Vision and Goals Discussed During Strategic Planning Session for 125th Fighter Wing Published Jan. 11, 2017 By Master Sgt. Jaclyn Lyons 125th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Starke Fla. -- Leadership from the 125th Fighter Wing, Florida Air National Guard, gathered at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Starke, Florida, to discuss the future goals and priorities of the unit. The meeting kicked off with Colonel Brian Bell, 125th Fighter Wing Commander, explaining the premise of the two days was to set high achievable goals, evaluate the vision for the organization and determine the best way to reach that vision. "We are setting a vision for what we want the 125th Fighter Wing to look like- we need to begin with the end in mind and always keep our eye on that target," said Bell. " When I come back to visit the wing 15-20 years from now, what do I want it to look like?" A large focus of the meeting was how to empower the squadrons and give more control to lower levels to help Airmen succeed in their careers. By taking a realistic look at processes and delegating items, it gives more ownership to lower level commanders and contributes to keeping the overall vision for the wing in check and moving in the right direction. Colonel Bell explained the reasoning behind this. "Empowering and revitalizing our squadrons is important for us to help the 125th be the premier wing that we know it to be by letting commanders be commanders. Let them make decisions affecting their mission at the level they are most knowledgeable to make." The participants appreciated the insight of having other group and squadron commanders together to compare situations and ideas. Colonel Michael Parrinello, Medical Group Commander, was in attendance and found a lot of commonality between the different groups. "I listen to a lot of things that are brought up and I see we have the same issues we try to deal with." The meeting was held off-site to enable the participants to be free of normal daily distractions like phone calls or emails and gather together in civilian clothes to present a more academic environment that encouraged open dialogue and equality. "We come away from this much stronger and better able to articulate the mission of the wing, what the vision is, and how the Medical Group can contribute to that vision. Also to motivate and inspire Airmen to get the education and the skills they need to make our organization better." Parinello explained. The end goal of the event was to have commanders leave equipped to empower the squadrons, flights and individuals with the messages they need to see the vision for the future of the 125th Fighter Wing.