Leadership With a Penalty
The old saying goes “They only send screw ups to Thule” …….which is an Air Force base in Greenland and the most northern and coldest base the US has; where the sun remains below the horizon from late October through mid-February (100 days of continual nighttime) .
I was designated as a screwup and got sent there. How did I screw up?
I was a Lieutenant as Assistant Chief Security Police at Kingsley Field, Oregon. It was a 101 Jet fighter outfit near Klamath Falls in southern Oregon. We were also responsible for securing a nuclear storage area on the base. I was stationed there from Feb 1962 to Jan 1965. This was during the years President Kennedy was assassinated and Senator Barry Goldwater was campaigning for President.
On March 23,1963 I got a call at 3 am to report immediately to base. A no-notice Operational Readiness Inspection had just been declared. This was my first “war game” experience. My boss, a Major, was away on leave so I was in charge of the operation with about 200 security policemen.
The minute I arrived at the base my Senior Master Sergeant asked if he could see me in my office.
He quickly briefed me and said “Sir we can handle this one of two ways. First I will of course follow whatever orders you give. Secondly, if you let me run the show and stay close to me I will get you through this inspection with flying colors!” He had 23 years’ experience and I had one so my immediate response was, “Sarge I hope all my decisions will be this easy, you’re in charge and I will learn from you! He nodded and said, “Let’s go!”
Two days later we passed the inspection with the highest rating they give. My inspector, Major Ralph Fisher complemented me for the way I respected and learned from my men.
In October 1963 I got a call from the captain in charge of the Base Personnel Office. He said, “One of your guys gave me a speeding ticket and I would appreciate it if you could get me out of it”. I asked him if he was speeding and he admitted he was. I said, “So you are asking me to not support my guy who did the right thing?”.
His response was direct, “Oh come on Hayden you have to learn how to play the game to get ahead”. I said it was not a game to me when the respect of my men is at stake. Then I explained that as a leader of my men, I will not squash the ticket. He said something very demeaning and not worth repeating, and hung up.
About 4 months later I received orders to go to Thule in Greenland, and to report on Feb 4,1965. Vindication at its best. I immediately called Major Fisher at Headquarters in D.C. After I explained what happened. His answer was “I can get you out of it and have the orders rescinded, however it would look good on your record if you would go…….so think about it overnight and call me in the morning with your answer.
I called and told him I was packing my bags. He said, “ I think you made the right decision”, then said” when your tour is up in Greenland I will get you the best assignment available when you come back, just don’t freeze your ass off up there!”
Looking back today, I believe firmly that the year in Greenland was one of the best years of my life…thanks crooked Captain.
The assignment Major Fisher got for me was Assistant Chief of Security and Law Enforcement for the entire 4th Air Force at Hamilton AIR FORCE Base in Marin County, CA. 30 minutes north of San Francisco. It was like the country club of the Air Force.
As I was finishing that assignment I was promoted to Major. Not bad for a screw up!!
What’s with the Penis Bone of a Walrus?
It is still 1965. This is not a war zone.
It is a survival zone – physically and psychologically. Lose respect for the elements here, and they will devour you in seconds. Take the young airman who jumped off the end of the pier into ice-filled North Star Bay. He was drunk. He was going to swim home to his mother. This was in June. The ice was just starting to break up. Fortunately, my security police guard pulled him out. He was taken to the base hospital, recovered, and flown out the next day.
Or take the macho colonel trying to impress a sexy gal from the USO show. They were in the Non-Commissioned Officers Club. She told him he could not empty the club in five minutes. He insisted he could. So, he grabbed the emergency red phone and declared a real Broken Arrow – a military code for a nuclear weapons incident.
The disaster control officer was right across the hall from my room. We connected immediately. We were well-trained in how to verify events like this. We went straight to the club and found the drunk colonel. He told us what he did. I put him under arrest on the spot. He was flown out the next morning and relieved of duty.
Then there was the Army major. We worked closely together, coordinating things between the Air Force and the Army. We got along well. But sometimes he would get drunk and drive around in his jeep. One time, he drove to Dundas Village, a small settlement off limits to military personnel, and started yelling at someone. I took two of my troops. It took all three of us to get handcuffs on him. I arrested him and put him in jail. The next morning, he apologized. I never had any more trouble with him.
I could tell more stories. But you get the idea. 1965 was not a boring year for me.
The most heartwarming story was about my friendship with the manager of the Danish Radar Station in Dundas Village. His name was Erik. We met at a staff meeting. He asked me what I did for exercise. I told him all about handball. He asked if I could show him. Maybe teach him how to play. I played handball almost every day. Erik started joining me twice a week. He was a fast learner and a good athlete. Eventually, he gave me a real game. We played together for about nine months of my twelve months at Thule.
At Christmas, Erik invited me to spend the day with him and his family. I was honored. I met his wife and three children for the first time. His wife was an Inuit woman from the east coast of Greenland. The children were wonderfully well-behaved. They were all friendly and fun. We decorated the Christmas tree together. The dinner was delicious. The company was even better. It was one of the finest times I ever had with a family. I almost felt adopted.
About three weeks later, I was leaving Greenland. On my departure day, Erik and his family came to say goodbye. I did not expect that. I was deeply touched. Then they gave me three gifts.
First gift: A one-hour 8-millimeter movie of their family and life in Greenland.
Second gift: A rolled-up photograph of a dogsled being driven. It was large but easy to carry. In Greenland, sled dogs are spread out from left to right; it helps them balance better on ice. In Alaska, dogs run in a straight line. That photo still hangs in our family room today.
Third gift: Erik told me this one is only given when there are deep respect and friendship. It is quite rare. It was about a foot and a half of beautiful, pure ivory. I said, “Wow.” I could not believe my eyes – let alone my ears.
Then Erik told me what it was. “It is the penis bone of a walrus,” he said. “We prize this very much. We want you to have it.”
My eyes watered up. I gave them all a big hug. I have treasured this gift for the rest of my life. Not because of the ivory. But because of the love and friendship it represents. That photo still hangs in our family room. Even at age 89, I consider this one of the great highlights of my life. Human bonding at its finest.
I will stop telling stories about Greenland for now. But next time, I will share why I ended up there in the first place. The word was that only screwups get sent to Thule. There is a great leadership lesson in how I “screwed up.”
Stay tuned.
— Vern Hayden, CFP®
Foreign Relations the right way in Greenland
It is the land of “the midnight sun.” In Greenland, time was not just measured by clocks it was measured by light, or the lack of it. From May through August, the sun never sets. From November through January, total darkness. During spring and fall, the transitions happen fast. While it is not like a ride to the moon, your body and mind keep asking: “What the hell is going on here?”
Every person has to figure out how to deal with it. Some drink more. Some smoke more. Some eat more. Some sleep more. I did at least three things. First, I played hard handball sometimes five times a week. Second, I recorded long-playing records onto longer-playing tapes and built a great music library. Third, I obtained about 30 books on Vietnam and Southeast Asia. I did research to figure out what was really going on in the war. I concluded that the United States was making a terrible mistake being in Vietnam. It took about ten years to be proven right. Even Secretary McNamara eventually agreed.
Other than putting extra energy into my job as Assistant Chief of Security and Law Enforcement, I made it through twelve months without any bad long-term effects.
Now, that background matters because the real story the one I still laugh about happened in June 1965, when a very important visitor came to base.
A VIP was coming to the base from Denmark Admiral Kurt Ramberg, the equivalent of a four-star general. He was the Chief of Defense for Denmark, the country’s top-ranking military officer. His visit was an important diplomatic and sovereign gesture. He had military authority over the entire country of Greenland.
Another important person was the Danish Liaison Officer, the only one with a small house on the base. He had ultimate authority on the base because the United States leased the land, but Greenland owned it. His name was Soren Pedersen. He was responsible for sovereignty, coordination, and diplomatic oversight. He also ruled over the Danish construction workers.
The night before the Admiral arrived, Mr. Pedersen hosted a gathering. As head of the Honor Guard, I was invited. There was lots of tasty Danish food, along with the national drink Aquavit. There were many toasts. I never drank much, so I was feeling a bit tipsy after a while.
Then came the surprise. Mr. Pedersen looked at me and said, “Lieutenant, why don’t you do the ceremony in Danish? I will teach you. It would be a great honor to the Admiral.” I said, “Teach me!” The next two hours were devoted to rehearsing as we ate, drank, and shared stories. As the party wound down, two of my guys picked me up and took me to my room in the officers’ quarters.
At about 5:00 AM, two more of my guys knocked on my door. “Sir, we need to get ready for the honor ceremony.” They knew I was a little hung over but I always had a great relationship with my troops. They gave me cup after cup of coffee. They shined my shoes to a mirror. They pressed my uniform so the creases were knife-sharp. They made sure my tie and ribbons were straight.
The VIP aircraft landed. My Honor Guard guys were perfectly lined up. I stood at the far end of the formation. The Admiral descended the stairs onto the red carpet. My Base Commander saluted him, and they both walked to the front of the Honor Guard. The minute they stopped, it was my signal to march forward and salute the Admiral. As I saluted him, I spoke the ceremony perfectly. In Danish.
My commander looked at me like I had lost my mind. We forgot to tell him.
I walked the Admiral around to inspect the Honor Guard. He made comments to me. I had no idea what he said, so I just replied, “Yaya” – Danish for “yes, yes.” It worked. Then it was over. The Admiral and Base Commander were driven away.
Later, my commander called me. He congratulated me for doing a great diplomatic thing for our country. He said the Admiral insisted that I be invited to his reception dinner. At dinner, I sat next to the Danish Liaison Officer. As he told stories, he made sure my glass was filled with Aquavit. With a manly wink, he said, “Drink up. No memorizing tonight.”
This is true diplomacy, though on a small scale. Be it known that I never threatened to have my country take over their country. The arrogance of such a statement would create an enemy for life.
Diplomacy is always preferable over raw power.
— Vern Hayden, CFP®
The Rescue That Taught Me That Discipline Was Not Optional
In 1965, I learned firsthand that the greatest danger at Thule Air Force Base in northwestern Greenland was not an enemy. Instead, I soon discovered it was the environment.
Thule was a remote Arctic outpost, just 700 miles from the North Pole. At the time, about 6,000 military personnel and 2,000 Danish construction workers lived there. Once anyone stepped beyond the boundaries, they were completely exposed to a world that did not forgive mistakes. Discipline wasn’t optional. Warnings were not suggestions. They were more often than not, the difference between life and death.
During one Phase Three Alert, which is the most dangerous environmental alert level; when no one was supposed to be outside under any circumstance, I was part of a three-man rescue team. Our mission was to find a missing Danish construction worker who had failed to respond to the warning system.
At that time, I was a First Lieutenant, Assistant Chief of Security and Law Enforcement and knew it was essential that I hang onto the rope as I boarded our half-track rescue vehicle in high winds and severe cold. The half-track was specially equipped to withstand the extremely severe weather of Greenland. The wind was averaging around 90 knots, and visibility was near zero, and the temperature was about 40 degrees below zero, which makes the air feel like 100 degrees below zero.
We weren’t dodging lead bullets. Instead, we were dodging what amounts to ice bullets; the worst life-threatening challenge the environment could produce.
We had only fragments of information from the man’s buddies about where he might have gone. Foot by foot, we slowly investigated different locations. Finally, we found him sprawled out on an icy side road. He was barely alive. We struggled to get him into the half-track and then rushed him to the base hospital as fast as we could.
The doctors worked on him right away which resulted in saving his life.
That was Thule.
Discipline wasn’t optional. Warnings were not suggestions. In the Arctic, the environment does not forgive mistakes. And sometimes, the difference between life and death is simply showing up and refusing to give up. It was lessons like this situation provided which prepared me for the profession I devoted my life to, which is to provide people with the financial planning that will best serve them and their objectives. The financial environment can be unforgiving, and mistakes are not optional.
Vern Hayden CFP®
Welcome to my Blog!
Welcome. My name is Vern Hayden CFP, author of How Do I know You Won’t Steal My Money?. I’m so happy to have you as a visitor to my blog about my new book. This project is very special to me, and I hope to share some of that excitement with you here.
I’ll be using this blog to interact with you about How Do I know You Won’t Steal My Money?, expanding on some of the topics in it and blogging on some of the ideas related to my book. This is a great place for you to get to know me, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you, too. What did you think of How Do I know You Won’t Steal My Money?? What questions do you have for me? How do you relate to my book?
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