'Semi-Pro' philosophy leads to professional success for 931st, departing commander

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Brannen Parrish
  • 931st ARG/PA
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Sometimes the greatest ideas emanate from unlikely origins. Isaac Newton was inspired to develop his theory of gravitation, not in a lab, but in a garden. While the inspiration for Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccine occurred, not in a hospital, but on a dairy farm.

For Colonel Edsel A. 'Archie' Frye, commander, 931st Air Refueling Group, the major inspiration for his "everybody love everybody" leadership philosophy was not a textbook on the subject, but the 2008 comedy "Semi-Pro", which stars actor and comedian Will Ferrell.

"If everybody respects everybody, or loves everybody, then they will love themselves or maybe a little more. You may be amazed at how well a unit will do in understanding each other and each other's worth and value and that was my intention from the start," said Colonel Frye. "That's why we put together leadership off-sites, and intentionally paired people from different units and career fields. We knew they would come to recognize the other as a person, not competition for a budget dollar."

"Semi-Pro" is the story of a fictional basketball team from the defunct American Basketball Association. Mr. Ferrell stars as an owner, coach and player struggling to keep his franchise financially and competitively solvent, while exhorting his players to embrace the team motto, "Everybody love everybody."
Professor Leo Bottary, who teaches Strategic Communication and Leadership at Seton Hall University, maintains leaders must be on the lookout for inspiration in every environment.

"An organizational philosophy that emphasizes seeing the best in others and appreciating the unique value and perspective each person brings to the team is key to a healthy culture," said Professor Bottary. "It's also important to understand that we're surrounded by life lessons each and every day - whether we find them in real life or in the movies. All we have to do is keep our eyes and minds open at all times."

Colonel Frye recognized the deeper truth within the idea and the value of a philosophy that encourages looking beyond self-interest for the benefit of everyone. The ELE philosophy extolls mutual respect and responsibility throughout the organization, and though the genesis of the idea was a Hollywood movie, he sees numerous opportunities for that approach.

"Right now, we've got tough budget times and everyone is competing. They want their organization to be the best it can be, but it shouldn't come at a cost of another unit's suffering," said Colonel Frye. "My intention was that you could share needs with anyone in the organization and make their needs equal to yours, if not give them a little preference over yourself. I know that's a difficult concept for people to understand sometimes."

During Colonel Frye's tenure, the 931st ARG added more than 300 positions and the organization, and its members, racked up numerous awards and honors. In 2010, the unit garnered the Get1 Award from the Recruiting Service as Airman from the 931st ARG referred more enlistees to recruiters than any unit in Air Force Reserve Command. Two recipients of the 2009 AFRC Enlisted Aircrew of the Year award hailed from the 931st ARG.

"When you look at our size in comparison to other units throughout this Air Force, the fact that we won the Get1 program and we only had 600 members, the fact our members believe so much in the Air Force Reserve that they would be enthusiastically recruiting, that sums up our unit."

In 2009, Col. Frye instituted the "ELE Award." The award recognizes Airmen who go above and beyond to help others feel valued. The first recipient, Staff Sgt. Tamara Wilson, a public health technician with the 931st Aerospace Medicine Flight, said the centerpiece of ELE  is character and sacrifice.

"It's not the uniform you put on, and it's not the clothes you wear. It's what is inside of you, because there is always someone who needs that one smile, that one push to be able to say, 'Hey I'm good at what I do, and someone did recognize that, and I didn't fall through the cracks'," said Sergeant Wilson, who is a casualty officer and counselor in her civilian job at the 22nd Air Refueling Wing Airmen and Family Readiness Center. "I think when Colonel Frye gives that award he is saying that sacrifice makes your character better, not just your career but your character, your personality, and your life."

Professor Bottary said that working for the greater good has far reaching benefits.

"Organizations that make work purposeful will have more satisfied employees. It's the classic story of the stonecutters. Ask two stone cutters what they are doing and one says, 'I'm cutting stone,' while the other replies, 'I'm building a great cathedral.' Which employee do you think is more satisfied?" Professor Bottary noted. "Working for the greater good or larger purpose isn't a personal sacrifice; in fact, it yields greater personal rewards."

Colonel Frye began his Air Force career after enlisting in the Air Force in 1976. He served as a crew chief, flight engineer and aerial repair specialist prior to commissioning in 1986. That enlisted background provides him with a unique perspective on Airmen's concerns.

"He has been a great inspiration to the enlisted force," said Chief Master Sgt. Kathleen Lowman, program manager for the 18th Air Refueling Squadron. "Colonel Frye uses stories to motivate Airmen, and he's proud of his enlisted background."

A proponent of education, Colonel Frye encouraged his Airmen to pursue higher education. Since he took command in 2008, the unit maintained some of the highest ratios of Community College of the Air Force graduates among Air Force units. He maintained that accomplishing two associate degrees from CCAF while serving as an enlisted Airman marked a turning point in his career.

"When I got the CCAF degree it was something that I could hold up my hand and say, 'Hey, I'm halfway there.' So that's really important to me." He said. "Most people just need a little nudge and they can exceed their own expectations, that's really what I wanted to do with the CCAF degrees because once you get people started and they get something in their hands so they can say, 'Hey, I did this and I'm proud of this' you really just need to get out of their way because they'll take care of the rest."
Colonel Frye will depart the 931st ARG at the end of February to take command of 22nd Air Force, Detachment 1, where he will become the first commander of a C-130 flight training unit at Little Rock AFB, Ark. Flying the C-130 and building a unit from the ground up are welcome challenges.

"Since I've been in the Air Force, I've wanted to fly the C-130 because of its history. It's a tactical aircraft and you really have to fly that plane." He said. "I'm also looking forward to the opportunity to stand up a new unit. It's not every day that you get to start something from scratch. To say, 'I'm excited' would be an understatement"
Colonel Frye said that he learned many lessons while commanding the 931st ARG. Chief among those lessons was realizing his decisions affect not only the Airmen under his charge, but the people in their lives.

"You have to care about everybody in your decisions and you have to realize that every decision you make affects the person, their family and their friends, their children and spouses and you have to be as fair as possible while upholding standards," he said.

Though Colonel Frye will depart Feb. 27, he is confident the men and women of the 931st ARG will hold fast to the tenets of ELE.

"I don't think there's any doubt that's going to continue," he said.