I grew up in the Air Force, my father was in the Air Force, spent 20 years there, brought home some literature about the Academy. I always say he put it where I could find it, he denies it. Had an idea of what the Academy experience was all about and had a real connection to that, aspired to go to the Academy and certainly was fortunate to get an appointment. I can still remember the first day and being dropped off at the bottom of the ramp there. After going through line after line and getting all of your equipment, at the end of the day being told to get my boots and put them into water to get them soaked down so that they would be more wearable and break them in the next day only to report to my element leader that I was without boots for the day and not a strong start to my cadet career, but it was all sort of uphill from there. Having the opportunity to exercise, experience leadership that you wouldn't have in I think other environments is one of the advantages of going to the Academy. I was fortunate enough to be selected to be the wing commander after having been in leadership positions. A lot of work, a lot of additional responsibility, but certainly laid a good foundation for me as I moved on into the Air Force in subsequent years. We all learned no excuse for those three words fairly early on and it's something that I talk a lot about, especially with young people, but if you have that kind of attitude that you're going to find a way or make a way, it really can shape the way you approach life and the many challenges that you will face. So I think that was one of the enduring lessons that I took from the Academy. The idea of do you feel well prepared when you graduate, I think at least for me the dominant feeling was I made it, right? I'm not sure I was looking too far forward from graduation day into the Air Force, but in on reflection now, certainly I think that the Academy prepared me exceptionally well. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome AOSSM President, Dr. Mark Miller. Thanks very much. I hope you enjoyed that introduction. General Rice is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Academy and that video was made for that purpose. And so good morning. Welcome to our second Game Changers. These panels, the Game Changer panels are brought to bring innovative thinking on some of the pressing issues and topics in orthopedic sports medicine. And what could be more essential than effective leadership skills? I first met our invited guest speaker, General Edward Rice Jr. over 45 years ago when we're both cadets at the Air Force Academy. Ed, as you just heard, was selected to be wing commander, the top leadership position in the senior year. And when his first pick for Sergeant Major, the top junior cadet job wasn't available, I became his choice. And I was honored and an absolute pleasure to serve under this leader, and I'm honored that General Rice, some 45 years later, agreed to speak at this important meeting and during my presidency. Let me give you a little background about the biography of General Rice. He retired as a four-star general. That's as high as you can go. He served in many leadership positions during his Air Force career, and he culminating in being the 30th commander of the Air Education and Training Command, which is based in San Antonio, Texas. AETC, the Air Education and Training Command, trains 300,000 students a year and consists of 12 Air Force bases, 70,000 personnel, and 1,400 trainer, fighter, and mobility aircraft. His numerous staff positions included serving as a White House fellow, and he served on the National Security Council. After his retirement from the Air Force, he served with United Way, the San Antonio Medical Association, and is a member of the Board of Directors for L3Harris Technologies. General Rice and his wife, Teresa, are the parents of two adult daughters and reside in San Antonio, Texas. Please join me in welcoming our distinguished guest speaker, General Ed Rice.

General Edward Rice Jr.

Air Force Academy

leadership skills

cadet career

no excuses attitude