BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Air Force Global Strike Command hosted the annual Striker Stripe leadership development conference on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Sept. 11-14, 2017.
During the conference, some of the best and brightest non-commissioned officers from across AFGSC had the opportunity to develop personal and leadership skills as well as hear from senior military leaders including Gen. Robin Rand, Air Force Global Strike Command commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Calvin Williams, AFGSC command chief.
Some of the major themes throughout the conference included teaching supervisors to be more involved with Airmen and to continuously develop themselves as leaders.
“The Striker Stripe course was a great developmental program that I believe helped me grow not only as a leader and Airman, but on a personal level as well,” said Technical Sergeant Thomas Trower, AFGSC Public Affairs NCO in charge of plans and requirements.
The Airmen were also reminded of the AFGSC mission and how they fit into the big picture.
While Striker Stripe helps NCOs learn new leadership skills and ways to more effectively accomplish the mission, the principles and values presented at the conference are designed to benefit all AFGSC Airmen.
"Information is power if you apply it,” Williams said. “We cannot bring every Airman in the command, so we bring the best and the brightest to go back and talk to their team."
By providing knowledge and counsel to frontline supervisors the conference aims to benefit motivated NCOs to apply the lessons they learned and take that knowledge home to share with future leaders.
“I appreciated how much they stressed taking care of yourself along with your subordinates, because just like in every commercial airline safety demo, you have to put your own mask on first to be able to help someone beside you,” Trower said. “The course was different from typical military PME in that effect and I think that makes it time well spent. I'd definitely recommend other NCOs engage with their leadership for consideration in attending the next class.”