Followership: Be the light

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Ken O'Neil
  • 90th Security Forces Group deputy commander
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  Followership is this month's theme under the Year of Leadership, and I witnessed a pretty cool analogy as to what helps the follower "make it" in today's Air Force and move on to leadership.

The idea came to me while I was watching a documentary about sea turtles.

In the group with the largest number of first term Airmen, I've seen first-hand how newly hatched sea turtles and our first-duty-station Airmen face similar challenges while trying to follow.

The similarities between first-term Airmen and sea turtles show how trying the beginning can be for any newcomer. There are lots of obstacles, threats and challenges that stand between the newly hatched sea turtle and its ocean habitat.

It takes a little less than two weeks for our new Airmen to get through the First Term Airman Center program, whereas it takes the newly hatched sea turtle about the same amount of time to break out of its shell and climb through its sandy nesting spot to the surface of the beach.

Coincidence? I don't think so.

Whether the newcomer pops its head up on a sandy beach or into the front doors of its first unit of assignment ... the journey begins.

Ten minutes into the documentary on sea turtles you have to wonder how the fragile, newborn sea turtles make it to the water.

For the ones that make it, these turtles follow the reflection of the moon on the water and that bright light leads them to the ocean.

Our newly minted officers and junior Airmen also follow a light of sorts. They follow the light set by their first supervisor.

The supervisors must take a personal interest in helping the young Airmen make it through their own beach and make it to the ocean. They have to mentor, tutor, teach and guide them over the obstacles they'll encounter in their first enlistment and be strong and bright enough to pull the young Airmen back on track if they stray off course.

Newborn sea turtles may discriminate light intensities and head for the biggest, brightest light on the open horizon. Sometimes, they'll head for the local bonfire or nearby street lights, instead of the moon's reflection on the water, and this can lead to their untimely end.

An involved supervisor's light must be, let's say, brighter to Airmen than the other lights that they'll encounter along their journey, especially the lights that say "Joe's Bar" or any other local temptations that could pull the young Airmen outside of their core values and off course. A good supervisor's light is powered by his or her example, adherence to the core values and their involved leadership.

Newborn sea turtles rely on their instinct to make it through the sandy beach to the light over the water, trying to overcome the sand dunes, a hungry flock of sea gulls or a curious 8-year-old tourist.

Supervisors must know their followers, understand them, and be there for them ... guiding them all of the way.

For all of you supervisors out there ... be the light to our junior Airmen. Shine so bright that they will want to follow you, and only you ... and not follow the other distractions in their path. For all of you junior Airmen out there, follow them ... they'll take you places.