To the men and women of AFMC,

I am most proud and honored to follow in the footsteps of General "Speedy" Martin and take command of Air Force Materiel Command.  I've known General Martin for many years.  We flew together at Holloman AFB when I was a first lieutenant and he was a captain.  Since then our careers have crossed paths a number of times.  He is an absolutely superb officer, and I consider him one of my most valued mentors.

I believe that General Martin has placed AFMC on exactly the right track.  His focus areas are spot on, and we will continue to march down the path that he established.  As I learn more about the Command and our focus areas, I may try to simplify or clarify certain areas, and I may accelerate our efforts in selected areas.  In the end, however, we will remain pretty much on the same track.

Immediately after the Change of Command on Friday, 19 August, I had the opportunity to meet with our HQ AFMC, Center, Air Base Wing, Test Wing, and Command Chief Master Sergeant leadership team.  It is an impressive team of dedicated professionals.  We are very lucky.  I shared a number of ideas with this team during our nearly 2-hour session, and I wanted to take time as part of my first Commander's Log to pass those ideas on to you ... the outstanding men and women of this great Command.

Change.  Our United States Air Force and the environment we operate in are, and will continue to be, constantly changing.  We can either get out in front of change, or we can let it drive our actions.  I believe we must do the former and continue to lead-turn change.

Open Command.  We must trust each other at every level of our Command--from my level all the way down to the Airman or AF civilian working on the shop floor, and then all the way back up the chain.  In order to ensure the high level of trust needed to succeed in today's environment, we must have a completely open command with no secrets and no hidden agendas.  I will operate in a completely open fashion.

Be Out and About.  Leaders must get to know their people ... and get them involved in day-to-day operations.  Leadership is a very personal business ... and requires a high level of personal, face-to-face interaction.  We also must have loyalty up and down the chain of command.  In past assignments, I have sometimes seen an absence of loyalty down the chain.  One way to prevent that is to ensure a high level of personal interaction.

People.  Good people are critical to any operation, and I'm happy to say that from what I've seen so far we have outstanding people in AFMC.  We need people who are healthy, educated, trained ... and ready to accomplish the mission.  We need people of honor, courage, and commitment.  Those character traits are not always present in the people we recruit and hire from our larger society, so we must make it a priority to build those traits within the people we lead ... through training and personal example.  I believe our people want to succeed and will do all they can to meet or exceed standards.  When they fail, it is almost always a result of a lack of training, a lack of guidance, and/or a lack of resources.

Continuous Process Improvement.  I will perhaps work hardest at my level to build a climate that inspires the best in our people--a climate of Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) at all levels of our Command.  Our entire Air Force will focus on CPI over the next many years, and AFMC has been on the leading edge of those efforts particularly in our Air Logistics Centers (ALC) where CPI is a reality and has altered the way our ALCs operate.  The magnificent performance results in our ALCs are not a result of doing more with less.  Instead, they are the result of focused efforts, by everyone involved, to eliminate waste and simplify processes.  If we give our people a stake in the outcome, as we did in the ALCs, I believe there is no limit to what they can and will achieve.  I'm very excited with what the future holds, and I'd like to see our Command take the lead on CPI efforts across the Air Force.

Performance Measurement.  I like to follow a simple, four-step philosophy when it comes to measuring performance:

        1.  When performance is measured ... performance improves.

        2.  When performance is measured and reported ... the rate of performance improves.

        3.  When performance is measured, reported, and compared ... the rate of performance
                  continues to improve.

        4.  When performance is measured, reported, and compared ... those who have improved
              performance the most will improve even more.

Leadership and Character.  Great leaders are men and women of great character, and integrity is the bedrock of character.

Our Command Style.  I talked earlier about the leadership climate, and there are a number of areas that I believe contribute to a positive leadership and work climate.

• Be the path of least resistance in getting the job done.
   
• Always, always, always be courteous--to everyone at all levels of command.
   
• There's no room for public displays of emotion in AFMC; never dress down people in public.
   
• Take care of yourself--physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.
   
• Be optimistic.
   
• You can never recover from a compromised truth.  Integrity is paramount.
   
• Belong to at least one professional association like the Air Force Association or the Air Force Sergeants Association.
   
• Laugh.  If you don't or can't, then you may need a change.
   
• Keep things short and simple--briefings, papers, etc.
   
• Know your business and ideas thoroughly ... and be able to explain highlights in 30 seconds.
   
• Timing is critical; great work submitted late is usually not helpful.
   
• We have two ears and one mouth for a reason:  Listen ... twice as much as you talk!
   
• There are no lousy units ... only lousy leaders!
   
• Remember ... your standards as Air Force Airmen are higher than anyone else's on the planet!  Live and model those high standards every day.

Standards We Must Never Violate.  Speaking of standards, there are five that I feel compelled to mention as your Commander.  They fit into the category of zero tolerance.  I hope we never experience a violation of these standards in AFMC, but if we do, violators can expect quick and forceful action.

        1.  Sexual Harassment.

        2.  Bigotry or Discrimination of Any Kind.

        3.  Fraternization.

        4.  Drug Abuse.

        5.  A Lack of Integrity.

Nothing destroys teamwork, pride, camaraderie, discipline, trust, and mission performance more than violations in these five areas.

I am proud and humbled to have the opportunity to continue serving in our Air Force ... to perform that service here in Air Force Materiel Command ... and to follow in the footsteps of my great friend and mentor--General Speedy Martin.

In the little more than one week I've been part of the AFMC team, I have already gained a deep respect for what you all do ... and how well you do it.  The Command vision--To be a valued team member ... of the world's most respected Air and Space Force--is alive and well!  I've been through nearly all of our HQ AFMC 2-letter directorates and have had a chance to personally meet many members of our HQ team.  Next week I'll begin visiting AFMC field units, and I will soon get out to our major Centers and main bases.  Vicki and I look forward to meeting as many of our great AFMC people as possible.

Our people are priceless.  When we lose one, it's devastating--to the mission, to the team, to the affected family members.  As your Commander, nothing is more important to me personally than the safety and well being of our AFMC people and their families.  Keep that in mind as we enter the final week of the 101 Critical Days of Summer.  Leaders ... please talk to your people face-to-face.  Encourage them to continue using Operational Risk Management techniques ... and to exercise good common sense and avoid unnecessary risks to themselves and their families.

I look forward to our time together in Air Force Materiel Command!

Be safe, be well ... and let's all be good Wingmen!

General Bruce Carlson