CMSAF visits Maxwell ALS - Students receive message about leadership Published June 22, 2012 By Airman 1st Class William J. Blankenship Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy spoke to Airman Leadership School students here Wednesday. Chief Roy is the service's highest ranking enlisted Airman and serves as the personal advisor to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, and proper utilization and progress of the enlisted force. Airman Leadership School is the five-week professional military education program that prepares Airmen to be first-line supervisors. "The first-line supervisor, in my opinion, is the most important part of our Air Force," Roy said. "You are directly responsible for activity within your shop." The fifteen future supervisors heard Chief Roy speak about leadership, the importance of mission accomplishment, and topical Air Force issues they will deal with as Air Force leaders. "We are chartered to lead," explained Roy. "Be a bold leader." Roy explained the importance of being a supervisor and knowing how subordinate Airmen are doing on a personal level. "We have a culture of taking care of each other," said Roy. "Resiliency is important because life matters." Senior Airman Andrew Ingram, Aerospace Medical Services technician, 42nd Medical Group, is an ALS student who listened to Roy's words of wisdom. "Hearing from somebody like Chief Roy means a lot to me," said Ingram. "That was my second time having the opportunity to hear him speak." "He said that no one is perfect and we all make mistakes," explained Ingram. "Learning from those mistakes will make me a better supervisor." Roy encouraged the soon-to-be graduates of ALS to go back to their workplace and find a leader to learn from. "Experience is the one attribute that most people wish that had when they are becoming first-line supervisors," said Roy. "The only way to gain experience is go to out there and lead, simple as that." Concluding his visit, Roy left the future leaders with one final thought. "Keep the mindset of why we do what we do," he encouraged. "That is, to defend the Constitution of the United States."