“The time for action is now. It is never too late to do something.” In the season 7 premiere episode of Constant Elevation, I share my thoughts on opportunities with the communications community that I am sensing right in front of us, and if we don’t act on them immediately, we may not be as prepared for the high-end fight as we would prefer. I’m also excited to announce new merch, visit the links below to purchase your limited edition #CSWS morale patch now!
To the OG Constant Elevation audience members, MAHALO for tuning in to my show. This is crazy that I’ve produced 125 episodes, but this is still fun to me, so let’s keep it rolling. To the new Constant Elevation audience members, ALOHA. This little corner of the world is reserved for my thoughts, pains, wins, and everything in between. I hope you can find a “diamond in the rough” within my stream of consciousness that will help you rise to your potential.
Cutting the chase and getting to the most exciting part of my return for Season 7: NEW MERCH! For a limited time, you can purchase your own piece of that “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” mentality with a custom morale patch from yours truly.
These patches are made by Reaper Patches, a Nevada-based business that specializes in Print on Demand (PoD) Military patches. We only manufacture our patches in the United States. These patches are also produced with The Institute of Heraldry (TIOH) cables (threads). These threads meet Department of Defense (DoD) standards and are Berry Amendment Compliant.
Purchase your limited edition #CSWS patch now!
Ok, now back to our regularly scheduled program. Probably the most significant piece of news that happened since the conclusion of Season 6 is…my injury. So there I was…in the midst of protecting my family…protecting innocents within a freak firestorm…tested beyond my mental capacity with the strongest adversary I have ever encountered…juuuust kidding. During the last week of March, I sprained it during unit PT playing volleyball. Iknowright?! Not only did I sprain it, but I have some avulsion fractures in my foot. On the good side: no surgery or cast is needed. Just time to recover and be smart on the recovery path to not push things too fast. The latter will be tough, but so far I have seen marked progress and will continue to find that balance to healing myself to support the long-term fitness goals I have set for myself. But enough of that, let’s move on.
To say I’ve been busy would be an understatement. I knew before I took my break that I had some major engagements at work that I would need to focus on to ensure that I approached them with my full focus and intent. My personal injury aside, there were three things (#IYKYK) that I’m excited to be a part of at work and will focus my energy towards:
Transformation within the Air Force Communications field – We are at a distinct crossroads where decisions will be made that will fundamentally change how Communications career fields are built, employed, and deployed within the Air Force. Great power competition requires us to reshape our tactics, techniques, and procedures, but most importantly…our mindsets. Events like XCOMM Roundup 2023 have proven that Airmen on the frontlines are innovating without being prompted (but sometimes through flashbangs) to figure out a solution within contested and degraded conditions to accomplish the mission. We must develop combat-minded Airmen that will perform their jobs from various foxholes all with lethal intent. No longer should we be a career field that creates individuals that embody “Jack of all trades, master of none.” We must foster teams of Communicators that understand their roles in the larger picture of the Air Force and perform their jobs with innovation and agility with minimal oversight.
Convergence of Enterprise Information Technology and Warfighting Communications within the Air Force – Currently, our division within the Directorate of Cyberspace and Information Dominance, Air Combat Command (ACC/A6) serves a very unique role that can combine two communities that are dependent on each other…but may not realize it. Furthermore, as Lead Command for cyberspace operations, ACC/A6 has the ability to champion the convergence of well-intentioned, yet currently disparate, initiatives to advance capabilities dependent on data and IT that would otherwise continue to grow in stovepipes. By working with our operational teammates, we will create frameworks to determine the “best of breed” ideas that will synchronize our capabilities as an Air Force. By no means will this be quick or easy…but nothing worth doing rarely is.
Understanding the opportunity we have as Lead Command for Cyber – The warfighting capabilities of the Air Force continue to be dependent on the security, operations, and defense of cyber terrain. Through cyber (amongst other warfighting domains), information warfare becomes the priority to be lethal through the entire spectrum of competition and conflict. These dependencies also introduce opportunities for convergence, both for efficiency and effectiveness. However, navigating this terrain is extremely complex as there are multiple parties doing great work in parallel, but not always in a deliberate and synchronized manner. With Air Combat Command being designated as Lead Command for Cyber, my intent is to use that responsibility to drive transformation and change across the Air Force as fast as possible. General Brown has already given us the edict to “Accelerate Change Or Lose,” so let’s get after it!
Finally, there is one thought I’ve had that has been slowly but surely becoming stronger in my head: I’m growing more and more confident in my role and ability to lead. This is not to say that I haven’t been confident before in the leadership roles I have been fortunate enough to serve in. That’s far from the truth. Specifically, I’m understanding how to navigate and operate as a Colonel. My previous mentors told me that my first year as a Colonel would have a strong learning curve, and they were right. I always strive to use my powers for good, as great power comes with great responsibility. I never claim to have the right answers, but I am committed to working with like-minded teammates to find the right answers, even if mistakes happen along the way. If I can provide top-cover to some brilliant ideas all the way through contact, I consider that a success. I’m looking forward to season 7 of Constant Elevation to share my insights and stories on we can rise to be the leaders we are destined to be.
And go buy your #CSWS morale patch now!