Trust, respect and the ability to communicate: Wing CC reflects on his career

A tall, energetic, yet relaxed, man explains how trust and respect are an integral part of his leadership style.

“Don’t tell people how to do things; tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.”

Those words, first spoken by Gen. George Patton, were recalled by the youthful colonel as he sat with me in his office sporting his daily flight suit.

Col. Douglas DeLaMater, 374^th Airlift Wing commander, who is retiring from the Air Force, answered questions about the values on which he built his 24-year career. Around us his shelves, tables and walls were filled with mementos from the places he’s been, such as a tall bottle displaying a C-130 Hercules on the label and reading “401^st Squadron, Callsign ‘CAMEL’.” It seemed to recall his days as a full-time C-130 aviator. Two mysterious, old machine parts sat under the coffee table. An item that caught my interest was a plaque: a retirement gift from his staff and close colleagues at Yokota. It displayed a metal version of an official, filled-out approval form. On closer inspection the form was filled with inside jokes from his two years as wing commander, good-natured teasing and sincere statements of admiration and gratitude.

As DeLaMater explained his values, he spoke with direction and clarity. It was as if he’d explained them thousand times before, yet he still communicated with passion and conviction.

DeLaMater went on to explain that his leaders in life, from parents to teachers to mentors, as well as his experiences as a leader in high school, began building him as a professional. The accumulation of his experience before and after commissioning led him to take a somewhat unique approach to leadership.

“I don’t have expectations of my Airmen,” DeLaMater said. “I think our expectations are written down for us in our standards that we’re all committed to as professionals. I do, however, have beliefs.”

DeLaMater has often echoed his three main beliefs in his addresses to the Airmen of Yokota:

1. Rank is a badge of service.

2. Take care of the Airmen and they’ll take care of the mission.

3. Airmen deserve the utmost trust and respect and they have it from the beginning.

“The fastest way to build trust and respect is to give it,” DeLaMater said. “I recommend everyone in my organization to do that.”

When DeLaMater stands before the Airmen of Yokota, rarely do they receive reprimand. Instead he conveys excitement at their accomplishments, explaining the big-picture impact of their hours, sweat and dedication.

“He was always able to grab our attention at all-calls,” said Airman 1^st Class Joshua Belford, 374^th Logistics Readiness Squadron technician. “He always stepped up to the plate on any challenge, whether it was big and mission-related, or smaller things that affect Airmen like internet issues. Most of all I liked the part of his policy where he explained, ‘take care of your Airmen and they will take care of the mission.’”

Tech. Sgt. Aleric Hebert, 374^th Airlift Wing chaplain assistant, commented on DeLaMater’s communication with his Airmen.

“If you want to know where his heart is, listen to him talk to the Airmen he leads,” Hebert said. “He has called on the very best in every one of us by genuine leadership and accountability.”

The trust and respect DeLaMater puts in his Airmen is built on his experience as a wing commander and his 24 years of service.

“In every single instance in my career I’ve seen that you don’t have to motivate your Airmen,” DeLaMater said. “It’s built into their DNA. They’re there for a reason, and that’s an incredibly powerful thing. You just tell them what has to get done, give them the tools and get out of their way. They’ll get it done.”

That trust and respect has been returned to DeLaMater, demonstrated in the answers Yokota Airmen offered when asked for their impression and thoughts on the wing commander.

“He is a down-to-earth guy who cares not only for the Air Force but for all its members,” said Airman 1^st Class Joseph Williams, 374^th Comptroller Squadron customer service technician. “He’s a true representation of what a leader should be.”

Master Sgt. D. Scott Northcutt, 374^th Force Support Squadron chief mechanic, is the leader of the Yokota chapter of the Green Knights Military Motorcycle Club. He expressed gratitude for DeLaMater’s approving the chapter and sanctioning the construction of a new, improved motorcycle range.

“We, the motorcycle community, could not have asked for a more supportive base commander,” Northcutt said.

Airman 1^st Class Orrin Fenwick, 730^th Air Mobility Squadron maintenance operations controller, said “He is a sincere man with passion. I have nothing but gratitude for what he has done for the base.”

“He’s a very charismatic and caring leader,” said Airman 1^st Class Brandon King, 374^th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion journeyman.

Reflecting on his retirement after giving so much of life and energy to service, DeLaMater said that this is a bitter-sweet moment.­

“The people I’ve worked with and gone to war with have made me who I am today and I’ll always be grateful for that,” DeLaMater said. “I’ll be grateful for the opportunities that the nation gave me to serve and the people who mentored me. They’ll always be part of me. That’s going to be very hard.”

Leaving the Air Force and his brothers in arms was the bitter part, but the sweet part, according to DeLaMater, is the next stage of his life. DeLaMater chose retirement to be with his family, and that’s exactly what the future holds. He is also grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve Airmen as a civilian flight instructor for the newest C-130J Super Hercules aviators at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas.

To the Airmen of Yokota, DeLaMater had a final message.

“Thank you for being part of that one-half of one percent of the population that defends the rest of the 300-plus million of our fellow Americans and, by extension, the rest of the world,” DeLaMater said. “You inspire me. It’s been the honor of a lifetime.