By Laura Lavelle, Guest Contributor
Continuing on the theme from my pre-conference post, the three days spent at JETC 2018 have been prime examples of days that just aren’t long enough. Every minute counts at JETC.
It was a unique experience to be surrounded by so many different people (from different companies, backgrounds, and ages) that all have a common career interest and focus. The conversations made her proud to be involved in the work she does for our military.
As I was discussing with a colleague, it’s not a marathon, it’s a constant sprint through the days of the conference. I’ve been sprinting between sessions, keynotes, networking receptions, and am taking a moment to sit down and reflect.
It’s difficult to capture the JETC energy in words alone. I think the best medium would be a fast-clip video montage. I asked my Young Member colleague, Chelsey Nault, if she could have a commercial or montage of her favorite minutes here at JETC, what would be included.
Her response: “I would pull snippets from some of the inspirational and educational speeches I heard throughout the week: from The Honorable Lucian Niemeyer, Assistant Secretary of Defense, to Mark Nutsch, Commander of the Horse Soldiers, to the various education and training presentations. And then of course, end with some SAME member karaoke out-takes!”
I know Chelsey appreciated all the sessions she attended, and some ideas that stuck out were quotes from the “Advice for My Younger Self About Leadership” session. The overall message of “lift as you rise” and “serve as a servant leader” from speakers Heather, Albert, and Lt. Col. Kevin Lovell, USA (Ret.), was especially meaningful to her as a young professional. She was encouraged to see Heather Wishart-Smith, a leader within Jacobs and mentor of mine as well, be so passionate about fostering leadership skills and investing in the mentorship and development of young people.
She said, “I definitely have some notes to share—architectural policy changes, military spending strategies, partnering advice, or leadership tactics—but I think the biggest value (that couldn’t be written in a notebook) was the networking and informal conversations I had with so many impressive professionals.”
I asked what she wrote in her notebook that she wants to make sure to share with our colleagues. She said, “I definitely have some notes to share—architectural policy changes, military spending strategies, partnering advice, or leadership tactics—but I think the biggest value (that couldn’t be written in a notebook) was the networking and informal conversations I had with so many impressive professionals.”
As I knew she would, Chelsey found inspiration in her conversations at JETC, visiting with so many active SAME members from all over. She was inspired by their stories about the Society and how SAME has helped shape some of their careers. It was a unique experience to be surrounded by so many different people (from different companies, backgrounds, and ages) that all have a common career interest and focus. The conversations made her proud to be involved in the work she does for our military.
Well said, Chelsey. I couldn’t agree more!
