Headquarters Third Air Force
Third Air Force
Commander’s Call
Lt Gen Rod Bishop
Commander
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Overview
 Spiritual
Fitness: Chaplain Biscotti
 Savings / SGLI: Chief Klukas
 3 AF Priorities: Lt Gen Bishop
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A New Approach To
Suicide Prevention:
Developing Purpose-Driven Airmen
Capt Biscotti
3
Purpose
To equip Air Force leaders with a
practical tool to motivate
themselves and others at the
deepest levels possible:
“purpose” and “destiny”
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Current Problem
• In the last two years, completed suicides have
escalated throughout the Air Force
• The Air Force’s current suicide prevention
methodology may need adjustment; primarily to
emphasize a holistic approach to suicide prevention
• The Air Force did not use spirituality as part of their
suicide prevention briefing until 2005
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Major Causes of Suicide*
1. Depression is the most common underlying
disorder, 30% to 70% of suicide victims suffer from
major depression or bipolar (manic-depressive)
disorder (NMHA).
2. No healthy person wants to die. Suicide occurs when
an individual’s suffering is severe and he/she believes
there is no hope for it to go away.
Dealing with suicide depends upon working on both aspects;
restoring hope, and having a plan to stop the suffering
* Source: HealthyPlace.com
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Need For A Commander’s Tool
Developing Purpose-Driven Airmen
A. Army Regulation 165-1
Moral leadership training is a commander’s tool to
address the moral, social, ethical, and spiritual
questions that affect the climate of the command and
the lives of all personnel assigned to the
command…(11-2).
B. Air Force Policy Directive 52-1
The Air Force Chaplain Service provides religious
observances, pastoral care, and ethical advice to Air
Force leaders; and ensures the free exercise of
religion for Air Force personnel and their families…
(1, 2.1).
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Developing Purpose-Driven
Airmen
Dr. Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven
Life, provides a powerful model for Suicide
Prevention, developing leaders, and making
troops combat ready and effective.
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Developing Purpose-Driven Airmen
A Suicide Prevention Model
“Purpose”: The object toward which one strives or for
which something exists; aim, goal. A result or effect
that is intended or desired.
“Drive”: To guide, control, and direct…
“Hope”: Someone or something on which
expectations are centered.
Two questions to ask every airman
1. What is your purpose in life?
2. How does the military fit into that
purpose?
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3 Levels of Purpose
What Motivates People?
PURPOSE
IDEOLOGY
MOTIVATION
EXAMPLES
I.
God Given
Religious
The Love of God
George Washington
II.
Man Given
III.
Self Given
Philanthropy The Love of Man
Humanism
The Love of Self
Karl Marx
Charles Darwin
• Most people are in category III
• Category I is the most beneficial, because if you love
God (in a majority of world religions), you’ll love man
and yourself
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What Purpose Does
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Builds Morale
Reduces Frustration
Helps To “Focus” Effort
Attracts Cooperation
Assists Evaluation
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Efficient vs Effective
Doing things right:
Rearranging deck
chairs on the Titanic
Doing the right things:
Building life boats out of the
deck chairs on the Titanic
Most of us are efficient, but we are not effective!
Burn out, depression, lack of motivation and fear happens to
many efficient People.
Psychologist Rollo May said, “Man is the only animal that runs
faster when he has lost his way.”
“A clear purpose not only defines what we do, it defines what we
don’t do” (Warren).
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The Metaphysics of Hope
• Ultimately, if we don’t know where we came from, or
where we are going, then we are lost!
• Where did we come from? = Origins of Hope
• Where are we going? = Origins of Purpose
• Let’s look at the big picture
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Contrasting Theories of Hope
2 Ultimate Theories Explaining Our
Existence
Chance
Design
• Charles Darwin
• Random/Chaos
• Man is center of the
universe
• Self-focused
• Man given purpose
• God/Spirit/Spiritual
• Purpose/Design
• God/Spirit is the
center of universe
• God-focused
• God given purpose
Do Ideas affect nations, families and people?
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What’s The Big Idea?
2 NATIONS
Former Soviet Union
Darwin/Marx/Lenin/Stalin
Naturalism/Evolution/Atheism
Communism
Nations
Leaders
Ideologies
Politics
United States
Washington/Lincoln
Theism
Republic/Democracy
CONTRAST
People in bondage
People of no hope
Purposeless model
USSR/discouraged people
People of Freedom
People of hope/destiny
Purpose based model
USA’s purpose
motivated people
Ideas Shape History
Ideas Shape Our Lives
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Do Purpose and Hope Affect
Families?
Choosing Life (Hope) or Death (Hopelessness)
Family #1
1026 descendants
300
convicts
190
prostitutes
680
alcoholics
Family #2
929 descendants
430
ministers
75 authors
86 profs
13 pres.
7 Congress
3 gov.
1 VP
• Family #2 instilled purpose, hope and faith into their
family, which positively and empirically affected the
generations after him
• In contrast, Family #1 instilled little or no hope or
purpose into their family, and it negatively and
empirically affected the generations after him
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Developmental Model Of Leadership
“Leading Troops Into Leadership”
Infant
Child
Parent
Constant care
moderate care
able to reproduce themselves / care for others
Self
Focus
Grandparent
Others
Focus
• Our purpose as leaders is to help Airmen grow up,
mature and reproduce themselves in others
• Research shows link between mental disorders, suicide
and self-centeredness
• Many troops don’t grow up because they have no
purpose for their lives; they lack direction, live for the
“now” and don’t care about tomorrow
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What Is Your Shape?
S piritual gifts
Mother Theresa; compassion/service
H eart (passion)
Michelangelo…People excel at what they
are passionate about!
A bilities
Michael Jordan…What if parents wanted
him to be a doctor? Abilities- music, teaching,
organization, leadership, family…
P ersonality
Introvert or Extrovert…
E xperiences
Life, vocational, spiritual, educational…
Help People Find Their Purpose By Discovering Their Shape
(Gifts, Abilities & Interests)
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How? Sowing & Reaping
100 years ago, Samuel Smiles said:
Sow a thought and you reap an act
Sow an act and you reap a habit
Sow a habit and you reap character
Sow character and reap a destiny
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Bottomline
• Leaders: Motivate troops / people to succeed in all
areas of life by helping them discover their purpose!
• Suicide prevention begins with giving people a lifelong vision that is bigger than they are…
• Suicide Prevention is directly linked to purpose and
hope
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FAITH is Foremost
Faith is only as strong as the
object it is placed in
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Faith in self and in country…
I. Pat Tillman- A Non-Religious Saint
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Pat Tillman: 1976-2004
– Several of Tillman's friends have said the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks influenced his decision to enlist.
– "Pat Tillman is nothing if not unusual. In college, he played
linebacker, where he was thought to be too small. In the NFL, he
played safety, where he was thought to be too slow. When he set a
club record for tackles in 2000 and attracted the interest of another
team, the St. Louis Rams, he declined their five-year offer sheet out
of loyalty to the club that had drafted him.”
– "You can do whatever you want with me," Tillman said, "but in four
years I'm gone. I've got things to do with my life."
– "Pat knew his purpose in life," McGinnis said. "He proudly walked
away from a career in football to a greater calling."
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Tillmans’ Dad at Pat’s Funeral
I'd like it understood that Pat somehow had the idea that
he was part of the "big picture." He had high regard,
and high hopes, for this country. He was proud to be
part of it. But he wanted no free ride, and it bothered
him that too much of his largess and opportunity was at
the expense of others. What he did was sincere. He
was well trained and did the job expected of a Ranger.
He may have (and I believe did) saved American lives
during his last battle. He earned his Silver Star, and not
by dying. Had he survived this war, he would have had
more to contribute to society than many; and that would
have been fun to watch.
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Tillman’s Message
• Place FAITH in yourself
• Dream BIG
• Find What’s Important
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Ashley Smith
Faith can change circumstances, outcomes and life…
Still, she has faced uncommon tragedy: Four years ago,
her husband was stabbed in a fight and died in her arms.
In the following years, some of her friends and family have
described how Smith had not quite gotten her life together,
and that her mistakes and problems had piled up.
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Ashley’s Story
He said, "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want
to hurt anybody else, so please don't do
anything that's going to hurt you." He said,
"You know, somebody could have heard your
scream already. And if they did, the police
are on the way. And I'm going to have to hold
you hostage. And I'm going to have to kill you
and probably myself and lots of other people.
And I don't want that."
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What do you do when faith in
self might not be enough?
We went to my room. And I asked him if I could read.
He said, "What do you want to read?“
"Well, I have a book in my room." So I went and got it. I got
a book called "The Purpose-Driven Life.“
I turned it to the chapter that I was on that day. It was
Chapter 33. And I started to read the first paragraph of it.
After I read it, he said, "Stop, will you read it again?“
I said, "Yeah. I'll read it again.“ So I read it again to him.
It mentioned something about what you thought your
purpose in life was. What were you -- what talents were you
given? What gifts were you given to use?
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What Happened?
She went and picked up her daughter, Nichols turned
himself in.
As experts look for lessons in Smith's accomplishment,
they point out how she "textbooked" the hostagemediation techniques outlined in the FBI's "Hostage
Negotiating Stairway."
"If you can get somebody who is homicidal or suicidal to
focus on the future, they have a chance to be filled with
hope," says Mr. Bagnell. "She had faith in the fact that the
outcome was something that she could influence, but not
control."
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Ashley’s Message
• Place Faith in God
• Be compassionate
• Tell the truth
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III. My Story: Faith-Filled Future
Christian Louis Biscotti: 18 December 1969 -
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What do you say to someone
in desperate circumstances?
“21 years ago, shortly after losing my stepfather to
suicide and seeing our immediate family split apart, I
transferred high schools my sophomore year to
Yuba City high school in Northern California, and my
first day of school I met my high school counselor.
Out of 10 high school counselors, I was assigned to
Neal Philbrick. I was lost in every way that day (that
year), and Neal Philbrick became my best friend,
spiritual father and life long counselor and confidant.”
“Nightmares to Dreams…”
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Wonderful Counsel/Counselor
“I lived with Neal my senior year of high
school, and Neal helped me fill out all
of my college applications and college
scholarships and breathed hope and
vision into my life when I thought I
would never get accepted to college or
have a future.”
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Christian’s Message
• Place faith in future (optimism)
• Faithful friends are an absolute
• Love people today as if they won’t be
here tomorrow, especially your family
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Are your ready for your first tool?
Please open up both of your hands to
receive this powerful tool…
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Tool #1: Impart Faith
• When Dreams die, People die…
• Dream with people, paint a picture of
the future with them, share stories
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3 AF/CCC
Chief Marty Klukas
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Thrift Savings Plan
Why Our Airmen Should Consider
$50 Per Month
$28K
$70K
$50 Per Month
$161K
$50 Per Month
At 8% Annual Return
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Why TSP?
A $100 per month contribution with a 7% Annual Return
will result in large long-term earnings
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An SGLI Story

Air Force SSgt recently killed in helicopter accident in Italy

$3.50 /month for min coverage of $50K vs. $29 /month for max coverage

No other Life Insurance coverage
 Increase coverage amount on “to-do” list in wallet

Members’ family (wife and child) only paid $50K

Do you have enough coverage?

It’s recommended you have enough coverage to:
 Pay off house/mortgage
 Provide for children’s education
 Provide spouse with stable income until retirement benefits kick in

SGLI is low cost option for military members
 Automatically deducted from pay
 Max coverage of $400K and is guaranteed by the VA
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Ensure Your Family’s Security

If you do not have maximum coverage, do not skimp - get it now!

If you don’t have any other coverage
 Increase SGLI to maximum coverage
 Research and secure something if you have nothing
 Secure insurance that will provide maximum coverage

Don’t take the chance of not having a plan in place to secure
your family’s future
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3 AF/CC
Lt Gen Rod Bishop
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“So, why are you here?”
“It ain't the money.”
“I say we are all here in this room because we believe.
We believe in good and evil, and we choose good.
We believe in right and wrong, and we choose right.”
“Our cause is just. Our enemies...everywhere. They're
all around us.”
“Some scary stuff out there.”
Name the movie?
"The Recruit”
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3 AF Priorities

Focused Theater Security Cooperation
& Component Integration

Outstanding Operational Support &
Firepower to COMUSAFE and
COCOMs Everyday

Airmen Trained, Poised and Well
Cared For


USAFE Wings ready to fulfill
AEF and NRF Obligations
3 AF Staff ready to run a JTF
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UNCLASSIFIED
Focused TSC
& Component Integration
EUCOM
- Objectives
?
- Mission Analysis
?
USAFE
- Anticipated Areas
of Operation
?
?
3 AF
Operational
TSC Focus
Countries
?
UNCLASSIFIED
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Outstanding Ops Support & Firepower to
COMUSAFE & COCOMs Everyday


Noble Endeavor support
 12 x F-15Es
 12 x F-15Cs
AEF 3/4 Deployments
 634 taskings
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Airmen Trained, Poised and Well
Cared For
Impact of GWOT on AF Readiness
89
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93
94
95
97
98
99
01
02
03
05
07
OPTEMPO and Operating a Smaller, Older Fleet the Underlying Cause
Readiness Has Declined 17% Since 2001
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15
GM vs Toyota Differences

GM posted largest annual loss for an auto company this week -- $38.7B
 GM sold only 3,000 more autos worldwide than Toyota in 2007

Toyota now worth more than Wal-Mart -- $196 billion
 GM has scrutinized Toyota’s Production System (TPS) for years – what
is the problem?
 Fundamental difference in culture – GM has a “business strategy”
(focus on cutting costs); Toyota has a “leadership strategy” (focus on
developing its most important asset – its workforce)
Toyota workers in Japan submit 160 times more suggestions per year
on improvements than US autoworkers


Toyota’s themes: continuous learning, test your product at lowest
levels, make and implement improvements
Re-enforces my theme:
Our greatest asset is the power of the human spirit in our Airmen
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Let’s Talk!
QUESTIONS?
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Questions?
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