Lt. Col. Steven M. Jones, installation chaplain for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall has decades of experience in the spiritual well-being of military members. But his ministry also includes counseling sessions and workshops far from the confines of the base; from counseling prisoners inside the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth to instruction on the foundations of trust with District of Columbia National Guard leaders.
“My position sometimes entails putting ministry in a business framework,” Jones said. “After 15 years of persistent [military] conflict, the military has sometimes been focused more on results at all costs — than character and integrity — and there’s a price. I look for ways to impart the moral good and sustainability of an organization’s mission.”
On June 19, Jones traveled to Joint Base Andrews to instruct a day-long seminar entitled “Foundations of Trust” to military personnel and civilians who work within the Mission Support Group of the D.C. Air National Guard; to include members of the Security Forces Squadron, Logistics Readiness Squadron, Force Support Squadron, Civil Engineering Squadron and Comptroller Flight.
“We all have something to learn about trust and ways to improve,” said Capt. Catelyn Shrader, a member of the D.C. Air National Guard, who has served in uniform for 11 years. “While with rank comes a certain amount of respect, I think there are a lot of instances where leaders have to earn the trust of subordinates before they’ll feel more comfortable coming to you and working with you.”
Shrader and other attendees learned what Jones calls 13 “high trust behaviors,” to include transparency, loyalty and accountability; attendees also participated in exercises on rebuilding trust within a military organization once it is broken. In short, how an organization can fail if trust is absent.
“There are economics — both taxes and dividends,” Jones said. “In a low trust organization, leaders should expect low speed and high costs.”
He also outlined the four “cores of credibility” which emphasizes integrity, intent, capabilities and results. None of which allow for self-serving, regardless of duty position or rank, Jones said.
“We as a nation have focused a lot of personal independence and choice, but it shouldn’t be done at the expense of others,” Jones said. “We as a people need to rediscover living out the importance of character and an intent that is good for everyone. That’s how you encourage others in an organization to operate in a trust worthy manner. And that’s how you hold people accountable and should be held accountable yourself.”
Chaplain Jones is open to teaching the “Foundations of Trust” to other military organizations and installations in the National Capital Region. To learn more contact Jones at steven.m.jones40.mil@mail.smil.mil.
Pentagram Staff Writer Arthur Mondale can be reached at awright@dcmilitary.com.