Joint Leadership Leading in a Joint and Combined Military Organization

"Joint Leadership" is an impactful guide that shares game-changing information for any mid-level to senior-level military officer who finds themselves assigned to a Joint (multi-service) or Combined (multi-national) military organization. These officers have a good grasp of operating and leading personnel in their respective services at the tactical level, but leading at an operational-level headquarters, which includes leading personnel from other services, requires different methods. This book seeks to define those environments and offers insights into how they are different and what those officers need to know to navigate the Joint and Combined environments.

This book first offers a definition of what constitutes the "Joint" environment and the "Combined" environment. It further delves into the rich history and traditions of the different military services and seeks to provide some understanding of their unique organizational cultures and sub-cultures.

When writing this book, author Ted Roberts asked himself some questions… "What do I wish I had known when I went to my first Joint assignment? What do I wish my supervisors would have known? What would I like to tell an officer who finds themselves departing for their first or subsequent assignment to a Joint or Combined organization?" His book seeks to answer those questions and help the reader mentally prepare for their role as a leader in that new environment. His hope is that military officers assigned to those organizations will find that this book offers valuable insights and continues to serve as a helpful resource and reference for them as they lead in those organizations.

Ted Roberts is a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel with more than 30 years of service. He began his Air Force career as an enlisted Airman. After three years of enlisted service, he entered the United States Air Force Academy. He graduated, earned his commission and served as a career Space Operations officer. During his officer career, he graduated from the Space Weapons Instructor Course at the US Air Force Weapons School. He also has extensive Joint planning and operations experience, working as a Joint Planner supporting US Indo-Pacific Command, US Central Command, and US Transportation Command. He concluded his career as an Assistant Professor teaching Joint Planning and Joint Professional Military Education Level II (JPME II) at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, and most recently graduated from Regent University with his Doctorate in Strategic Leadership in May 2020. He is married and has three children, and currently resides in Chesapeake, Virginia.