Courtesy Photo | Official photo of Chief Master Sgt. T. Brent Chadick, command chief of the Air Force...... read more read more
Fostering connections is a high priority for Chief Master Sgt. T. Brent Chadick, the new command chief of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center.
Chadick joined AFNWC in July, shortly after the command chief position was created within the center. Since arriving, he has been busy getting to know the people within the center and how they fit within AFNWC’s unusual mission and structure.
In contrast to many military organizations, most AFNWC employees are civilians. This can create some unusual challenges, Chadick said, but it also affords some unusual opportunities.
“One of the most interesting aspects of this role has been learning about everybody’s jobs,” he said. “I’m talking to all these super cerebral folks about things that, in my nearly 30 years of service, I’ve never really considered.”
Chadick spent much of his career as a security forces member, including nuclear security. He has deployed to the Middle East several times and said those experiences are among the highlights of his career.
“I learned the value of adversity, that it is the garden for relationships,” Chadick said about his deployment to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. “I probably have more good friendships that came out of that particular assignment than any assignment I ever had, and I was only there 19 months.”
His leadership philosophy can be summed up in the four words he puts on his personal challenge coin:
• “Engage” — learn about people’s motivations and goal
• “Enable” — ensure they have the tools and techniques to succeed
• “Empower” — give them freedom to work and succeed on their own
• “Brand” — encourage them to focus on purpose and character
“Brand is probably my biggest one,” he said. “Brand is a combination of purpose and character. Purpose is what you’re good or great at — your gifts, talents. Character is described by Abraham Lincoln as a tree, and its shadow is its reputation. The essence of the tree stays the same while the light changes its shadow.”
Just as a different light source might change a shadow, reputations can change depending on the circumstances, he said. Character, however, is sturdier and rooted into an individual like a tree takes root in the ground.
“Taking the time to learn to be a good human — being kind, cautious, conservative, polite and sincere — has probably been my biggest life lesson,” Chadick said. “Our institution provides us lots of training and opportunities to get better at wearing our military uniform, but it doesn’t really make you a better human at times. It is important to work on yourself and become a better family member and human being.”
His family is important to him. He admires his family members, who taught him important lessons. His mother taught him to be kind in the face of adversity, his daughter showed him the value of hard work, his son taught him how to be a “fun” person, and his wife helped him learn how to be a better person.
He wants people to know he is the same person on a Friday night as he is on a Monday morning.
“I try to be genuine, and I try very hard to be humble,” he said.
Chadick wants people to feel comfortable talking to him about any issues they are facing or see within the center. His job is to advise the commander, so he needs to know what people are thinking and feeling.
“My most important role at the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center is being a good advocate for everyone,” he said. “I am here to solve problems. The earlier you bring me in on it, the better. If you bring me in on the takeoff, I can be with you on the landing.”
Chadick’s biography is available at https://www.afnwc.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/3840276/travis-b-chadick/.
| Date Taken: | 10.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.24.2024 17:29 |
| Story ID: | 483700 |
| Location: | KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AFNWC Senior Leader Profile: Chief Master Sgt. T. Brent Chadick, by Aimee Malone, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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