Leadership training: SDDC invests in people

By Amy ParrSeptember 16, 2019

Leadership training: SDDC invests in people
Twenty-four Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command employees from around the world recently completed a one-week leadership training certificate program at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business. The course, he... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Twenty-four Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command employees from around the world recently completed a one-week leadership training certificate program at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business. The course, held Aug. 26-30, brought military and civilian employees together as part of SDDC's Human Capital Strategic Plan.

According to Lance Davidson, SDDC Human Capital Development manager, the program intent is to identify, invest and develop future leaders and was custom-tailored for SDDC's Surface Warriors.

"This initiative supports the command philosophy that leader development is essential to achieving mission success," he said. "Every SDDC civilian careerist and military member is a leader in some way."

Session topics included better communication and active listening, people skills in the workplace, time and task management, setting priorities, effective team building, communicating with tact and diplomacy, sparking innovation and creativity, clear and concise writing, team problem solving, developing a leadership framework, and tough minded leadership.

Daniel Riedel, from SDDC's 598th Transportation Brigade in Sembach, Germany, is the first local national to attend the command's HCSP training.

"I really enjoyed the group and the harmony," he said. "I learned a lot about good communication and time management. We had different cultures and countries, but students with the same mission and same goal."

According to Davidson, feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive, with several commenting on the value added by bringing in people from across different SDDC commands.

In his closing remarks, Clay Carter, acting SDDC deputy to the commander, thanked attendees for taking the time to attend the training and encouraged them to take what they learned back to their commands. He stressed the emphasis Maj. Gen. Stephen E. Farmen, SDDC commanding general, places on employee growth and development.

"You are our strategic advantage," he said. "Our commander supports these training courses to ensure we have 100 percent of our people doing 100 percent of the right work to meet our purpose to move, deploy and sustain the Armed Forces to deliver readiness and lethality at speed."

Graduates are:

Mike Aaron, SDDC Headquarters

Tim Albers, SDDC Headquarters

Deb Arbelo, SDDC Headquarters

Marco Boasso, SDDC Headquarters

Stacey Canty, 597th Transportation Brigade

Luke Chamberlin, Transportation Engineering Agency

Todd Diskey, SDDC Headquarters

Donnie Gaines, 596th Transportation Brigade

Staff Sgt. Franklin Hidalgo, 598th Transportation Brigade

Evette Holsendolph, SDDC Headquarters

Capt. Matthew Kinzer, SDDC Headquarters

Capt. Alejandro Loera, 598th Transportation Brigade

Sgt. 1st Class Cory McGee, SDDC Headquarters

Amy Parr, SDDC Headquarters

Luis Ramos, 842nd Transportation Battalion

Daniel Riedel, 598th Transportation Brigade

Kenneth Roger, 595th Transportation Brigade

Elizabeth Shaw, Transportation Engineering Agency

Jeanine Shaw-Tyler, SDDC Headquarters

John Slaughenhoupt, 596th Transportation Brigade

Tracey Stam, SDDC Headquarters

Todd Terral, SDDC Headquarters

Sherry Verdu, SDDC Headquarters

Towanda Wright, SDDC Headquarters