DAF senior leaders discuss quality of life, modernizing forces > United States Space Force > Article Display

Alex Wagner, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Power for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Chief Grasp Sgt. of the House Power John Bentivegna, and Chief Grasp Sgt. of the Air Power David Flosi and hosted a quality-of-life hearth chat on the Air Power Sergeants Affiliation Summit 2024 in Houston, Texas, Aug. 13, 2024.

Every senior chief outlined that the Division of the Air Power should tackle high quality of life points to win in as we speak’s advanced warfighting setting. In addition they mentioned numerous initiatives geared toward enhancing the wellbeing of navy member and their households.

“High quality of life is basically about setting circumstances for Airmen, Guardians and their households to achieve success,” Flosi mentioned. “It’s foundational. We are able to’t speak about readiness with out setting these circumstances proper … It’s an integral a part of what every service member wants, and we’re completely centered on getting it proper.”

Through the hearth panel, Flosi touched on how the Air Power and House Power have labored to institute insurance policies and develop a tradition that guarantee Airmen and Guardians are extremely centered and able to compete, and the way integral the quality-of-life of service members contributes to the quality-of-service the division wants.

One other key element every of the leaders talked about was holistic readiness, and the way the division should acknowledge and tackle elements that might negatively have an effect on service members’ means to be prepared and ready.

“We should be prepared as we speak,” Flosi mentioned. “We should proceed to coach, train, qualify, and certify extra as a unit. This will increase demand in garrison to make it obligatory for us to study our downrange mission at once.”

The three senior leaders emphasised the Division will need to have a brand new mindset that depends on the readiness and resiliency of Airmen, Guardians and their households to bolster the Air Power’s and House Power’s means to discourage and, if obligatory, win in opposition to a near-peer adversary.

“Our focus is on Nice Energy Competitors…all that comes all the way down to readiness,” Wagner mentioned. “How will you be prepared when you’re apprehensive whether or not or not you find the money for within the checking account to assist your loved ones? How will you be prepared when you’re apprehensive whether or not or not your youngsters are going to be taken care of if you’re working full time?”

Wagner continued by describing how partner employment alternatives and higher childcare choices are key areas for him and his group as they work on insurance policies and applications that assist navy households.

He additionally talked about how the quality-of-life challenges Airmen face differ by location to location. For instance, the Division lately carried out Chilly Climate Task Incentive Pay for seven installations and are engaged on different applications to assist tackle and remove monetary hardships Airmen and Guardians face.

The House Power can also be selling the “Worth of Service,” and Bentivegna underlined how the House Power Values and the Division of the Air Power’s Holistic Well being Strategy are interconnected features that Guardians should keep to achieve their full potential, starting from after they’re Primary Navy Coaching trainees to life post-service.

“To turn out to be the very best model of your self, it’s important to prioritize your wellbeing,” emphasised Bentivegna. “Sustaining stability and well being throughout all pillars is essential.”

Bentivegna defined the transition from civilian to Guardian life is the preliminary stage the place warfighters construct the resiliency they want and prepares them for the challenges they could face later of their profession. He additionally described that it’s necessary for Guardians to embrace the Holistic Well being Strategy the service promotes as a result of it instantly contributes to the service’s warfighting functionality.

“We’re cultivating a tradition that encourages our members to try for private excellence, which finally interprets to service readiness,” he mentioned. “This can be a key side of our price proposition, as is the Guardian Expertise that we’re working to outline – the essence of what it means to be a Guardian within the House Power.”

Each Bentivegna and Wagner spoke in regards to the House Power Personnel Administration Act, which is able to enable for Air Power Reservists in sure space-related profession fields to combine into the active-duty House Power, permitting for each full- and part-time service choices.

They each additionally highlighted the way it each improves the warfighting capabilities of the service and incentivizes the private development and objectives of Guardians.

As Bentivegna defined, “This strategy not solely helps us retain prime expertise by offering flexibility and choices, but in addition streamlines our processes to scale back bureaucratic limitations. In doing so, we intention to create a extra environment friendly and conducive setting for our members to thrive as Guardians.”

Wagner added the act will supply the drive the flexibility to retain individuals and develop abilities inside and outdoors of the House Power that instantly profit the service.

“It presents the House Power the flexibility to have a kind of one that shouldn’t be solely in a position to prioritize necessary milestones of their life or challenges of their life … after which come again and convey these abilities again into the drive,” Wagner mentioned.

This panel highlighted recruiting efforts, partner employment, and furthering the id of what it means to be an Airman and a Guardian, however the resonating theme was that caring for Airmen, Guardians and their households as we speak and into tomorrow is what is going to make the Air Power and House Power prepared and succesful within the face of pacing challenges.