Army Leadership Reaction Course reopens Published May 7, 2013 By Airman 1st Class Michael Smith 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Three teams made up of commanding officers and senior enlisted personnel from the 17th Training Wing, Army 344th Military Intelligence Battalion, Marine Corps Detachment and the Navy Center for Information Dominance Detachment came together to complete the Leadership Reaction Course, May 30. The LRC helps individuals enhance leadership qualities through competition in five mentally and physically challenging obstacles, by working together as a single unit. The Army run course closed four years ago due to safety concerns; Army 1st Sgt. Annette Reed, 344th MIB first sergeant, saw it as an opportunity to train her soldiers. "I knew the LRC was on the base when I arrived here in 2010," said Reed. "A peer of mine Army MSG(Ret) Chris Edstrom started the process of putting the LRC back together. As Senior NCOs we are charged with training Soldiers of all levels. We saw the LRC as a great asset and wanted to get it back in our course here at Goodfellow, as well as offer it to sister services." Four years is a long time for equipment to be exposed to the elements without regular maintenance, so the first step in reactivating the LRC was a safety inspection to identify deficiencies in what was left of the structures. Reed coordinated with Samuel Spooner, 17th Training Wing chief of safety, to ensure all safety requirements for both the Army and Air Force were met. The Charlie Company students completed the bulk of the labor, rebuilding some of the obstacles and re-facing others. Students, cadre and volunteers contributed total of about 250 hours of labor to bring the course back to life. Reed and the 344th MIB Charlie Company kicked -off the reopening by having leadership from around the installation come out and participate. "It's great for morale, especially for senior leaders who may be confined to a desk or meetings most of the day," said Reed. "It gives them the chance to work together in a safe environment while utilizing each other's strengths and having a great time." The LRC helps teach members of all services and ranks reach the understanding of when to be leader or a follower. The LRC reinforces the importance of teamwork in accomplishing our mission. Each obstacle on the course presented unique challenges that could only be overcome by the collective efforts of a team, not by acting alone, said Col. Thomas Schmidt, 17th Training Wing Vice Commander. The obstacles test the participant's strength, determination, communication and problem solving skills. One obstacle consists of involves a weighted ammo box and setting it across a base using wooden planks of different lengths and sizes, a task which cannot be completed with just one person. Participants quickly realized teamwork and communication are key to finding a solution for each challenge. "Marines always enjoy a physical challenge, but this one required some finesse and a lot of teamwork," said Marine Master Sgt. Nicholas Franchuk, Marine Corps Detachment liaison officer. "While balancing on top of a pylon, I discovered that it's perfectly acceptable to hug an Air Force colonel, under certain circumstances." "We all recognized the objectives in mind, so working with the other services wasn't a big hurdle to overcome," said Army Lt. Col. Devon Blake, 344th MIB Commander. "It was very successful in the sense that it was all about the team; it also added to the fun of it." The LRC will be available to organizations on base for scheduling the first week of June. For more information contact the 344th MIB at 325-654-3301.
