Liberty Command Chief awarded Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. J. LaVoie
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  The 48th Fighter Wing Command Chief, Jeffery Williams, was recently awarded the Bronze Star for his actions while serving as the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group Superintendent for four months.

According to the award citation, the unit projected A-10 attack and C-130 tactical airlift aircraft against enemy forces. This included more than 2,100 C-130 sorties and A-10s expending more than 75,000 munitions.

Though his unit was responsible for supporting two critical missions in Afghanistan, Chief Williams attributes the success to the people.

"[I received the award] because of what my people did," he said. "I got the Bronze Star, but that goes back to the people who worked for me, the 75th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and the 75th Fighter Squadron at Pope Air Force Base. I didn't pull a wrench. I didn't launch a jet. I didn't load a jet and I didn't fly any of those sorties. I guess what I did was act as a buffer. They did their job, and I ensured no one bothered them, so they could do their job."

Chief Williams tries to lead his people with four leadership theories.

"Lead by example -- I can't be hypocritical and tell you to do something I'm not willing to follow through with myself," he said. 

"Don't forget where you come from. Many people get to the top and are all enamored and develop an attitude of 'look at me I'm at the top.' I try not to be that way," he added.

"Think about how you want to be treated," he said. "Live by the golden rule we've all been taught."

Lastly he said, "Set challenging but attainable goals. I can lead you all day, but at the end of the day if you don't have a goal, or have a goal that's unattainable, you get lost. You loose focus."

Chief Williams also recommended two things Airmen can do to be better leaders. The first is to develop their communication skills.

"Communication is very, very important. If you don't communicate well your audience might take away something different than what you meant," he said. "Much like the child's game, when you whispered in someone's ear and the message went around the circle. By the time it got back to you, it was something completely different. It's the same way with leadership, if you don't communicate well, by the time things get all the way around, the message can be completely different."

Airmen wanting to hold leadership positions should also take advantage of any joint opportunity they can, according to the chief.

"Young Airmen today need to take advantage of Joint opportunities," he said "If you look at Iraq and Afghanistan, those are both joint opportunities going on right now. Joint is our future, so the more experience Airmen can get in that environment will help them become good leaders in that environment."

To get ready to work in that type of deployed environment, Chief Williams suggest Airmen do two things.

"[Airmen need to] get themselves ready physically and mentally," he said. "Deployments are being extend, some are lasting 120, I even seen some 365s come down. Get focused, get mentally energized and physically energized."