Developing Leaders

  • Published
  • By Maj. Elizabeth Magnusson
  • 944th Fighter Wing
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The 944th Fighter Wing recently hosted a Senior Non Commissioned Officer Leadership Course featuring a full weekend of group discussion and networking providing senior NCOs the opportunity to explore in depth communication, trust, teamwork and current Air Force Reserve Command leadership issues and initiatives.

This year the attending Airmen were treated to a special guest speaker, Col. Judith Patton, the 944th Medical Squadron commander.

"Col. Patton wasn't only chosen as the guest speaker because she is an outstanding leader," said Senior Master Sgt. Chin Cox, Superintendent for Nursing Services with the 944th Aeromedical Staging Squadron and this year's planner for the course. "She actually wrote the SNCO course when she herself was a SNCO."

"Col. Patton was amazing as always. She shared her story from Airman Basic to Master Sgt. and how her goal of becoming a Chief was derailed by an opportunity to get her commission," continued Cox. "It was intriguing to know she was the person who created the first SNCO Leadership Course."

Patton started her career in the reserves as an Airman Basic in 1982. She moved through the ranks until as a Master Sgt., with a career plan to achieve Chief Master Sgt., Patton changed directions when a Medical Service officer approached her about receiving her commission. Patton decided to pursue a commission through the Reserving Airman Commission into the Air Force Medical Service as a Medical Service Office and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in 1996.

"Air Force Reserve Command Professional Development Center approached me about writing the course when I was a Master Sgt. because I was a consultant in my civilian job. They wanted to consider integrating civilian leadership training with military leadership training since leadership skills should be "seamless," said Patton when asked about the origin of the course. "However, my father had just died unexpectedly and I told them I could not leave my mother. After some negotiation I did agree to a telecommuting arrangement to write the course."

After the course was completed, Patton spent the next year having it validated and delivering it throughout the Command. Once the course was approved Patton trained an initial cadre of facilitators (15) at Robins to run the course.

"My father had always taught me that the most important thing in life is not what you get, but what you give back," said Patton. "That is what Air Force leadership is about and that is what developing Air Force leaders is all about. So I dedicated the course to my father."

During her talk Patton also introduced the current group of SNCO's to what she refers to as the SNCO Leadership Toolbox.

Patton has three toolboxes. The first one is 'I have prepared myself and I am ready'. Her second toolbox is 'I have mentored others' and her third one is 'I have surrounded myself with great people'. Each toolbox has a list of questions to ask oneself to see if really are on the right path.

Sometimes we use certain tools and forget about other tools that will strengthen other areas to impact our effectiveness as leaders, Patton told the group.

"This program is very special to me and I really felt privileged to speak to the SNCO's," said Patton. "It is one of the most emotional things I have done in uniform and I feel so honored to have authored a program that has taken on a life of its own and continues to help SNCO's develop their leadership skills."


***

Patton has had a very diverse career in the Reserves. As an enlisted member Patton was a personnel specialist and Public Affairs Technician. Since becoming an officer Patton has fine tuned her skills as a Health Care Administrator and has been recognized throughout her career for her dedication and hard work as was demonstrated when she received the Donald B. Wagner Award, the highest honor in the Medical Service Corps.

Besides for being responsible for the development of the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Leadership Course, a voluntary professional development course which has been delivered to over 10,000 master sergeants, senior master sergeants and chief master sergeants in the Air Force Reserve Command, Patton was also involved in other leadership projects, including the International Junior Officer Leadership Development Seminar; the Reserve Component Junior Officer Leadership Development Program; Leadership Today and Tomorrow; and the Commanders/First Sergeant/Senior Air Reserve Technician (Triad) Seminar. Colonel Patton developed the Triad seminar, delivered twice a year to 250 leaders across the Air Force Reserve.