In the Army, there is an old saying that the commander is responsible for everything the unit does or fails to do. When morale begins to fail in the institution, the culture looks to the top. When the Afghanistan exit began to unravel, veterans and even some active duty looked to top military leadership, mainly the Joint Chiefs of the branches as well as the Chairman for responsibility and accountability. Some were even angry that stars were not put on the table in the name of protecting and serving the people in the fight.
The more I dug into the frustration felt by those boots on the ground and leveraged curiosity for those carrying the weight of hard decisions at the top, the more messy accountability became. I found that most people, regardless of role, rank, or responsibility were genuinely doing the best they could in the circumstances they found themselves in. It turns out, the messy part is choosing to believe it. I knew it would be helpful to hear from one of those Joint Chiefs from that season, to not only get his lessons on leadership but more importantly, to share what it is really like to make tough decisions at the top that will impact an entire branch. So I invited retired General Norton Shwartz, or Norty as he likes to be called, and his wife Suzie to share some of their story. He became the 19th Joint Chief of Staff of the Air Force in 2008 after his predecessor was fired for misplacing nuclear weapons. They served in that role until 2012 as sequestration and exhaustion rippled throughout the military culture. Both Boomers, they have continued to invest in their community since then.
This podcast is based on the book Military Culture Shift by clinical consultant and SME on military family culture, Corie Weathers. This podcast offers leaders an opportunity to understand the growing shifts happening within the military culture as an immersive supplement to the book. Based on 15 years of research, counseling, and teaching the military culture across all branches. Gain insights on changing perspectives within the culture, generational shifts in authority, the impact of Department of Defense budget decisions, emerging social trends within the military community, and the cumulative effect of two decades of the War on Terror on military family wellness.
Order your copy of Military Culture Shift here.
Final Credit song is "I Just Don't Get It", written, produced, and performed by veteran James Corbin (Spotify: James Corbin, "I Just Don't Get It")
Listen to Corie's Lifegiver Podcast here
Find out more about how you can work with and contact Corie here
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Military Culture Shift Podcast