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    Lifeliners strengthen leader readiness through moral training

    Lifeliners strengthen leader readiness through moral training

    Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Neysa Canfield | Maj. Jonathan R. Fisher, chaplain for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)...... read more read more

    FORT CAMPBELL, KY, UNITED STATES

    05.05.2017

    Story by Sgt. Neysa Canfield 

    101st Division Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs

    FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – The unit ministry team for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Sustainment Brigade, 101st Abn. Div., conducted senior leader moral leadership training, April 27, at the Community Chapel, here.
    The training, which focused on the importance of respect and trust between leaders and their Soldiers, was an extension of the brigade’s moral leadership program.
    Maj. Jonathan R. Fisher, chaplain for the 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde., 101st Abn. Div., established the moral leadership program three months ago.
    Fisher established the program after noticing that issues involving military leaders began to escalate throughout the years, he said.
    “We wanted to get leaders thinking about their decisions on a personal level,” explained Fisher. “If we don’t talk about morality on the personal level in times of low stress, then in times of high stress there is nothing for [Soldiers] to hang on to and that’s how people get hurt.”
    As part of the program, senior officers and noncommissioned from across the brigade gather at the Community Chapel during lunch hours for a discussion, every month.
    Fisher said before coming together to discuss the topics, leaders are given articles or sections of books to read ahead in order to be able to expand the discussions among each other.
    “Since the start of the program, we have discussed humility as it relates to leadership, consistency as it relates to building trust, and this month the importance of respect and trust,” said Fisher.
    To help elaborate on April’s topic, Fisher brought in a special guest to speak to the leaders.
    Lt. Col. Sean Wead, the deputy chaplain for the 101st Abn. Div. and former ethics assistant professor at the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, from 2012 to 2015, spoke to leaders about the importance of respect and trust within the military.
    “If we disrespect each other, we are not only hurting the Soldiers on our left and right, but the organization as a whole,” said Wead.
    Fisher agreed with Wead, and believes it’s a topic that needs to be discussed among leaders.
    “If Soldiers don’t respect and trust their leaders, we have a very big problem,” explained Fisher. “If those two things are missing, Soldiers will begin to doubt their commitment to the cause, commitment to the nation, and wonder why they decided to join; it all starts with trust and respect.”
    Like Fisher, Sgt. 1st Class Catherine N. Timbs, the supply NCO for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde., also believes that lack of trust and respect could result in greater issues between leaders and Soldiers.
    “If you don’t have trust or respect in a section or an entire organization, there will be a lack of communication,” said Timbs. “If Soldiers can’t trust [their leaders] during daily tasks and duties, when an issue arises they will most likely not go to those leaders for help, which sometimes can lead to even bigger problems.”
    Timbs, who has three junior Soldiers in her section, said that it’s important to get to know the Soldiers you work with in order to build that foundation of trust and respect.
    “Trust and respect isn’t something that should be demanded, it should be built,” explained Timbs. “Each Soldier has a different upbringing and what might be easy for one might be difficult for the other, which is why as leaders we need to know our Soldiers.”
    Although the program is new to the brigade, Fisher said he hopes to continue the training especially since leaders have been very receptive and open to the discussions.
    “[The program] has everything to do with readiness,” said Fisher. “If we aren’t personally ready to make a moral decision, how are we supposed to trust each other with protecting the Solider to the left and right of us.”
    Fisher said although the program focuses on senior officers and NCOs, the goal is for those leaders to take what they have learned and discussed and disseminate the lessons learned down the lowest level.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 05.05.2017
    Date Posted: 05.12.2017 14:16
    Story ID: 233675
    Location: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US

    Web Views: 23
    Downloads: 0

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