Episode #13 is the new Command Chief of Kunsan Air Base, Wolf Chief #24, CMSgt Thomas Schaefer. Chief Schaefer recently arrived to Kunsan Air Base from Nellis AFB. Chief prioritizes developing Airmen and this line of effort provided me with an opportunity to speak to him yesterday to discuss the Airpower Leadership Academy. At the end of the meeting, I told him I leave Korea in a week and if he has time for a podcast, I would love to host him. He checked his calendar and said, “what about tomorrow?” Today I ask why he joined the Air Force after graduating with a Criminal Sociology degree from the University of Arizona and I ask what he did for almost two years prior to enlisting. He shares a moment from 23 years ago when he was about 23-years old. His manager offered him a promotion at the grocery store he was working at. Instead of accepting the manager’s offer, he decided right then, in that moment, that he wanted to join the military and resigned. He talks about his four kids and the support his wife, CMSgt Diane Schaefer gave him when he was offered this position as a Command Chief. This is his second assignment with Kunsan’s current Wing Commander, Colonel John Gallemore. We talk about what makes a good team and working relationship. I ask him what things, if any would he change within the Air Force and he had some really good suggestions that I could get behind. Towards the end we talk about his top mentors throughout his career. He lists people off and we make an observation as to what all four of his mentors have in common.