WEBVTT 00:00.483 --> 00:02.500 - A civic leader is someone that 00:02.500 --> 00:06.940 is extremely passionate about the military in general. 00:06.940 --> 00:09.930 - Some are retired Air Force, some are retired military, 00:09.930 --> 00:12.530 but mostly somebody from that community 00:12.530 --> 00:14.240 around an Air Force base. 00:14.240 --> 00:15.900 - It's a group of community leaders 00:15.900 --> 00:19.020 that have the ability to mobilize the community 00:19.020 --> 00:21.530 to support and also enhance the mission. 00:21.530 --> 00:22.870 - But therefore, by getting involved 00:22.870 --> 00:26.290 with their local base, they impact not only that base, 00:26.290 --> 00:29.600 but that numbered Air Force and then the entire Air Force. 00:29.600 --> 00:30.760 - [Brad] But at the end of the day it's about 00:30.760 --> 00:33.300 sharing one common passion and that's doing 00:33.300 --> 00:35.820 whatever we possible can do to ensure 00:35.820 --> 00:37.240 that we improve the quality of life 00:37.240 --> 00:38.905 for the airmen and their families. 00:38.905 --> 00:41.738 (inspiring music) 00:43.350 --> 00:44.930 - Commanders at different bases need 00:44.930 --> 00:46.990 to understand their civic leaders. 00:46.990 --> 00:48.400 First thing out, they need to seek 00:48.400 --> 00:51.810 to understand, versus to to be understood. 00:51.810 --> 00:55.990 - And if they will build those genuine, 00:55.990 --> 00:59.740 strong relationships, and reach out, 00:59.740 --> 01:01.370 then they've got a tremendous asset 01:01.370 --> 01:03.710 that they can deploy, to help them 01:03.710 --> 01:06.030 be successful during their time on base. 01:06.030 --> 01:08.040 - It's important for the wing commanders 01:08.040 --> 01:10.378 to understand the differences in 01:10.378 --> 01:13.150 the civic leader groups, so they know 01:13.150 --> 01:15.480 who can help 'em get things done 01:15.480 --> 01:18.930 and who they can trust within the community. 01:18.930 --> 01:20.570 - And it doesn't matter how good the base 01:20.570 --> 01:22.350 and community relationships are, 01:22.350 --> 01:24.620 it's absolutely essential for their wing commanders, 01:24.620 --> 01:27.080 they come in and out, for him or her 01:27.080 --> 01:28.310 to go out into that community 01:28.310 --> 01:30.560 and proactively engage on a number of things. 01:30.560 --> 01:33.120 - As soon as a commanding officer 01:33.120 --> 01:36.320 gets into a position, go ahead 01:36.320 --> 01:39.900 and first you gotta figure out where you are, 01:39.900 --> 01:41.490 your mission, your people there, 01:41.490 --> 01:44.570 but then the next thing, and as quickly as possible, 01:44.570 --> 01:47.740 is to meet with your local key influencers. 01:47.740 --> 01:49.930 - There's several social organizations too, 01:49.930 --> 01:51.350 that they can get involved with, 01:51.350 --> 01:52.850 as new comers come to the base 01:52.850 --> 01:54.440 or students come to the base. 01:54.440 --> 01:57.210 So, I think it's those opportunities 01:57.210 --> 02:00.010 from their staff and the former wing commander 02:00.010 --> 02:02.600 of which groups to get involved with. 02:02.600 --> 02:06.830 - The benefit, of having a good civil leaders program, 02:06.830 --> 02:09.200 is that there is an understanding. 02:09.200 --> 02:11.310 There's an understanding on the base, 02:11.310 --> 02:13.300 as to what's happening outside the base, 02:13.300 --> 02:15.440 and there's an understanding outside the base, 02:15.440 --> 02:17.650 what's happening inside the base. 02:17.650 --> 02:18.990 So that's the whole thing, 02:18.990 --> 02:21.710 it's knowledge, it's understanding. 02:21.710 --> 02:24.380 - And as long as they're proactively engaged, 02:24.380 --> 02:26.210 in regular communication, regardless 02:26.210 --> 02:28.320 of how good things are going, 02:28.320 --> 02:31.990 I think that will ultimately lead to a successful program. 02:31.990 --> 02:33.210 The other thing that they need to do 02:33.210 --> 02:35.210 is make sure that those individuals 02:35.210 --> 02:37.447 are actively involved in understanding 02:37.447 --> 02:40.030 the nuances of that particular mission. 02:40.030 --> 02:42.340 Let 'em be hands on, let 'em be active. 02:42.340 --> 02:44.390 - They like to be involved, but they have 02:44.390 --> 02:46.070 to know where the need is. 02:46.070 --> 02:48.130 They need to know if there's a deployment. 02:48.130 --> 02:50.320 They need to know where a need might be, 02:50.320 --> 02:53.780 like to feed security forces on a holiday. 02:53.780 --> 02:55.470 - And have those regular communications. 02:55.470 --> 02:58.560 It all boils down to familiarity breeds trust. 02:58.560 --> 03:00.270 And so whenever that wing commander builds 03:00.270 --> 03:03.640 that relationship, then whenever they do need something, 03:03.640 --> 03:04.920 they've already got the contacts 03:04.920 --> 03:06.340 and the ability to reach out 03:06.340 --> 03:08.460 and garner that particular support. 03:08.460 --> 03:11.400 So you develop a relationship. 03:11.400 --> 03:14.420 And to develop a relationship you have to develop trust. 03:14.420 --> 03:15.960 And the only way you can develop trust 03:15.960 --> 03:18.510 is you have to make each other vulnerable at times. 03:18.510 --> 03:19.990 You have to share information. 03:19.990 --> 03:22.720 Those relationships not only you develop then 03:22.720 --> 03:25.120 but those relationships that you carry on 03:25.120 --> 03:28.240 for the rest of your Air Force career can be great. 03:28.240 --> 03:33.050 - Everybody has a strong desire to want to give back. 03:33.050 --> 03:35.970 And I think, if anything that the wing commanders need 03:35.970 --> 03:38.210 to understand is, is that, everybody 03:38.210 --> 03:40.960 that's currently volunteering to do that, 03:40.960 --> 03:42.960 wants to make sure that the Air Force 03:42.960 --> 03:45.990 and the military at large, is successful. 03:45.990 --> 03:49.210 - I'm really honored to get to be an Air Force civic leader. 03:49.210 --> 03:52.540 - There's no amount of time I can donate 03:52.540 --> 03:55.320 or volunteer for that will ever repay 03:55.320 --> 03:56.590 one service member and their family 03:56.590 --> 03:58.680 for what they do for our country. 03:58.680 --> 04:02.600 - I appreciate the airmen and everything they do. 04:02.600 --> 04:04.860 And I believe, that it's our responsibility, 04:04.860 --> 04:07.380 as civilians, to support our military. 04:07.380 --> 04:09.020 - But understand that we're there, 04:09.020 --> 04:12.780 to do whatever we can to be that bridge 04:12.780 --> 04:16.110 and to be able to advocate on behalf of them, 04:16.110 --> 04:18.110 so that they can be successful and accomplishing 04:18.110 --> 04:19.370 not only their professional mission, 04:19.370 --> 04:21.769 but their personal mission as well. 04:21.769 --> 04:24.936 (inspirational music)