with me.?I love you both very much.

Col Jason Okumura , I never thought I’d “willingly” have a graduate of Colorado State University officiate one of my promotion ceremonies, but you are worthy of the exception.?Out of respect for the folks in attendance, I won’t list them all, but there are many aspects of your character and leadership ability I aspire to learn.?Among them, I’m humbled by your commitment & care that you demonstrate for your subordinates, no matter the hour, no matter the occasion.?It’s tremendously special to have you officiate today & to have the opportunity to work for someone I admire so much… Once again.

To the senior leaders in attendance: Col Aaron Cowley , Mr. Dan Posch , & Dr. Jerry D. Ruiz . I’m so grateful for your attendance.?Knowing the demands we put on your calendars, your time is especially meaningful.

Michael, thank you for the invocation & for cutting short your camping trip to be apart of this.?Thanks for all of your wisdom & instruction.

To everyone who put this together… Capt Andrew Sherk , the DLA Commander’s Support Staff, & the Museum.?Thanks for making this such a special occasion.

Throughout my time in the Active Duty Air Force, I’ve been nurtured.?I owe my commission to Col Bradley Thompson, whose trust & forgiveness enabled me to be here.?I also learned from leaders like SMSgt T. Ashley M. , who is here today.?Ashley was my first salute…?Don’t worry brother, my shake, take, salute game is much better today!?He also made it a point to attend Lt Hanson’s promotion to Captain.?I really appreciate how present you’ve been throughout my career; thank you.

There are so many other folks who have played pivotal roles in my experience.?Then Capt Jason Watson & MSgt (ret) Jerrick DuPlessis, who demonstrated what leadership looks like when your team is between a rock and a hard place.?There’s MSgt (ret) Richard Richardson who demonstrated what effective SNCO mentorship of a Lieutenant to such an extent that my performance was personal... to him.?Also, Maj Stephanie Walsh, Capt April Stocker (who is here today), Capt Nate Federico, and SMSgt Billy Landreneau, who taught me how to relax & cultivate life-long friendship in the AOR—even when there’s a host nation coup going on around you.?Mr. Rod Lukkes taught me how good leadership is transferable, regardless of the uniform someone wears to work. ?Then Col David Sanford —that everyone deserves a mentor & we ought to seek out mentees.?A1C Tah helped me realize that the promise of this country has immeasurable value… Even if it means starting career & life over again.?Capt James Eimers , MSgt Ben Smith, & TSgt Ben Kimmel showed me that we don’t have to settle for how the Air Force is…. Rather we have a role & a responsibility in shaping it.?Lt Ron Malloy was the first officer I rated & supervised… I couldn’t have asked for better & I’m super thankful for all that he & his wife Erin have meant to me & Nicole during our time here in Utah!?CMSgt (ret) Jason Price taught me the value of doing your homework & pushing hard.?Of Col Greg Buckner, applying tried concepts in new or different functional areas.?Then Colonel Lyle Drew was the first supervisor and rater I knew who put his baking skills in service to his subordinates.?Unprecedented in more ways than one, he showed me that an engaged supervisor is a responsibility never delegated—global pandemic or not.?Mr. Petrek—to ask good questions, edit carefully, & only send it forward if I’m willing to put my name on it.?Now Major Dan Musleve —that communication is best casual, genuine, & easy… up, down, and across an organization.?Maj David Martin that the depths of academic research in logistics extend leagues under our feet… If we’re willing to dive into it.?Of Capt Randy Pence , relationships are force multipliers. ?Of course, a then Lt Col Jason Okumura , whose work ethic is one of Homeric legend.?And Capt Katherine Lois Brugler who demonstrated that human connection is not necessarily a function of time.

When deployed as Director of Logistics, a person could not ask for a better logistics planner in now SMSgt Ralph Steele, whose poise, demeanor, and leadership provided essential quiet in a turbulent retrograde from Afghanistan.?TSgt John “Whis” Whisman taught me the incredible power of a sincere thank you from a subordinate to their superior… After awards are written and performance reports closed out. Of Maj Brad Palmer, that lawyers can make for phenomenal leaders & tremendous friends.

This nurturing has continued here at Hill.?Col Christopher Carmichael —that intent and trust are sufficient.? Dr. Jerry D. Ruiz —that each of us have a responsibility to fix problems, even when the repercussions might be problematic. ? Jondavid DuVall —how to carry on a conversation that extends across all time zones. Jobie Turner and Joseph Whittington have shown me how & encouraged me to run with the likes of Sun Tzu, Clausewitz, Van Creveld & others in pursuit of intellectual overmatch.?

And to each one of who you who is attending today.?You wouldn’t be here unless you’ve played some role in nurturing the leader in front of you.?Frankly, there are more people than I can responsibly mention right now, but I hope it’s as clear to you as it is to me…?I’m the recipient of a whole lot of nurturing.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve spent more time thinking, reading, and writing about our purpose in all this as logisticians, as military professionals.?Nurturing to what end?

As Commander of AETC, Lt Gen Steve Kwast gave a speech that resonated with me.?He described how this generation, my generation, would face the challenge of rising powers who were seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in how we develop & project power globally.?Solving $10 problems with 10 cent solutions, instead of the inverse which I have unfortunately found all too common.?This challenge—or as he framed it, opportunity—doesn’t come to every generation, but I agree with him:?the time is coming when our collective contribution will be called to account.

It’s the kind of moment where greats like Sir Robert Brooke-Popham rose to the occasion.?A Brigadier in the British Royal Flying Corps (precursor to the RAF), he made the decision to decouple supply and demand for maintenance spares of aircraft on the Western Front during World War I—a seemingly small decision, but one that yielded aircraft availability rates that played a key part in the outcome of the war.?

Take William Knudsen or Henry Kaiser.?Knudsen, was an immigrant, Kaiser, first generation—both played crucial roles in organizing the American economy to support aviation production and ship building during World War II.?Each civilian without any substantial military experience, their contributions altered the course of the war.

Through these stories & others, I see leaders who took ownership.??I’ve become more possessive… of our Air Force & of this country.?And it has shaped how I see my work.?As a logistician, I believe my domain extends from the flightlines of the far east to manufacturing lines in Ft. Worth, Texas.?It spans the distance between military commanders in the field, who depend on technology that works, to the state of the industrial base & the innovation of American enterprise.?My profession is a fusion between the military & economic tenants of national power, it’s a challenging & fascinating line of work… & also increasingly relevant in this time of strategic competition.?

In logistics and leadership, I find myself seeking to bind parts of the whole: military and economy, Air Force and DLA, leader and subordinate, maintenance and supply, operations and logistics, and as Americans.??To form a more perfect union.?

This isn’t easy.?Whether it’s a process that is clearly impeding production or watching Afghans cling to C-17s just months after leaving Bagram, there are rough days.?We all have them.?But on these days when I feel discouraged, I call to mind A1C Tah’s telling of how he left Cameroon with his family & achieved his dream of serving in this great nation’s Air Force.?Or when MSgt Richardson pulled me aside after my first briefing to the Battle Staff after the coup in Turkey & told me he was comfortable taking another assignment, because he knew I was up to the task of supporting the wing. ??Or when my past supervisor and now Brigadier General Lyle Drew delivered homemade Tiramisu, careful not to encroach on the 6-foot social distancing rules.?A few weeks ago, after getting ready to go to work on the official release that I had made Major, when Lt Cdr Mikayla Tuner and her husband Cole Turner had prominently displayed 20 American flags around our front yard.?Or when I reached out to an officer I used to supervise named Capt Ron Malloy for help during a PCS, and found a friendship I’ll hang onto long past this assignment.?I have all of you to thank for these & many other examples.

So, nurturing to what end??To give generously.?To this mission & to each of you.?To our country & to my family.?Because of you & so many others who aren’t here to celebrate in person today, I am able to give.?When that moment Gen Steve Kwast was referring to finally comes, I hope that my contribution is sufficient.?If it’s remotely close to what you all have given me, I know it will be.

Thank you!