European Commander Empowers Air Warriors at the Edge of Combat

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By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

Leadership training and empowered, well-prepared decision-makers at the edge of combat is a highly-emphasized, yet somewhat lesser known element of US and NATO deterrence efforts along the Russian border.

Forces need to be ready, forward positioned and able to demonstrate an ability to quickly counter or destroy any Russian advance, all while being sure to avoid miscalculation or unwanted exchanges of lethal fire.

Gen Jeffrey L. Harrigian, Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, makes this kind of balanced, yet strong approach fundamental to his leadership style. He seeks to empower small unit leaders and airmen at the edge to make critical decisions under pressure and independently take training initiatives, conduct training operations and solidify war preparations. 

All of this, Harrigian emphasizes, needs to be done intelligently to strike the optimal balance between demonstrating a strong deterrence posture while ensuring there is no unwanted escalation.

“Let’s drive down the possibility of miscalculation. This has to do with communicating with force. We have to make sure that is clear in everyone’s head. We want to make sure the military does not take away decision space and be sure everyone has their head in the game so we understand how decisions may fit into a broader strategy,” Harrigian told The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.