Colonel Candid

As we reflect on this Memorial Day, a day to solemnly remember those who died in active military service, I’d like to share the memory of my sister-in-arms Lieutenant Colonel Jaimie E. Leonard. Sisters-in-arms, not a common phrase uttered too often outside of a small circle of women who serve but one worth highlighting and explaining. Of those serving in the Army today, approximately 14% are women. When Jaimie and I attended West Point together women made up just slightly above ten percent of the Corps of Cadets. Of those women who continued serving past our initial obligation the percentage of women serving fell into single digits and the small circle of sisters-in-arms formed an even stronger bond. Ja imie and I last spoke in 2011 when she was serving in Afghanistan. We were both military intelligence officers and we combined work efforts to ensure the success of a critical mission. In a field where time is always of the essence, we had little time to reminisce, but we caught up on...

There are some mentors who can convey knowledge and valuable lessons through both their words and actions. Examples of this are Nobel Prize winners mentored by previous Nobel laureates. In the military, aides to general officers are more likely to make general themselves because they fall under the umbrella of someone who can tell them about their profession. Similarly, a mentor can expand your vision. Serving as an example, guider, and demonstrator to how the keys to the castle work. The mentoring advice I’d give you is to immediately seek someone in your profession, in your workplace to start this process. Foster a work relationship and start to explore your role as a mentee through commonality, character, and influence. If you find someone with the skills in these three areas, you’ll be off to the races in no time at all. COMMONALITY. There are limits to finding someone to assist you and most of the time this fire needs a spark to create it. Most of us are somehow connected ...