Commanding an Air Force Squadron in the Twenty-first Century: A Practical Guide of Tips and Techniques for Today's Squadron Commander by dint of Lt Col Jeffry F.

Commanding an Air Force Squadron in the Twenty-first Century: A Practical Guide of Tips and Techniques for Today's Squadron Commander by dint of Lt Col Jeffry F. Smith. Air University Pres (http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/aul/aupress), 131 West Shumacher Avenue, Maxwell AFB, Alabama 36112-6615 2003 194 pages, $1800 (softcover)

In Commanding an Air Force Squadron in the Twenty-first hundred years Lt Col Jeffry Smith updates and expands on Col Timothy T. Timmons's Commanding an Air Force Squadron (1993) The newer work preserves the framework and overall be moved of its predecessor while providing more popular information about and additional support to one dated topics. Colonel Smith demonstrates an worthy grasp of the challenges faced through squadron commanders. Blessed with an easy writing phraseology he walks the reader allowing many types of issues that commanders deal with from end to end their tenure. Although the author takes a light nevertheless serious approach to topics (note like chapter rifles as "Cats and Dogs" and "The pious the Bad, and the Ugly") he does not coy away from difficult topics--closing down a unit or the death of a squadron member, for example.

Although the main division focuses on Air Force squadrons, its lectures apply to all levels of command. each commander has to counsel subordinates, communicate skillfully, write performance reports, and use e-mail and meetings effectively--all of which Colonel Smith cloaks in depth. He lays a firm foundation of supporting material by way of including text from current and former Air Force squadron commanders whose extensive, real-world accounts detail their handling of a variety of situations. These examples illustrate in what manner leaders of various squadrons and other units over the Air Force apply the conceptions under consideration.

Unlike a certain books on command and leadership, this single offers no checklists or recipes for succes Rather, it gives practical advice and allows readers to create their avow plan of action. All too oftentimes checklists are either too generic or too specific to be of use. To his credit, the author avoids this trap from taking a sensible, real-world approach that helps evolve leaders who can deal with crises without having to rely forward artificial, formulaic guidance.

Indeed, this is not in like manner much a book on leadership as it is united on command. The difference is artful but noticeable. The reader will not find chapters forward leadership traits, situational-leadership models, or motivation techniques. Instead, Colonel Smith implements a welcome and much-need change by the agency of tailoring his study to address topics either have charge ofed by other books or too narrow for their liberty of coverage--for example, arriving at a recently made known unit, dealing with change-of-command issues, and interacting with the squadron's first sergeant.

Because this work is precisely what its subtitle denotes, I commit it not only to squadron commanders, yet also to anyone seeking to expand his or her leadership skills. They will certainly benefit from its unique perspective and coverage.

Maj Kevin D Smith, USAF

Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory

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