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Command Post What is this?
Posted on Jun 24, 2015
Brig Gen John Michel
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MSgt John Grollimund
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BGen Michel,
Greetings from Grand Forks ND! Congratulations on your recent Retirement.
With RPA taking on a larger role in all facets of surveillance and ground support in the AOR, do you see a larger need for RPA missions and possibility of intermixing combat RPA for air superiority?
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Brig Gen John Michel
Brig Gen John Michel
>1 y
Absolutely! We all understand technology is the present and the future...it's a force multiplier in the military and business. No industry will survive (much less thrive) without ongoing investments in tomorrow's twxhnogy. We are just scratching the surface of RPA application...it is very, very exciting business.
My best to The Warriors of the North!
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MSgt Robert Pellam
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Sir, As someone who has retired in the last couple of years, I am currently a full time student at Charleston Southern College. I find myself in a student teacher, and mentor roll during the semester with young men and women in my class.

My question, what is the best way to impart wisdom on these students who do not have a common military background? What is the best way to follow up on them; should I be obvious, or should I watch from a distance?
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Brig Gen John Michel
Brig Gen John Michel
>1 y
Great question! I recommend you do a combination of both. For example, make it clear to those you are privileged to spend time with you are passionate about leadership development...your own and others. Be willing to share experiences when asked or invited to do so. But go out and proactively establish yourself as an interested participant by contributing to blogs, offering to assist organizations on campus that could benefit from your diverse skills. You don't even have to use the word leadership...people know leadership when they see it.
Bottom line: remain attentive to opportunities to lend a hand, an ear, or an opinion. People are starved for the real (leadership) deal!
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TSgt Joshua Copeland
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Thank you for taking the time to do a Q&A with the folks here at RallyPoint Brig Gen John Michel!

You well known for your GeneralLeadership.com blog, can you tell us about the leaders and mentors that most influenced you in the art of Leadership?
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Brig Gen John Michel
Brig Gen John Michel
>1 y
I would love to! The most significant role model in my life is my father...who served 30 years in the AF...retiring as a Command Chief Master Sergeant. He is the epitome of a Sevant...or what I term an "Others-Centered" leader. People were, and remain, his priority.

I also had the good fortune do serving with a host of individuals, some contemporaries, some peers, some bosses, who I respect immensely. These include Gen Will Fraser, Gen Joe Dunford, Gen Paul Selva, Col Matt Fritz, Col SHIP Lasica, CAPT Jamie Pierce, and A handful of others I would flow anytime, anywhere. #Blessed
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TSgt Joshua Copeland
TSgt Joshua Copeland
>1 y
Brig Gen John Michel, simply awesome!
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Col Matthew Fritz
Col Matthew Fritz
>1 y
Honored by the mention, Sir! Thanks for your servant leadership example, Brig Gen John Michel
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LCDR Gordon Brown
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A comment with a question; Flag level Veterans are conspicuously absent from the battles raging over the VA healthcare issues. I am very curious if you might know why Flag level retirees fail to help, especially since without strong, solid enlisted personnel many of them would have never reached 0-7 and above?
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SSG Trevor S.
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General Michel,
Now that you are retired, have you found adjusting between civilian and military acceptable leadership to be a challenge of cultural adaptation? Do you have any tips for transitioning leaders to make this adaptation process easier?
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Brig Gen John Michel
Brig Gen John Michel
>1 y
Admitting, my transition was not as challenging as I have always enjoyed a more "business centric" approach to achieving outcomes. That said, I believe service members can help mitigate the transition "disruption" by making it a priority to expose themselves to varied people, platforms, and opportunities while serving. For example, commit to regularly contributing to a blog, take a class outside your comfort zone, join your local rotary club and improve your public speaking skills...you got the point. I have found that the The broader our skills base, the less daunting change (i.e., transition) from one life stage to another becomes.
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SSG James Yellis
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Sir, we've talked a little on other social media,but I would like to know where you see out Military in 3-5 yrs with all the cut backs and more down sizing?
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Brig Gen John Michel
Brig Gen John Michel
>1 y
Absolutely leaner, more specialized and even more integrated as a joint force. We will leverage technology, outsource more traditional organic capabilities (engineering, IT, HR, finance, with) to the civilian sector and focus more on adaptive, lethal and non lethal applications of military power globally.
Great question!
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SSG James Yellis
SSG James Yellis
>1 y
Thanks SIR
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SPC Margaret Higgins
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Sir, I am the coach of a 'Group for Suicidal Active Duty and for Suicidal Veterans.' How do you propose that we drastically reduce (Down to none, if possible.) The number of Active Duty and Veterans who take their lives each day.
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SPC Margaret Higgins
SPC Margaret Higgins
>1 y
Sergeant, It includes the Veteran sector. Thanks for asking.
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SGT Bryon Sergent
SGT Bryon Sergent
>1 y
Was meaning the Guard and Reserves. Seen some numbers the other day. AC has like 1.4 m personnel. Where do you think the Guard and Reserves set? Almost 900,000. Surprising right, We have a family, work a full time job and then Deploy. We also train for the same missions as the Active component. AC has 52 weeks. We have 52 Days! Not included are all the times we take it upon ourselves to better our career and go to college and do the required Self Structured Development courses that SHOULD BE IN THE SCHOOL room but they decided to take it out!
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SPC Margaret Higgins
SPC Margaret Higgins
>1 y
Sergeant, I really don't want to argue about this. I consider The National Guard and the Reserves to be Active Duty.
When ANYONE related to the military commits suicide; I regard it as a tragedy that exceeds bounds.
I created my group; because one soldier too many was committing suicide.
I could not, and cannot, bear that fact.
http://www.facebook.com/groupforsuicidalactivedutyandforsuicidalveterans
By the way, Sergeant, Anyone is welcome to join my group. And they do.
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Brig Gen John Michel
Brig Gen John Michel
>1 y
First, thanks for your commitment to this important effort. Second, although one life taken at ones own hand is one too many, I agree that striving to reduce the Suicide rate to well below that national mean is attainable. With that in mind, and with so many great programs existing, I believe finding ways to enhance genuine human connection via practice prevention is the best remedy. For example, I believe offering skills and development training such as EQ (emotional Intelligence), strengths finder, etc., provide improved self awareness and socia awareness while concurrently providing growth in areas values across society...business, personal relationships, team interaction, etc. ultimately, I am convinced a healthy dose of investment in opportunities to become Bette "humans" will provide some of those prone to suicide with greater confidence, courage, and capability to reach out effectively for help.
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SGT James Elphick
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Edited >1 y ago
As far as I know the Afghan Air Force will have helicopters, both transport and gun ships, as well as the Super Tucano for close air support, are there any capabilities that their air force will be lacking in their on-going fight against the Taliban?
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Brig Gen John Michel
Brig Gen John Michel
>1 y
Thanks for the question. From an air power standpoint, our Afghan partners have the right mix of capabilities. The challenge they may encounter is sufficient numbers of airframes to respond to demand across the country.
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Brig Gen John Michel
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Apologize for the momentary bleak out...trapped in a 3 hour late last minute excursion into holding American Airlines flight.
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TSgt Joshua Copeland
TSgt Joshua Copeland
>1 y
Brig Gen John Michel, we all appreciate you taking some of you extremely valuable time to mentor us!
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Maj Operations Flight Commander
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General,

Thank you for your time. I have a short question for you. At what point in your career did you decide you wanted to become a well rounded Air Force leader instead of "just a pilot"?
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Brig Gen John Michel
Brig Gen John Michel
>1 y
Before I was commissioned ;-) flying was fun...leadership is a privilege.
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