Insights with Eric T. Olson (part II)

October's issue of The Ronin Post contained part one of an interview with Eric T. "Rick" Olson, the 67^th Commandant of the US Military Academy, West Point, and former Commanding General of the 25^th Infantry Division. As mentioned there, Rick has been a servant leader for more than forty years. He retired from the Army in 2005, but continues to serve what he believes in, particularly regarding ideas, ideals, and human beings. At the present time he directs strategic communication for the Child, Adolescent, and Family Behavioral Health Office (CAF-BHO), which manages and develops programs supporting military kids and families for the US Army. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/supporting-military-families-the-child-adolescent-and-family-behavioral-health-office/11354/

We now continue

"Insights with Eric T. Olson"

Rick: ... Leaders who respect those who work for them and who will have their back in cases where events don't go as planned are the ones who achieve the most success and for whom people want to work. There is no room in the military for "harsh or tyrannical treatment". The same can be said for leadership in the office, boardroom, the halls of academe or wherever teamwork is a requirement.

Allied Ronin. I think it would be an understatement to say that, Vicki, your bride now of thirty-nine years, is a powerful leader. What have you seen in her? What have you learned from her, the examples she has set and the stands she has taken over her lifetime?

Rick: She is an interesting example of a special type of leader. In most instances she had to lead fairly large and complex organizations and groups without any specific mandate. What has been critical to her success has been a tremendous set of interpersonal skills, a natural enthusiasm for everything that she takes on, and the kind of fierce determination to make good things happen that inspires others to get on board. She has also shown herself to be totally selfless in her efforts-her work on behalf of Army children and families is a prime example of where she sacrificed much of herself to the greater good of the community. She also is extremely organized and disciplined in her thinking and in her approach to problem solving.

Allied Ronin. What was it like being the Commandant at West Point? What challenges did you face? What moved you the most about that time in your life? What surprises did you find upon coming into that job?

Rick: Those who have been privileged to serve as Commandant of Cadets at West Point will tell you that it is one of the best assignments that you can have as a general officer in the Army. The unbridled energy of the cadets (sometimes too unbridled) is inspiring, and the quality of the young men and women who attend the Academy says great things about the youth of America. West Point is a superb way to ensure that great people are drawn to the service of the Nation, and the systems, programs, and institutions at the Academy tend to make good people better.

My greatest challenge as the Commandant was the day that four airliners were hijacked and suicide attacks launched at New York and Washington, DC. At that moment the 4000 cadets of the Corps knew that their lives would be changed forever in a very direct and personal way. That day it became incumbent upon us as leaders at the Academy to ensure that graduates of USMA had the best possible preparation to lead soldiers in battle, in some cases within months of graduation.

Allied Ronin. Sometimes I hear people who have never been in the military talk about "the military mind", and often as an expression of something rigid or having a particular political perspective. But in my own life I've found the opposite. In other words, I have found a divergence of life perspectives across the spectrum from people who have served - not only during our time, but before and after. What have you found? How have you dealt with the struggle that sometimes comes with bringing alternative perspectives into an alignment for action that can serve a larger or common good?

Rick: It is true that men and women in uniform think about things and approach issues and problems in a manner that might be loosely classified as "military". Any group of individuals who have a relatively common background, have lived and worked together over time, and have been trained and developed as part of the same system are going to have similar characterizing traits and will react to situations in a similar manner. A "military mind" is correctly viewed by those who see it in leaders who take a disciplined and organized approach to management and problem solving. But that does not mean that such leaders-or any individuals with military experience-should be expected to have a uniform set of views on social, societal, or political matters. Nor should one equate having a "military mind" with a rigid or unyielding approach to problem solving. The best military leaders at all ranks are those who are innovative and, within certain boundaries, prone to do the unexpected. After all, surprise is one of the classic military principles of war.

Allied Ronin. What matters to you? If your voice could be heard by people young and old, of our nation and the world at large, what would you want people to pay attention to?

Rick: That's a weighty question, and one that is hard to answer without lapsing into some pretty tired saws that sound right but don't serve any real useful purpose or function. But, OK, I'll try this: don't make too much out of anything.

Allied Ronin: You currently direct strategic communication for CAF-BHO based in Tacoma, Washington. What can you tell us about this organization - what it does, its importance, the need it fills and why - and your personal reasons for deciding to do this now?

Rick: The Child, Adolescent, and Family Behavioral Health Office (CAF-BHO) was established in 2008 to coordinate the efforts of the United States Army Medical Command on behalf of better behavioral health for military kids and families who are suffering from the effects of multiple and long term deployments of a dad or a mom. The statistics are pretty clear -- about a third of military children have exhibited some sort of stress related behavioral health issue that can be tied directly to the deployment of a parent. The CAF-BHO manages 3 primary programs that support the accomplishment of this mission: Child and Family Assistance Centers that provide and coordinate care for family members at the installation level; the School Behavioral Health program that puts care providers in schools with large concentrations of military kids; and a series of training packages that target primary care providers, parents, teachers and others who experience first-hand the issues that family members are experiencing. My personal involvement in the program dates back the time that I served as the commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division when Vicki and I were involved in the setting up some of the first programs specifically designed to care for family members while soldiers were deployed.

Allied Ronin: In what ways can average people from the general public, business leaders, and organizations from outside of the military support or help your efforts, and/or the efforts of CAF-BHO?

Rick: Community leaders -- be they business executives, school administrators, local government officials and the like -- can be of tremendous assistance to the efforts on behalf of military families simply by making an effort to reach out to the installations that are part of their respective communities. There are always activities and events that are designed to help kids and families that installations are conducting. Community support can be instrumental in making these activities a success. In locations where there is no installation nearby, look for the families that include National Guardsmen or Reservists who are serving. Their families need support too. In most cases the problems being encountered by military family members can be solved without a huge expenditure of money or other resources. Understanding and reaching out to military communities and members can go a long way!

Allied Ronin. Looking back over the last forty years of your life, what one or two things in particular do you feel is important that a person should understand about self?

Rick: Develop the ability to bounce back, and everybody does this differently. Know what works best for you, and practice it. Also, in the grand scheme very few of us is as important as we think we are, but we should never underestimate the impact that we have on the ones who love us.

Allied Ronin. Thank you for the time you've given this interview, and thank you very much for the service you've given over all these years. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Rick: Thanks Lance, and good luck as you continue the important work that you do.

© Lance Giroux, November 2011

Insights with Eric T. Olson (Part 1)

Ours are revolutionary times. Not so much for the extent of turbulence

and disruption as because of the emergence of a significant number of thoughtful and aware people who see more clearly the world as it is and are not satisfied with it. - Robert Greenlean, (The Servant as Leader, 1970)

Eric "Rick" Olson has been a servant leader for more than forty years. Most of these years have been in the military and in places such as Germany, Bosnia, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2000, as a brigadier general, he became the 67th Commandant of the US Military Academy, West Point. Two years later he received his second star and moved on to command the 25th Infantry Division and all Army forces in Afghanistan. He was selected for promotion to Lieutenant General, but in a surprising move, he opted to end his career and move into civilian life. He served as Vice President MPEG LA (China) where he was responsible for the initiation of the first-ever effort to promote intellectual property rights and a patent license model in China. August 2006 to August 2007 found him at the US Embassy, Baghdad providing guidance and coordinating activities for provincial reconstruction. He then served as Chief of Staff and Special Advisor to the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. Currently he is the director of strategic communication for the Child, Adolescent, and Family Behavioral Health Office (CAF-BHO), which manages and develops programs supporting military kids and families for the US Army.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/supporting-military-families-the-child-adolescent-and-family-behavioral-health-office/11354/

Our path's first crossed in 1968, when we stood above the Hudson River and were sworn in as new cadets (plebes) at West Point. Following a three-month initiation (then called Beast Barracks) to the rigors of the Academy we were assigned as company mates. Over the next four years we became friends, and ever since then we've stayed in touch. Recently, I asked Rick if he'd be willing to be interviewed for The Ronin Post. His reply, "I'd be honored."

He should write his autobiography, a sentiment shared by a number of our classmates. If there's a stand-up guy, a person who is not only solid and smart but someone who takes time to examine the practicality of principles and perspectives, including those vastly divergent from his own, a person who cares about people and at the same time understands how to move decisively forward in the face of fear - then this is Rick Olson.

Join me now for Insights with Eric T. Olson.

Allied Ronin: You've had an incredible career. My guess is that there is still plenty in your future. But to begin with I'd like you to look back through the formative years that were your 1950's and 1960's. What was it like for you as a young person growing up and living in the family, the school and the community that you did?

Rick: I grew up in a "normal" community and had little exposure to the Army or any kind of military way of life until attending West Point. That said, my family was a stable one, I was the beneficiary of a solid public school education, and the whole community where I spent my formative years was characterized by a commitment to the importance of values and the notion that each individual had a responsibility to make a contribution to society-- that "growing up" involved embracing that responsibility and preparing to meet it.

Allied Ronin: On July 1, 1968 you stood on a grassy field, swore an oath, and became part of the West Point Class of 1972. What other college options had you considered? What influenced you to eventually decide on attending the Academy?

Rick: In high school, I ran in a circle of high achievers, and when it came to applying to colleges we all pretty much targeted the same small circle of schools-the Ivies as a first pick and local state universities as our "safe choices". Our high school had a few alumni who had attended the military academies, so it occurred to some of us (two in my HS graduating class) to take a shot at West Point.

In the end a high school classmate (who was also a lacrosse and soccer teammate and a good friend) and I chose West Point for pretty much the same reason: we wanted a challenge that went above and beyond the normal college experience. Speaking for myself, I had also begun to formulate in my own mind some vague notion of what selfless service to the Nation entailed and a belief that fulfillment would involve more than just rising in the corporate world, starting my own business, or making money. West Point just seemed like the right thing to do.

Allied Ronin: How would you describe cadet life of the late 60's and early 70's? On the one hand as one guy living inside a very peculiar system; and on the other hand as a young man living during a unique time of the United States - Woodstock, Apollo 11, Watergate, the resignations of Spiro Agnew and Richard Nixon, and what is known as "The Cold War" - how would you summarize this for you? What lessons did you learn about life and leadership from the experiences of this time?

Rick: I think too much can be made of the contrast between the life we lived at West Point in the late 60's and early 70's and what was going on "outside the gates". True, we didn't grow out our hair and put on bell bottoms, but we were not isolated from the ideas, political or societal trends, or spirit that characterized the larger American society at the time, and isn't that what that era was really all about? However, many of us who had chosen to attend the Academy at that time were probably naturally predisposed to challenge and question the direction that our civilian counterparts seemed to be choosing. Our view was that much of what was happening seemed negative and destructive-perhaps long on highlighting problems but short on solutions. If anything being at West Point at the time seemed to harden our resolve to look for constructive ways to solve problems, and perhaps to lead for positive change.

Allied Ronin: I believe that if we look we find that we all have had profound personal experiences, some large and others small, that we could call "most influential." What were a few of yours in your early career? Why were these so influential? And now, looking back, what would you say about these experiences and what they have meant to your life and the lives of others?

Rick: Rather than citing a specific incident let me give a brief description of a general situation. My first assignment as a young second lieutenant shaped an attitude and underscored a set of principles that prevailed through my entire career. The early 70's were hard years for the Army. The "hollow force" presented a wide range of challenges that we young officers and noncommissioned officers had to deal with: the shadow of Vietnam, draftee soldiers who wanted nothing more than to finish their careers and get home, broken and worn equipment, inadequate budgets that resulted in scarce training opportunities and the like. The lesson that we learned as we dealt with these challenges was that strong leadership and teamwork were essential to overcoming even the most difficult obstacles. Innovative and dedicated leaders who built, motivated, and led strong teams proved to be successful in even the toughest situations. That lesson proved to be useful to me at every level as my career continued over subsequent years.

Allied Ronin: There was a time when you had a horrible bicycle accident. I heard that during surgery you flat-lined. Is this so? Can you talk about that, how the accident happened, what your experiences were at the time and the hospitalization, and during your recovery afterward? What you've learned as a result about yourself, about life, about people and about relationships.

Rick: Well, not exactly flat-lined, though that makes for a better story! Nonetheless, there were periods of difficulty during the surgery after the accident and the subsequent recovery that the doctors considered life threatening. One lesson I learned from the experience is that you should always wear a helmet while bike riding! In all seriousness, the principal remembrance that I have from this experience is the care and concern that poured out from relatives (especially from my wife, Vicki), friends, colleagues, and West Point classmates (you were one, Lance). Times like these tend to remind you that you are not alone in the world-that people out there care about you, what happens to you, and what you do. There are lots of implications that flow from that realization.

Allied Ronin. When we were new cadets we had to memorize a lot of stuff called "plebe knowledge". One item in particular, "Battalion Orders" addressed the need to take a stand against favoritism. Another was "Schofield's Definition of Discipline". I remember being eighteen and reciting these to keep upperclassmen off my back. But then years later, as my life unfolded, these two became beacons that guided many of my decisions and actions. I've seen conflict, but never to the extreme that you have. I've had to make decisions, but never with the obvious immediacy of life and death consequences that you have. Can you speak to Schofield's Definition, its relevance to your life as a leader, and then to your understanding as to how it could be good advice for the average woman or man, boss or employee, father or mother? So that our readers can view this one themselves, here is a

link: http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nuri/schofiel.htm

Rick: Thanks for the link-I had to refresh my memory (you were always a better Plebe than me!) It's actually kind of ironic that this definition was such an important part of cadet life at West Point in our time there because we saw up close and personally several examples of how NOT to do things. Really Schofield was writing about respect. Respect from a leader for subordinates inspires respect from them for that leader. In combat these days, respect for a junior officer's or non-commissioned officer's abilities, knowledge, and skill is essential because leaders at the lowest level must be empowered to make decisions that can have strategic impact. Leaders who respect those who work for them and who will have their back in cases where events don't go as planned are the ones who achieve the most success and for whom people want to work. There is no room in the military for "harsh or tyrannical treatment". The same can be said for leadership in the office, boardroom, the halls of academe or wherever teamwork is a requirement.

Allied Ronin. I think it would be an understatement to say that, Vicki, your bride now of thirty-nine years, is a powerful leader. What have you seen in her? What have you learned from her, the examples she has set and the stands she has taken over her lifetime?

Rick: She is an interesting example of a special type of leader. In most instances she had to ...

© Lance Giroux, September 2011