Keeping the puzzle in one piece Published Jan. 8, 2010 By Senior Airman Kali L. Gradishar 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Among the tasks, operations, events and countless other responsibilities a commander has, there is a person there to help tackle it - the executive officer. Executive officers stand behind squadron, group and wing commanders, ensuring the hours pass as seamlessly as possible. Capt. Lisa Barber, 52nd Fighter Wing executive officer, has been in the position for only a few months and knows the job is no easy feat. "I've been in this position for almost five months and there is no typical day - other than the 20 minutes of quiet in the morning and the consistent 12 hours of chaos throughout the day," she said. "The chaos, though, is just a lot of people with a lot of timelines and deadlines to get what they need to (Col. Tip Wight, 52nd FW commander)." The executive officer, fondly called the "exec," ensures the organization of responsibilities. For the wing executive, this includes letters of recommendation, performance feedbacks, decorations, staff packages, U.S. Air Forces in Europe level awards, reports of survey, Freedom of Information Act requests, and basically anything that requires the commander's signature. They also maintain commanders' calendars and set up meetings, as well as a whole laundry list of other daily duties. "No official training is required to be an executive officer, but every personnel job I've had since I've been in the Air Force has prepared me for this experience," said Captain Barber, former manpower and personnel flight commander who has eight years of experience in Air Force MPF positions. "I would say the trick to being an executive officer is being flexible and organized. That's what helps me survive. You never know what's coming on a given day so you have to be flexible, and because you don't know what will come in and out of the office, you have to be organized," she said. Just as flexibility and organization are necessary skills to have, multi-tasking is also an important characteristic of the executive officer. "An exec needs the ability to multitask," said Col. Carey Tucker, 52nd Munitions Maintenance Group commander. "Because our units are geographically-separated units, we always have different events going on at different times and different locations. That officer's ability to keep track of everything is really important." Without executive officers maintaining organization and fluidity in commanders' offices, the commanders would have the weight of administrative duties on their shoulders - something they just don't have time for. "We are abundantly tasked in our group, and the executive officer is the focal point for making sure we meet the deadlines of those tasks," said Colonel Tucker. "With everything we have going on and how geographically spread out we are," he said, "plus with either me or my deputy out at one time, (the executive officer) needs to stay on top of everything when we're on the road constantly - to have a person at the group keeping the flow going." While executive officers are beneficial to the unit in keeping things in line, being an executive officer also has its advantages and opportunities. "I get my job satisfaction in knowing I'm helping people meet their Air Force goals - it's knowing we're doing a good job in taking care of people. I love that part of the job," Captain Barber said. "And because I see so much, I have a much bigger picture of what the wing does. It's eye-opening to understand how senior leaders have to put so many pieces together to get their mission accomplished." "I think what's most important about my job is I take care of the administrative work so Colonel Wight can focus on the wing's mission," she added.