Leadership AccountabilityLeadership Accountability

• Definition of Accountability

• Unlimited Liability

• Air Force Core Values and Accountability

OverviewOverview

• Random House College Dictionary

“subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify.”

“responsible; answerable”

Definition of AccountabilityDefinition of Accountability

Definition of AccountabilityDefinition of Accountability

• USAF Core Values

“No person of integrity tries to shift the blame to others or takes credit for the work of others; ‘the buck stops here’ says it best.”

Definition of AccountabilityDefinition of Accountability

“Holding people responsible for their actions appropriate to their authority and within the realm of their responsibility.”

Lt Gen Joseph J. ReddenFormer Commander, Air University

• Accountability - (in a military environment) requires individuals to be answerable or accountable for the people and resources entrusted to them.

Accountability vs. LiabilityAccountability vs. Liability

“In the Air Force we expect all members to live by the highest standards implicit in our core values … We should not and will not accept less. However, when those standards are not met -- that is, there is misconduct or behavior that does not meet our standards -- then it is our responsibility and our duty to hold people involved accountable for their actions and respond appropriately.”

Former USAF Chief of Staff, General Ronald Fogleman

(Ret)

• Liability - Concept based upon an individual’s action or inaction. It subjects one to penalty for failure to conform or meet standards and usually carries individual consequences.

Unlimited LiabilityUnlimited Liability

“The obligation of service and commitment inherent in the military ethic imposes burdens

not customary in the larger society where obligations are normally contractual in nature

and limited in degree of personal sacrifice expected. For the soldier, the obligation is

complete: to death if necessary.”

General E.C. Meyer,

U.S. Army (Ret.)

Unlimited LiabilityUnlimited Liability

I, , having been appointed a Second Lieutenant, United States Air Force, do solemnly swear (or affirm)… that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, SO HELP ME GOD.

Oath of OfficeOath of Office

• Blackhawk Shootdown - Northern Iraq 14 April ‘94

“ We cannot tolerate actions which appear to condemn inappropriate conduct one moment, condone it the next, or even worse, reward it.”

General Ronald Fogleman (USAF Ret)

Age (Rebirth) of AccountabilityAge (Rebirth) of Accountability

• Fairchild B-52 Accident - Spokane, Washington -- June ’94

• T-43 Crash - Dubrovnik, Croatia -- April ’96

• Khobar Towers - Dhahran, Saudi Arabia -- June ‘96

AccountabilityAccountability

• 1LT Kelly Flinn -‘97

• USAFA – ’02, ‘03

AccountabilityAccountability

“This is not a one-mistake Air Force. We fully realize that our people are going to make honest mistakes as they attempt to perform their duties. That’s an understandable part of the process of gaining experience.”

General Ronald Fogleman, USAF Ret

“This is not a new issue.”

• My Lai, Vietnam - Spring ‘68

• Lavelle Incident - Vietnam, ‘71-’72

Historical ExamplesHistorical Examples

• USMC– Italian Gondola Incident

• USN– Naval Academy Cheating Scandal– Tailhook

• USA– Aberdeen / Fort Leonard Wood• Sexual misconduct -- 140 cases

Other ExamplesOther Examples

• Integrity--doing what’s right – Don’t shift blame to others or take credit

for work done by others

– Encourage Openness--Nothing to Hide

– Self-Respect--don’t do anything to bring discredit upon yourself or the Air Force

Core Values & AccountabilityCore Values & Accountability

• Service Before Self--sacrificing your own desires– Follow the Rules--rules are there for a

reason

– Respect for Others--put the troops first

– Faith in the System--losing faith in the system places self before service

Core Values & AccountabilityCore Values & Accountability

• Excellence in All We Do--passion for being the best

– Commitment to maximizing the team effort

– Never letting the team down

– Completing required training and duties

– Staying physically and mentally fit

Core Values & AccountabilityCore Values & Accountability

• Who’s accountable ?

• What are the impediments to accountability?

• How do I avoid problems?

Questions to be answered…Questions to be answered…

Who’s accountable? Who’s accountable?

YOU YOU

Impediments to AccountabilityImpediments to Accountability

• Misplaced Loyalty– The Constitution

Institution versus the Individual

• Fear of Making Mistakes– The One Mistake Air Force

– Mistakes versus Crimes

Trouble Spots for New OfficersTrouble Spots for New Officers

• Pornography

• DUI

• Misappropriation of Funds

• False Official Statements

• Misuse of Government Resources

Fraternization

How to Avoid ProblemsHow to Avoid Problems

• Never compromise your integrity

• Always do what’s right

• Don’t be afraid to say, “I can’t do that.”

• Let your principles be your guide– Integrity, Excellence, Service

• Definition of Accountability

• Unlimited Liability

• Air Force Core Values and Accountability

SummarySummary