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Brigadier General Christopher Walker Addresses ALMBS

Brig. Gen. Christopher Walker is the Assistant Adjutant General and Commander of the West Virginia Air National Guard. The West Virginia Air National Guard has over 2,100 members and consists of two flying units, the 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston, West Virginia, and the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, West Virginia. As the Assistant Adjutant General and Commander he provides command and control, over all Air National Guard forces assigned to the state and is the principal advisor to the Adjutant General, on all matters related to the Air National Guard.

General Walker’s current federal dual assignment is Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, providing oversight and input concerning laws, regulations and policy of the Human Capital portfolio to ensure mission success. In this role, General Walker assists in areas of diversity, force development, force management, total force and Airman and Family Readiness.

Born in New York City, NY, General Walker began his Air Force career 1988 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. After Undergraduate Navigator Training at Mather AFB in 1989, he served as a C-130 navigator in weather reconnaissance and tactical airlift squadrons throughout the world, including an assignment as an airdrop planner in the Balkans CAOC in Vicenza, Italy and flying in various contingencies including Operations Provide Promise, Provide Comfort, and Provide Relief.

In 1997, General Walker left active duty to join the Air National Guard (ANG) and serve as a C-130H3 evaluator navigator, and has commanded at the squadron and group level. He served in various operations and contingencies such at OEF, OIF, Joint Guard/Joint Forge, and Volant Oak/Coronet Oak. He has served as a special assistant to the DIRMOBFOR at the 609th CAOC at Al Udied AB, Qatar, and also he served as civil aviation advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation with the Coalition Provisional Authority. He has served as the ANG Crisis Action Team Director, Acting Air Mobility Division Chief at the 609th CAOC, and ANG Deputy Director of Air, Space, and Information Operations.

General Walker is a Master Navigator with over 5200 hours in WC-130 and C-130E/H/H3 aircraft, including over 400 combat and combat support hours.

For more information: https://www.nationalguard.mil/portals/31/Features/ngbgomo/bio/3/3415.html

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LtCol Mark McMillon Addresses ALMBS

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Mark McMillion is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of leadership experience, training, and practice. As a West Point graduate, he was privileged to learn at the finest school of leadership in the world.  With two engineering degrees, he understands how hard data drives decisions.  As a veteran leader, he’s learned and practiced the soft skills of leadership. With tours of duty in Germany, Norway (with NATO), and two combat tours in Iraq, he served in a variety of positions on three continents and across the United States.

Contrary to what many believe, leadership in the Army is not as simple as giving orders or court-martialing someone.  Building mutual trust, loyalty, and respect for others are critical requirements to be an effective leader in any environment.

His career highlights include his times as platoon leader, West Point assistant professor, battalion executive officer, and exercise planner for NATO.  Each of these positions decisively shaped his development and learning.

As a platoon leader with great sergeants, he learned that leadership with great teams is sometimes as simple as securing them the resources and turning them loose.  That’s why he likes to say “50% of great leadership is knowing when to get out of the way.” It’s that other 50% which can be difficult.  He’s had plenty of practice in those situations as well.

Teaching at West Point, he honed his presentation skills and delighted in shaping the Army for decades to come.  He’s now patiently waiting for one of his former cadets to mention how their West Point “P” profoundly shaped their rise to the presidency.

As the second-in-command of an artillery battalion, he actively managed every aspect of the unit, whether it was maintenance of over 225 combat vehicles or developing the young officers of the unit. Mark was an integral part of preparing the unit for its next combat deployment.

His experience in NATO enabled him to grow a greater appreciation for the value of diversity.  Working side-by-side with people from over 20 different countries helped hone his communication and presentation skills as approximately 80% of the staff were non-native English speakers. During those three years, he was involved in multiple planning teams and worked his way up to become the leader of exercise content.  He learned he didn’t have to be the smartest person in the room (except when he was by himself!) to lead.  Mark managed teams of subject-matter experts by learning to ask the right questions.  The results were ground-breaking exercises for NATO.

Mark retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2013 and then founded McMillion Leadership Associates, a company committed to delivering useful, pragmatic leadership training to all levels of a company.

Mark has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a M.S. in Cognitive Systems Engineering from The Ohio State University.

More information: http://www.mcmillionleadership.com/

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