Photo By Master Sgt. Eric Burks | Mary-Foster Lewis guides First Sergeants from the 48th Fighter Wing and 501st Combat...... read more read more
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CAMBRIDGE, England -- First Sergeants from the 48th Fighter Wing and 501st Combat Support Wing visited the University of Cambridge, Dec. 6, 2019, for an end of year off-site forum to discuss council topics, engage with a Lakenheath Honorary Commander, and take a tour of historical sites around the campus and city.
Dr. Ian Lewis, University of Cambridge Director of Infrastructure Investmentand 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Honorary Commander, hosted the First Sergeants and delivered presentations on organizational talent utilization and crisis preparation.
Prior to his current position at the university, Lewis was employed by several diverse companies. As an executive at Merrill Lynch in New York from 2000-2005, Lewis was working just across the street from the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
If Lewis had not opted to skip a company press briefing next door, he would have been near the top floor of the North Tower that fateful morning.
Instead, he witnessed the tragedy unfold first-hand, before eventually leading a major crisis response effort as his corporation relocated operations and information from Ground Zero to an alternate location.
"His story was incredibly humbling," said Master Sgt. Jesse Evans, 48th Comptroller Squadron and Wing Staff Agencies First Sergeant. "I've never personally known anyone who was there on Sept. 11, so to hear the events from an eyewitness perspective was very moving."
Following Dr. Lewis' presentations, his wife Mary-Foster Lewis led the First Sergeants on a tour around the city center and Pembroke College.
Evans, visiting Cambridge for the first time, said Mrs. Lewis was an impressive tour guide.
"It was very interesting to learn the details of the city and university as we walked through," he said. "It really put the historical significance into perspective."
After lunch the First Sergeants returned to the University's Department of Land Economy for an interactive session on leadership insights.
Senior Master Sgt. Valerie Moore, 48th Medical Group First Sergeant, facilitated the "5 Voices" course on recognizing the characteristics of each communicative voice, identifying and building confidence in your foundational voice, and applying your leadership insights in communication with other foundational voices.
The idea for the community off-site came from Senior Master Sgt. Paul Veles, Jr., 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron First Sergeant, who then worked through Stephanie Robins, 48th Fighter Wing Community Relations Advisor, to coordinate the event with Lewis.
"This off-site had it all," said Senior Master Sgt. Jerry Glascock, 48th Component Maintenance Squadron First Sergeant. "It gave us an opportunity to build comradery, learn about English history during a walking tour of Cambridge, improve our leadership knowledge, eat great food, hear stories that pull on your heart strings, and develop insight into the dynamic personalities that we have on the council."
It also allowed the group to focus on our individual council members and where we would like to move forward as a team in the next year, he said.
"We consistently do a pretty amazing job of taking care of Airmen and each other, but often forget that we have to take care of ourselves to be at our best," Glascock said. "Hats off to Senior Master Sgt. Veles for the hard work."
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 12.17.2019 17:09 |
| Story ID: | 355973 |
| Location: | CAMBRIDGE, CAM, GB |
| Web Views: | 294 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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