LEADERSHIP THROUGH ADVERSITY

1
LEADERSHIP THROUGH ADVERSITY

• CSM Jeffrey S. Miller
• HQ USAG Battalion Command Sergeant Major
• Forts McPherson/Gillem

2
Adversity is the true test of leadership while
defining the meaning of friendship JSM
3
(No Transcript)
4
ADVERSITY DEFINED BY SPC JAY

• ADVERSTIY IS DEFINED AS A STROKE OF ILL
  FORTUNE,A CALAMITOUS EVENT OR AFFLICTION
• ADVERSTIY DEFINES CHARACTER- GOOD CHARACTER IS
  WELCOME AND RESPECTED FOR WHICH IN TURN,

friendship develops among friends!
5

• Leadership that demonstrates good character
• has the capacity to handle adversity under any
  circumstance . . . march or die, never quit,
• and failure is not an option

6
O I F I
30TH MEDICAL BRIGADE
7

• Smooth seasdo not make skillful sailors
• AFRICAN PROVERB

8
The Washington Post

• ON FEBRUARY 18, 2007, DANA PRIEST AND ANNE HULL
  OF THE WASHINGTON POST NEWSPAPER EXPOSED
  DEGRADING CONDITIONS AT WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL
  CENTER FOR OUTPATIENT IRAQ WAR VETERANS. THE
  STORY CAUSED AN UPROAR ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
  AND RESULTED IN THE RESIGNATION OF SECRETARY OF
  THE ARMY, MR. FRANCIS J. HARVEY
• THE STORY EXPOSED THE EXISTENCE OF MOLD, MICE AND
  RUST IN OUTPATIENT FACILITIES AND SHOWED THE
  PRESENCE OF THE DETERIORATING CONDITIONS FOR
  WOUNDED SOLDIERS AND VETERANS. THIS RESULTED IN
  SEVERAL INVESIGATIONS BY REPRESENTATIVE HENRY
  WAXMAN (D-CA), WHO CHAIRED THE UNITED STATES
  HOUSE COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT
  REFORM IN THE HOUSE AND BY SENATOR CARL
  LEVIN (D-MI), ON THE SENATE SIDE, WHO CHAIRED THE
  UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
• REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS JOINED HANDS IN
  CRITICIZING THE RESPECTIVE PARTIES RESPONSIBLE
  FOR THE CONDITIONS THERE. THIS PROMPTED PRESIDENT
  GEORGE W. BUSH TO APPOINT FORMER SENATE MAJORITY
  LEADER AND 1996 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SENATOR
  BOB DOLE (R-KS) AND FORMER UNITED STATES
  SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DONAL
  SHALALA TO OVERSEE THE PROCESS OF HEALTHCARE FOR
  WOUNDED SOLDIERS

9
(No Transcript)
10
WRAMC BUILDING 18

• BRAC
• A-76 LOST APPEAL PROCESS
• LOSS OF 250 CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
• HIRING FREEZE
• 5 OUT OF 54 ROOMS EFFECTED BY HVAC SYSTEM
• 2ND RENTOVATION 2005 WITH DEDICATED MAINTANCE
  PERSONNEL

11
(No Transcript)
12
WRAMC BUILDING 18

• DPW DROPPED 250 WORK ORDERS FROMTHE SYSTEM
• LAST DOD INSPECTION IN AUG 2006.
• QUARTERLY EXTERMINATOR VISITS

13

• There is no education
• like adversity

. . . DISRAELI
14
The Perfect Storm
15
WALTER REED

• BRAC
• A-76
• MILITARY TO CIVILIAN TRANSFORMATION
• MAXIMUM PATIENT FILL RATE FOR OIF/OEF
• 190 SOLDIERS LOST IN FY06 AND FY07
• SOLDIERS FILLED AT 75 TO 80 STRENGTH
• 150 SOLDIERS DEPLOYED OR TASKED
• AVERAGED 10 TO 15 SENIOR NCOs WITH APPROVED
  RETIREMENTS

16
WALTER REED continued

• OVER 6,000 SOLDIERS TREATED
• AVERAGED 650 TO 870 OUT PATIENTS
• E-5 (P) AND STAFF SERGEANTS BECAME MED HOLD PLT
  SERGEANTS
• MED BDE REQUESTED BATTALLION SIZE ELEMENT TO
  HANDLE OUTPATIENT LOAD (WARRIOR TRANSITION
  BRIGADE)
• 400,000 CASE LOAD BACK UP ON NEW BENEFITS CLAIMS
  IN FY06 ACCORDING TO VA
• THERE ARE ONLY THREE PHYSICAL EVALUATION BOARD
  SYSTEMS CURRENTLY 5,000 CASES WITH 70 EMPLOYEES

17
(No Transcript)
18
WALTER REED continued

• MAJOR PAST REPORTS BY COMMISSIONS, TASK FORCES ,
  AND COMMITTEES
• 1999, MAY 2000, MAY 2003, MAR 2004, SEPT 2004,
  JAN 2005, APR 2005, MAY 2005, MAY 2005, JUN 2005,
  SEPT 2005, SEPT 2005, OCT 2005, APR 2006, JUN
  2006, SEPT 2006
• MARCH 2006 U.S. GAO-06-315 VA AND DOD HEALTH
  CARE IMPROVED OVERSIGHT NEEDED TO ENSURE
  CONSISTANT AND TIMELY OUTCOMES FOR RESERVE AND
  ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS

19

• Adversity introduces a man to himself . . .
  Author Unknown

20
HOW DO YOU LEAD THROUGH ADVERSITY

• RESPONSIBILITY
• ACCOUNTABILITY
• TRUST
• DEMONSTRATE COMPETENCE
• BE A TEAM MEMBER
• KNOW CIRCUMSTANCES
• AVOID FURTHER MISTAKES

21
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR ADVERSITY

• KNOW YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM

The best executive is the one who has sense
enough to pick good men to do what he wants done,
and self-restraint enough to keep frommeddling
with them while they do it . . . Theodore
Roosevelt

• MAINTAIN DOCUMENTATION
• MEDIA PREPARATION

22
IN DEALING WITH THE MEDIA THE SUCCESSFUL ARMY
LEADER WILL
Bottom Line

• PREPARE FOR EACH AND EVERY MEDIA EVENT
• PRACTICE THE BAD NEWS RULE MAXIMUM DISCLOSURE-
  MINIMUM DELAY
• CHALLENGE INCORRECT INFORMATION AND UNWARRANTED
  NEGATIVE COVERAGE
• KNOW YOUR GOOD NEWS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE
  MEDIAS GOOD NEWS AND IF YOU DONT FILL THE
  SPACE, THE MEDIA WILL FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL
• ALWAYS KNOW ANSWERS TO THE THREE BEST QUESTIONS
  AND THE THREE WORST QUESTIONS YOU WANT ASKED

23
HOW DO YOU OVERCOME ADVERSITY

• ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
• REASSURANCE
• COMMUNICATION
• HANDLE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS
• AVOID RUMMERS
• CONSTANT SELF EVALUATION

24
(No Transcript)
25
HOW DO YOU CONTROL FEAR, ANGER, DESPAIR AND PANIC

• COMMUNICATE WITH STAFF
• KEEP STAFF PRODUCTIVE
• GIVE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO PERCEPTIONS
• ACT DECISIVELY

the key is not to make quick decisions, but to
make timely decisions . . . Colon Powell

• AFTER ACTION REVIEWS (AARS)

26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)