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Accountability

AC-130 Hercules from the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station launches
flares over Lake Ontario during a training exercise Aug 10, 2011,
Niagara falls, N.Y. Flares can be launched from an aircraft as a
defensive measure against hostile forces (U.S. Air Force photo/SSgt
Joseph Mckee)

Introduction and Lesson Objectives

Have you been in an Think about it!

organization where people
Merriam-Webster defines accountability as “an
were not held accountable?
obligation or willingness to accept responsibility
Imagine how not holding
or to account for one’s actions.”
people accountable would
affect the morale of an
organization. Accountability affects mission completion, the health of an
organization, and individuals within an organization. Air Force members have a
personal responsibility to hold themselves and others accountable at all levels
within an organization. Leaders hold their people accountable through effective
supervision and leadership. Adequate supervision encompasses delegation

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techniques, feedback, coaching, and mentoring. A culture of accountability can

encourage and motivate your followers to effectively meet their missions.

Lesson Objectives

1. Comprehend how accountability contributes to mission success

and well-being of fellow Airmen (CESG 3.2)
2. Comprehend effective supervision through delegation,
counseling, mentoring and feedback techniques that empower
Airmen and promote a culture of accountability (CESG 3.2)

Accountability, Responsibility, Discipline Defined

Air Force members have a personal responsibility to hold themselves and others
accountable at all levels. Before reading about who is responsible for
accountability, we will define accountability and related terms. Accountability,
responsibility, and discipline are independent and interrelated concepts integral
to the military. Without accountability, the leadership’s responsibility to complete
the mission is not credible. For example, a space operations crew is tasked to
search for a certain satellite. The crew commander delegates the responsibility to
search for the satellite to the Airman on duty. If the Airman misses the satellite,
the crew commander is ultimately responsible and accountable for this action.
Because of this leadership role, the crew commander is ultimately responsible for
the failed mission to search for the satellite.

Accountability and responsibility is balanced through good order and discipline.

Read Chapter 7 of The Armed Forces Officer to comprehend the differences and
similarities between accountability, responsibility, and discipline. Review the
examples of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter in Lake Superior and the USS
Greeneville in The Armed Forces Officer to comprehend how accountability,
responsibility and discipline affect mission success and well-being of all involved.

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U.S. Coast Guard cutter aground off Keweenaw Point in Lake

Superior, 0210 4 Dec 1989. (photo from www.uscg.mil)

Required Lesson Materials

The Armed Forces Officer, Chapter 7 Responsibility,
Accountability, and Discipline, Jan 2006. Read pp.
59-69.

Accountability and Responsibility at the Lowest Levels

In a successful organization, individuals feel responsible for excellence in

performing the unit’s mission and keeping themselves mission ready. In the
following reading, actions of individuals in the lower levels of the Tactical Air
Command (TAC) in the late 1970s did not display a sense of responsibility
towards excellence in the mission. For example, $25 billion worth of aircraft were
not ready at a given time and pilots were only flying half of the flying
requirements. During this time frame, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara
pressed for a top-down management style approach throughout the military. In
the following reading, focus on how General Wilbur L. “Bill” Creech, Commander
of TAC from 1978 to 1984, changed the organization from a centralized control
approach to a bottom-up approach forcing authority and responsibility to the
lowest ranks. General Creech’s new method changed the entire culture of the
organization and empowered all to feel a sense of ownership towards the
mission.

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General Wilbur “Bill” Creech, Commander

of TAC from 1978 to 1984 (photo credit:
www.af.mil)

Required Lesson Materials

Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 1-1,
Leadership and Force Development, 8 Nov 2011.
Read pp. 76-79.

Commander’s Accountability Conflict

Commanders have the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to guide their
efforts in accountability, but the ultimate responsibility of accountability and
discipline within the unit lies on the commander. The Air Force does not dictate
which method a commander uses, but gives commanders discretion due to
varying circumstances. Commanders look at past performances, history, and
current situations. For example, an individual may be going through a divorce or
a death of a loved one that may factor into how a commander may hold them

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accountable. A commander must decide if holding someone accountable is worth

sacrificing short term mission success for the overall success. For example, a
commander must decide if sending someone home early from a deployment for
violating a general order is worth the critical manning shortage for the deployed
unit or does good order and discipline outweigh the critical manning shortage.

Delegation, Feedback, Coaching, and Mentoring

Leaders hold people accountable through various means including disciplinary

actions, counseling, delegating properly, setting clear standards, formal and
informal feedback, effective coaching and mentoring and leading by example.
The core of supervision skills is empowering your subordinates to hold their
peers, subordinates, or leadership accountable. For example, a medical first
sergeant recognized individuals who corrected uniformed violations throughout
the medical facility no matter the rank of the individual. An individual will not be
empowered if the standards are unclear. If one was held accountable for unclear
standards, imagine the affect on their morale. The individual who is given high
expectations and clear standards is more likely to foster a sense of responsibility
and accountability towards mission success. In the first sergeant example, the
first sergeant gave high expectations and clear standards for uniform appearance
and delegated the responsibility to hold all individuals in the medical facility
accountable to those expectations and standards.

Accountability goes beyond occasional corrective actions or the initial feedback

and expectations to daily accountability. For example, when a person holds a
staff meeting every week and waits for everyone to arrive instead of starting on
time, the attendees may tend to be late every week. Compared to when another
person holds a staff meeting and starts the meeting on time every week, the
attendees may feel obligated to show up on time.

Lack of Accountability

Fostering a climate of ineffective supervision and accountability, mission failure is

inevitable as seen in the following case of a B-52 crash at Fairchild Air Force
Base. The following reading is an account of the events leading up to the B-52
(Czar 52) crash on 24 June 1994. Focus on the seven situations and leadership
mistakes leading up to the crash. The reading demonstrates how the lack of
accountability affected the culture of 92d Bomb Wing. With no discipline and
weak feedback from wing leadership, Lt Col Bud Holland, Chief of Wing
Standardization-Evaluations, committed numerous regulation violations as the
pilot of the B-52. Through their failure to act, the leadership did not convey clear
standards and high expectations to the wing and lacked integrity through
numerous cover-ups. Followers mistrusted and questioned leadership credibility
while others followed with near disastrous results. By not having open

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communication up and down the chain of command, the leaders lost

opportunities for coaching and mentoring. The wing commander’s final refusal to
hold Lt Col Holland accountable for not following his orders to limit the pitch and
bank angles during air show practice on 17 June 1994 led to the crash seven
days later which killed all onboard.

Required Lesson Materials

Kern, Maj Tony “Darker Shades of Blue: A Case

Study of Failed Leadership.” 1995. Read pp. 5-23.

Accountability Exercise I

The military is a diverse organization and most operations include joint and
coalition forces where you will be exposed to even more diverse situations. How
you handle diversity will influence your leadership effectiveness. By
understanding and embracing diversity, leaders are better equipped to respond
to various situations. The following avatar scenario depicts a possible situation
involving ethnic jokes in the workplace. Air Force officers are expected to
practice ethical leadership and foster mutual respect among diverse populations
and coalition partners at all times. Air Force officers achieve objectives by
incorporating the core values of the Air Force in their daily activities and leading
by example.

Accountability Exercise I View Avatar (5:00).

Accountability Exercise II

The Air Force considers three standards crucial to those who take the oath and
become a commissioned officer: the Air Force Core Values, which is the
foundation for Institutional Competencies, and Leadership Actions. The core
values of the Air Force are a statement of those institutional values and principles
Airmen must follow. Leaders have three basic responsibilities: the conduct of
their personal leadership behavior, how they engage followers to optimize
performance, and how they help shape their organization to be successful. Air

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Force Doctrine Document 1-1 (AFDD 1-1) addresses the importance of

embracing the values of integrity, service, and excellence. These concepts serve
as the bedrock of Air Force leadership and the basis upon which your leadership
goals can be fulfilled. One example of core values in action is putting the needs
of your service before your own. Your duty is to your service, your family, and
your fellow Airmen. Those who practice service before self never submit false
reports. The following avatar scenario depicts a possible situation involving the
submission of false reports.

Accountability Exercise II View Avatar (5:00).

Conclusion

Have you set the culture of accountability in your unit where an airman will be
obligated to accept responsibility for their actions? Accountability is an essential
element to mission success. Failure to hold someone accountable can result in
mission failure or even worse, loss of life. As a leader, you must have the
courage to hold yourself and others accountable. Effective leadership breeds a
culture of accountability and empowers your subordinates to hold themselves
and others accountable.

Reflection Questions

1. What are the differences and similarities between accountability,

responsibility, and discipline?
2. How could holding someone accountable conflict with mission success?
What happens within a unit if someone is not held accountable?
3. When should a leader be held accountable for their subordinate’s actions?
As a leader, how do you hold someone accountable?
4. How do you empower your subordinates to hold others accountable? How
do standards and expectations relate to accountability?

Bibliography

Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 1-1, Leadership and Force Development, 8
Nov 2011: pp.76-79.

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Kern, Maj Tony “Darker Shades of Blue: A Case Study of Failed Leadership.”
1995: pp. 5-23.

The Armed Forces Officer, Chapter 7 “Responsibility, Accountability, and

Discipline,” Jan 2006: pp. 59-69.

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