LeMay Center hosts senior executive conference

  • Published
  • By Capt. Jennifer Lovett
  • Air University Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  Air University's LeMay Center wrapped up a four-day seminar for 14 Air Force senior executives here Oct. 16. 

The bi-annual Air Force Senior Executive Warfighting Perspective Seminar provides newer members of the Air Force's senior executive cadre with an overview of operational-level warfighting. 

"The seminar brings together senior executives from all areas of Air Force leadership for guided discussion presentations and an application-based practicum," said Lt. Col. Reagan Schaupp, a course director at the LeMay Center. 

"SES attendees bring a wide variety of backgrounds. Some are retired career military officers themselves [in many cases not from the Air Force]," he said. "Others have ascended the ranks of AF civil service; still others have been brought into the Air Force from industry at a high grade because of a uniquely valuable skill set. 

"Thus, their experience with the Air Force - its terms, missions and operations - ranges from very little to a whole career's worth. That makes developing the curriculum particularly challenging," Colonel Schaupp said. 

SES attendees provided positive comments about the recent course. 

"The entire course was great and really provided a glimpse of the complexity that goes with modern Air Operations Center operations and operations planning," said one participant. 

One of the highlights of this course was a guest speaker familiar with air operations over Kosovo in the late 1990s. Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Short was the joint forces air component commander for Operation Allied Force. 

Another participant said, "Quite frankly, [the course] far exceeded expectations. The 'MVP' was our senior mentor, General Short. Today, I better understand roles and missions in a tough political environment." 

SES is the youngest course in the LeMay Center's lineup of five flag-level courses, and continues to evolve to meet the goal of providing senior Air Force civilians with a broad overview of operational warfighting, Colonel Schaupp said.