Which Team is Your First Team?, April 4, 2010

I am a member of the CDDOC team and the USFOR-A team, and am finding that there are conflicts between the two. Technically speaking, as a Liaison Officer (LNO), I am to represent and advocate for CDDOC, assist USFOR-A in any issue or action that involves CDDOC or CDDOC interests. I can’t speak for USFOR-A, and I am not in their chain of command, so I have no authority to get things done. Yet, I am managing to get things done. This has pleasantly surprised a few people.

I am working on a lot of things at the tactical level that are normally outside CDDOC interests. My boss (well, sort of) here at USFOR-A told me one night this week that he appreciates my energy, my influence and my intellect. Hmmm, that is quite a compliment. What it really means is that he wants me to keep doing these things outside of CDDOC’s “lane”. If I let him, he’ll wear me out. This guy works twenty hours a day, and nothing is outside his lane…he likes employees that are team players, willing to go the extra mile, and that put out quality work. He seems to identify those willing employees, and rides them hard.

There are three other LNOs here (all from different agencies), and we’ve been having a philosophical discussion about how “willing” we should be. We could just pull out our “LNO card” and spare ourselves these long, hectic days. By that I mean, just say no, and USFOR-A has no recourse. This idea really irritates me, but it is a valid idea, for various reasons that I won’t go into here, or you’ll call me a whiner.

So, the fundamental question is: Which team is my first team? Do I stay in my lane and only work on CDDOC issues, or do I assist USFOR-A on whatever issues they assign? CDDOC signs my evaluation, so it seems simple. However, here is how I am looking at this, and advising my fellow LNOs. My first team, the team I owe my loyalty too, is our war fighters. I’m going to do everything in my power, and within my skill set to support them. I am a Logistics Readiness Officer and a Leader in the United States Air Force. I came here to apply my knowledge skills and abilities to the problem of fielding the force, protecting the force and sustaining the force, and by God, that is what I will do.

There are significant hurdles in Afghanistan at the tactical level of logistics. If these hurdles aren’t cleared, it doesn’t matter if the strategic and operational “pipelines” are synchronized and optimized (my job, as assigned by CDDOC). If we can’t get the war fighter his stuff, CDDOC may as well go home. Therefore, I’m convinced that my second team is USFOR-A, and my third team is CDDOC. It is with a little sadness that I come to this conclusion…it means that I’m not going to get much sleep while I am here. No matter, I can sleep when I get home.

Warfighters first!