MEMPHIS ANGB, Tenn. -- The164th Airlift Wing Judge Advocate office hosted a Progressive Discipline Bootcamp Nov. 7 at the Memphis Air National Guard base, Memphis.
This boot camp focused on helping frontline supervisors better utilize the formal discipline process.
“It’s the first ever legal boot camp we put on,” said Maj. Sarah Cornett, staff judge advocate with the 164 AW.
The program introduced supervisors to a series of skits that presented different scenarios and walked them through the different administrative tools available to help document and encourage or change behavior.
“The whole point of this program is to get together and talk about empowering the frontline supervisor to help their members through verbal counseling and administrative action”, said Cornett. “So, talking about how when you have Airmen who need some corrective action, what the tools are to help them and rehabilitate them so that we can meet standards.”
During the session, it was continuously emphasized the importance of focusing on the member and the facts surrounding their situation.
“We had great conversations about making sure that you are always considering the member, and the specific facts and circumstances surrounding whatever incident you are potentially going to give that administrative action for,” said Cornett.
They also focused on the member and the importance of their rights during the administrative process.
“I think that everybody was equally concerned about preserving members rights, but also making sure that we preserve good order and discipline,” said Cornett.
The most important objective of this program was to simplify the administrative process and coach frontline supervisors on the proper and appropriate course of action.
TSgt. Zachary Williams, paralegal with the 164 AW, stressed the importance of training frontline supervisors of which level of discipline to use when taking administrative action, to document everything, to remember that everything doesn’t always lead to negative administrative action, and emphasize that some documentation can be positive as well.