Courtesy Photo | Airmen from the 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, who attended the...... read more read more
The 2019 Joint Women’s Leadership symposium took place Aug. 22-23 in Washington, D.C. The 152nd Airlift Wing sent 10 women to represent the High Rollers and to bring back lessons learned.
With over 1,000 attendees, women and men, officers and enlisted, active duty, retired, and everything in between, it was the largest turnout the group has ever received. With speakers like former Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah Lee James, a panel of international officers from Australia, Sweden, and Denmark, and multiple General Officers, the guest list alone was extraordinary.
The two days consisted of multiple panels and breakout sessions that members could attend based on their particular interests. Some topics included: leadership and the pursuit of confidence, mentorship, understanding PTSD in women, uniform fit/function concerns, breaking barriers, various roles that men play in empowering women, dual military/civilian couples concerns, and many more valuable topics.
The symposium ended with an inspirational panel with four outstanding airmen who shared their stories of assault, survival, and resilience.
Capt. Megan Curry from the 152nd Operations Group attended and also co-wrote this article, said it was a valuable experience.
“Women have unique experiences that differ from our male counterparts’ and therefore bring unique perspectives,” Curry said. “Each one of us 10 women who were able to attend the symposium were grateful for the opportunity and feel inspired after such an experience. One of the major themes of the symposium was the importance of competency in your job and the role it plays in developing confident women in the military. Once a woman feels confident and subsequently empowered, she is then able to mentor the next generation and begin a cycle of success. The #JWLS2019 was an incredible experience for all of those who attended.”
Another attendee, Tech. Sgt. Rita Middleton, also from the 152nd Operations Group, was motivated to lead after attending.
“My biggest take away, lead fearlessly and do it while being authentically you,” Middleton said. “First, being fearless means to have the realization that you can have the tenacity and the grit to lead while still being true to yourself many times. We are afraid of being who we are in effort for people to like us, compiled with the fear of degrading our leadership styles -- when we are given the chance to lead. As a woman in a leadership role, it’s easy to feel like you have to change who you are to fit the mold. Learning to be authentic when leading allows people to see the real you and allows you to still have your convictions, beliefs and personal side while still making the hard decisions.”
For more information on the Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium or how to get involved, please contact Capt. Megan Curry in the 192nd Airlift Squadron @ megan.j.curry.mil@mail.mil.
| Date Taken: | 08.23.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 08.30.2019 17:16 |
| Story ID: | 338040 |
| Location: | RENO, NV, US |
| Web Views: | 205 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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