Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jennifer Milnes | Vicki Inman is presented with a rosary blessed by Pope Francis during the...... read more read more
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U.S. Army Africa Command Sgt. Maj. Jeremiah Inman, who relinquished his position on Nov. 6, was born in the small town of Moose Creek, Alaska. His father was assigned to the Aleutian Islands near the end of World War II and decided to remain in the state as he enjoyed the sparse population.
Inman, however, wanted to see the world and chose to enlist in the Army following high school because he viewed it as family tradition and wanted to get out on his own, leave the small town and begin his career.
“My grandparents, father, and brother were all Soldiers,” Inman said. “The Army just made sense. And now both of my kids are Soldiers.”
Over thirty-two years of service later, Inman has held leadership positions at all levels throughout his enlisted career. Those years of experience molded his leadership style and prepared him for his journey in the USARAF community.
“I think all of my prior assignments formed how I led here,” Inman said.
“If you’re in charge of four people, you may need to adjust your leadership style to reach each of those individuals,” he stated. “Some Soldiers you can have a conversation with and be good to go, some need to be coddled, and some need tough love.”
Reflecting on his time in the Vicenza area, he hesitates to take credit as an individual, but insists that it is the command team who has impacted the community and strengthened the relationships with the African partner nations.
“I’ve seen a confidence level in the African enlisted corps grow quite a bit in the last two years and I’ve known some of those guys for at least three years,” continued Inman.
After attending a conference in August, he saw noticeable differences in the confidence the senior enlisted leaders across Africa had developed in themselves to help advise their commanders.
It was last year’s African Land Forces Summit in Botswana that had the most impact on him, however.
Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Gilpin, the previous USARAF command sergeant major, started inviting senior enlisted leaders to the summit in 2017. The first year enlisted were invited to the summit, there were only nine attendees. That number has since grown to approximately 20, with even more expected for ALFS 2020.
“In Botswana, we had our own breakout sessions to talk about truly important topics across our armies,” Inman said. “Discussion topics included gender integration, equal opportunity, enlisted empowerment, self-care and resiliency, among other topics.”
Generals from several African armies approached Inman at the conclusion of the summit to discuss how the enlisted were talking about the important topics that affect all armies. Inman said that those topics were key to get senior enlisted leaders talking about what really matters when leading others.
One of the key topics they emphasized throughout the summit was the importance of diversity among peers.
“If you limit anybody, you’re limiting talent,” Inman said. “If you’re ostracizing someone based on their religion or skin color, then you’re cutting people out who can really contribute to what’s important – defense of the homeland.”
Now, half a world away from his childhood home, as Inman finishes his assignment with USARAF and prepares for his next duty station, the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan, he looks forward to watching the enlisted leadership continue to develop throughout the U.S. Africa Command area of operation.
“AFRICOM has laid out the African Enlisted Development Strategy and I hope to see focus on that strategy so we don’t lose any momentum,” he said.
He also said that in regards to leading troops and being an enlisted leader, presence is key.
“When you’re there, you need to be there, and when you’re gone, your presence needs to remain so your Soldiers can continue to move things forward,” he said.
He concluded that his favorite part of leading enlisted had to be watching Soldiers grow.
“It’s like watching your child figure something out on their own,” Inman said. “And when you see that young Soldier who is now a sergeant and taking control of their squad or team and developing them, watching them grow ... that’s the best.”
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2019 11:40 |
| Story ID: | 350685 |
| Location: | IT |
| Hometown: | VICENZA, IT |
| Hometown: | MOOSE CREEK, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 836 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USARAF CSM Relinquishes Responsibility, by SFC Jennifer Milnes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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