Spiritual Development for Strategic Leadership in the Air Force

摘要

Despite the Air Force Core Values being in place since 1997, Air Force officers and leaders continue to make decisions inconsistent with these values. History shows that spiritual readiness and wellness are important if officers are to make decisions consistent with the law of armed conflict, the nation's values, and Air Force values. If clear definitions for spiritual readiness and wellness do not exist, it creates ambiguity. Current publications do not give guidance on how to implement spiritual development, but they do call for Air Force officers to help their Airmen be spiritual ready, well, and healthy. A spiritual development program should be initiated in the Air Force that provides clear definitions for spiritual readiness and wellness, infuses spirit-strengthening quotes and anecdotes into publications and official correspondence, emphasizes the importance of spiritual development through Professional Military Education, and revitalizes its mentoring program by providing mentors with tools they can use to spiritually develop their proteges. This paper shows that the Air Force must add spiritual development to the Air Force officer development program. This action will remove the current ambiguity surrounding the spiritual development of Airmen and strengthen strategic leaders' consciences/spirits to make decisions consistent with Air Force values.