Misunderstanding the point

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Mark Burns
  • 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron commander
BALAD AIR BASE, IRAQ (AFPN) --  Is flexibility the “key” to airpower? Does thinking “out-of-the-box” really solve problems?

I have heard these two phrases quite often since my entry into the Air Force.

Being an Army brat, I appreciate and take great pride in the adaptability of the Air Force and the creative solutions we find to problems.

As much as I have tried to practice these clever ideals of flexibility and out-of-the-box thinking in my Air Force career, I have become increasingly concerned with the misunderstanding that often surrounds them.

Too often “flexibility” means compensating for poor planning and even worse initial execution. At times “out-of-the-box” thinking is demanded when the solution is not readily apparent at the inception of a problem.

At Balad, we are undertaking an immense task: starting a new base of operations. If we misunderstand the meaning of these two phrases, which we hear so often, we just might make the job a little bit harder.

Flexibility comes from knowing the basics of your job well and from the confidence gleaned from having practiced the basics again and again until they become second nature. It does not come from trying to accomplish new and different things every time you train. You will never see every possible permutation of a problem.

If you take the time during the planning phase to prepare a solid base for execution, any left turns thrown your way can be overcome. You gain flexibility by nailing down as many variables as possible with good planning. Good execution allows you to stay ahead of the new wrinkles you will be forced to adapt to. Frequently, practicing the basics can give you the confidence to plow ahead and fix unforeseen problems.

The same is true for thinking out-of-the-box. There are not many solutions to problems that we can think up that have not been thought of and tried before. We just weren’t aware of the history of the “new” solution, when we thought it up.

If our basis of good experience and practice is supplemented by a thorough quest for more knowledge of our job, then we have a ready encyclopedia of possible solutions to any problem. I will bet that often the out-of-the-box solution you come up with is catalogued in the continuity book that is catching dust in your bookcase. The problem may be slightly different, but that old solution still works with a few minor changes.

For more than a decade, the Air Force has been doing rotations to the Middle East. Many of you have had the pleasure of doing them more than once. There are many lessons to be learned from the problems faced by these previous rotations, which will help today in what we are doing. Share your experiences. What was true then is probably still valid right now.

Wherever you are, be flexible for rapid changes, but use the time to prepare well a solid foundation for those that will follow you. You will never solve all of the problems, but you can those who come behind you on the right track to finish what you have started. Be open to out-of-the-box solutions to these problems that we face, but remember “out-of-the-box” may mean “dust one off” from previous experiences.