Episode 4: The Road to Leadership: Lessons from the Journey

The Road to Leadership: Lessons from the Journey

Every leader has a starting point—and a journey that shapes how they serve.

In this episode of Voices of the Old Line, Senior Master Sergeant Joe Schmitt, operations superintendent of the 175th Security Forces Squadron, shares his path from a teenager searching for direction to a senior leader committed to developing and caring for airmen.

Joining Chief Aragon and SMSgt Brian Janssens, Schmitt reflects on 22 years of service, deployments to Baghdad and Kuwait, and the leaders whose compassion left a lasting impression. He opens up about the demands of shift work, staying present for his wife and children, and balancing responsibility for the mission with responsibility to the people carrying it out.

The conversation explores finding motivation after setbacks, building trust through everyday connections, supporting returning deployers, and creating a culture where asking for help is accepted. Through candid stories and practical lessons, Schmitt shares a belief that guides his leadership: when you take care of your people, they take care of the mission.

Strong People. Strong Teams. Strong Old Line.