Senior enlisted advisor ready to make impact

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  The 66th Air Base Group's new superintendent and base senior enlisted advisor is bringing with him experience from prior assignments as a command chief at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma and more recently, as the command chief at an area of operations in Southwest Asia.

Chief Master Sgt. Mitchell "Bull" Balutski looks forward to the opportunity to finish his career leading Hanscom's enlisted force.

"Airmen today are incredible," Balutski said. "A lot more is required of them, and we ask them to do more today than ever before."

A Hawaii native, the chief began his career in 1984 in the communications' career field as a main frame computer systems operator. He came to Hanscom last summer after his one year deployment and had been serving as the chief enlisted manager in the Battle Management Directorate.

Focused on developing the enlisted force, Balutski recalls former Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy's charge to "deliberately develop" Airmen.

"We need to have a deliberate approach in developing leaders in the enlisted corps," Balutski said. "I have yet to see an enlisted corps that is depended-upon to the degree ours is and we have to maintain that sacred trust."

Balutski is eager to work alongside Col. Lester A. Weilacher, 66th Air Base Group commander, and to support the mission.

"I will march in step with Colonel Weilacher's vision," the chief said. "He is a tremendous leader with a financial background and acuity that is perfectly aligned for meeting the fiscal challenges we're facing."

Challenges, the chief went on to say, reach across all levels of the workforce.

"We're tightening our belts because available dollars to operate are not there as they once were," he said. "TDY budgets, educational funding and a lot of the dollars previously available for professional seminars are no longer there. We need to find new innovative approaches to continue building capacity in our enlisted corps."

With the group's mission being to secure, sustain and support the base, the chief looks to support more than 125,000 people throughout the six-state New England region.

He believes that taking care of Airmen is fundamental and challenges front-line supervisors to engage with their personnel.

"The best thing senior NCOs can do right now is lead by example," he said. "I need them to be as motivated and as positive and as open to new ideas as they've ever been."

An example may be listening to ideas by junior members unfamiliar with the way it's always been.

"Leaders need to be open and approachable; it's the mindset needed to make a difference," the chief added. "Your attitude will determine your altitude, and that of your team."

Part of that altimeter involves recognizing top performers.

"Supervisors need to recognize top performers as potential change agents," Balutski said. "Many times they'll elevate everyone around them by consistent hard work and professionalism. Recognize them with leadership opportunities."

The chief also encourages the enlisted corps to not lose sight of their responsibility to train, equip and lead.

"Everything we do has a verifiable need," he said. "Be deliberate every day. Never bypass an opportunity to make someone or something better."

While recently visiting his son, a tech trainee studying to be an operations intelligence analyst at Goodfellow Air Force Base, his son clicked the button that started his retirement paperwork.

"As he is entering the Air Force to begin his first chapter, I'm ending my last one in uniform next year," Balutski said.

Throughout his nearly 30 year career, Balutski has been blessed with experiences that will stay with him forever. However, it was during his recent deployment as a command chief that stands out among the others.

"I was there when combat operations were ending in Iraq," he said. "It was almost Christmas and our team made every effort to get our combat forces home in time for the holidays with their families. Everyone had positive attitudes and pulled together to meet the drawdown deadlines - it was awesome."

It's a mindset the chief carries with him every day, be positive in every situation.

"We all need to be the positive force to pull along or push others who need it," he said. "Take care of the people, processes and programs in your path and make them better."

Something he intends to do.