Page 19 - The Dispatch August 2019

TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT
THE BEST JOB EVER

Personal Commentaries By Guardsmen with Unique Military Jobs

Commentary By: Capt. Jolene Hinojosa doing the most good in the short amount of time we have
Former Aide-De-Camp to the Adjutant General to influence positive change. The only difference is that the
span of control and area of influence grows at each echelon.
Tucked away in a corner on the second floor of the Texas No matter the level of one’s leadership position, obstacles
Military Department headquarters building is the command present themselves and stand in the way of making progress.
group. It is full of general officers, senior non-commissioned These can be last-minute tasks from higher headquarters,
officers and executive assistants, all hurriedly moving from lack of resources or simply life getting in the way. No matter
one task to the next, while trying to participate in small talk what the reason is, these obstacles can always be reduced to
and extend welcoming customs and courtesies to all who en- two things: time and resources.
ter. When most people enter the command group, they com-
pare it to being in the principal’s office. Such frustrations are familiar to all echelons. Our senior lead-
ers are aware of these challenges and feel the burden of work
Despite the illustrious reputation the command group may that our units bear. They know the unit is where the rubber
exude, what truly happens behind those walls isn’t as ob- meets the road, and they work to enable and empower our
scure and mysterious as many would assume. In fact, I would Soldiers and Airmen so that they are prepared to answer the
say that it is the exact opposite. Working in the command call. Our senior leaders strive to provide every leader in the
group is the same as everywhere else in the military; it is just organization the intent and resources one needs to exercise
in a different area of operations. Just as you must know your disciplined initiative within his or her own unit in order to
operating environment when in a new theater, one must un- have the most positive impact.
derstand left and right in the command group. Though it can
be a hectic and fast-paced environment, it is familiar and pre- After spending the past few years of my military career in the
dictable because the goals, ambitions and frustrations are all command group, if there is one lesson senior leaders want
the same. There are meetings, there are last-minute changes, Texas Guardsmen to know, it is to take care of yourself and
there are short-notice deadlines from higher headquarters, those around you. We must recognize the power that dis-
there are naysayers, there are phone calls from home and ciplined initiative provides us and the influence we have on
family emergencies that come up and there are still only 24 our service members. If we take responsibility to empower,
hours in a day. enable and take care of our people, the positive effects will
continue to grow just as ripples in a pond spread, and they
When we cut through the stress and obstacles of everyday will improve everything around us. We should take owner-
life and remember the true reason why we wear this uni- ship of what is directly in front of us and do the most good
form, it is clear that we are all unified in our shared goal of where we are. It is not about us; it is about the people com-
ing behind us. Plant the seeds now so that our young Soldiers
and Airmen will see what good leadership looks like and be
able to emulate it, as opposed to learning what not to do.

Our leaders know that the strength of the National Guard is
in the skills that we have as citizen-Soldiers and the varied
experiences we bring to the table. Leaders must allow their
people the flexibility to demonstrate their skills by empower-
ing and enabling them. This is what they do for us every day.
Is the command group different? At its core, no. It is simply a
group of senior leaders who are all doing their best every day
to do the most good in the short amount of time they have as
the leaders of our organization. They are regular people who
have families, friends, loved ones and pets. They are work-
ing hard to provide the best tools and resources available to
enable and empower the Soldiers and Airmen of the Texas
National Guard to serve as Texans serving Texas and the na-
tion when the call comes. They want the best for their people
Maj. Gen. Tracy R. Norris, The Adjutant General - Texas, poses with Capt. and are members of our team who are working toward the
Jolene Hinojosa, her aide-de-camp at the time, and Nate Hinojosa after common goal of taking care of our most important resource:
a promotion ceremony held at the National Mall in the district of Colum- our people. -D
bia on Jun 7, 2018.
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