The Informed Airman

Caleb
  • 4.4 (5)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Semiweekly

Real Talk; Real Advice with REAL people! This is a space for us and our guests to discuss everything life can throw at us (obstacles are opportunities). Let’s Get IT! #hardtokill The views expressed are those of the author/podcaster/guests. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government. Subscribe and follow for more great, FREE content https://linktr.ee/calebvaden

  1. May 24

    Develop Resilient Airmen By Doing Difficult Things

    Developing resilient Airmen through realistic and difficult environments.

    12 min

  2. May 17

    Busy is not leadership

    Substack Article https://linktr.ee/theinformedairman

    10 min

  3. May 17

    When It Doesn’t Go Your Way

    Substack Article https://open.substack.com/pub/vadar/p/when-it-doesnt-go-your-way?r=82a2gg&utm_medium=ios

    8 min

  4. May 10

    The Air Force Promotion Process: Managing Expectations

    Information about how the Air Force Enlisted promotion system works Article here on Substack https://substack.com/@vadar/note/p-197124075?r=82a2gg&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

    16 min

  5. Jan 31

    What Is Our Responsibility?

    Just hit play, love y’all!

    16 min

  6. 12/17/2025

    Service Before Self Isn’t About Burning Yourself Down—It’s About the Profession We Chose

    Service Before Self Isn’t About Burning Yourself Down—It’s About the Profession We Chose

    29 min

  7. 12/13/2025

    A Reason Your Team Perceives Your ______ Program as a “Good Ole Boy Process”

    Your team didn’t wake up cynical. They learned it. When standards feel flexible, decisions feel opaque, and feedback feels empty, people stop believing the process is about performance. They start believing it’s about proximity. That’s when effort drops, trust erodes, and your program earns a label you never intended: a good ole boy process. If your best people are disengaging, the issue isn’t motivation. It’s the system they’ve experienced. LEADER SELF-ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST Use this to pressure-test any awards, development, stratification, or selection process you own. Clarity Are the standards clearly defined, published, and understood before the cycle begins? Could a junior member articulate what “right” looks like without guessing? Consistency Are standards applied the same way regardless of name, rank, or relationship? Would similar performance produce similar outcomes across the board? Transparency Can you explain how decisions were made without hiding behind generalities? Do participants understand not just what happened, but why? Feedback Does every participant receive specific, actionable feedback tied to observable performance? Would that feedback help them improve for the next cycle? Documentation Are decisions recorded in a way that can be reviewed and defended later? Could another leader step in and understand the rationale without re-creating it? Alignment Do the behaviors you reward clearly reinforce mission execution, professionalism, and trust? Are you developing people, or just selecting winners? Trust Check If outcomes were shared without names attached, would they still make sense? Would you be comfortable explaining the results to the person who fell just short? If you answered “no” or hesitated on more than one of these, your process may already be teaching lessons you never intended. Fix the process, and you fix the perception. Protect the process, and you protect the culture.

    15 min

  8. 12/06/2025

    Air Force (stratification/EFDP) Specific: Are You Pursuing Excellence?

    Real talk for real Airmen. I drop blunt, battle-tested insight on leadership, excellence, discipline, and the warrior ethos. No fluff, no shortcuts, no easy bus. Just the truth, the standard, and how to rise above average. Charge into the storm & Stay hard to kill. Article here

    16 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.4
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Real Talk; Real Advice with REAL people! This is a space for us and our guests to discuss everything life can throw at us (obstacles are opportunities). Let’s Get IT! #hardtokill The views expressed are those of the author/podcaster/guests. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government. Subscribe and follow for more great, FREE content https://linktr.ee/calebvaden

Information

  • Creator
    Caleb
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    144
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Caleb
  • Show Website
    The Informed Airman