Running Head: INTERVIEW 1

Interview

Applied Studies Capstone

Jorge Hernandez

LBSU-487

Professor DeSoiza

22 July 2018
INTERVIEW 2

Contents
SMSgt Jeremey Fisher .................................................................................................................... 3

Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 3

Analysis........................................................................................................................................... 4

Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 5

References ....................................................................................................................................... 7
INTERVIEW 3

SMSgt Jeremey Fisher

The individual I interviewed is SMSgt Jeremy Fisher. Jeremy has proven himself as a

successful professional in academics and in his occupation. Currently SMSgt Fisher sits as the

superintendent for a unit of over 120+ Contingency Response Wing Airman. His profession is in

Logistics and Air Transportation. He began his education before joining the military in

Wisconsin, he completed 2 years of college before he decided to pursue a military career. SMSgt

Fisher now has served over 17 years in the military and just completed his Master’s Degree. He

has served numerous Deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, while still managing to maintain a

balance family life at home. One of his biggest accomplishments is being able to balance school,

family and the military

Overview

Knowing that SMSgt Fisher is a very busy individual and time management is something

that has to be a priority, I made sure to schedule an interview session two weeks prior and added

a calendar invite on his outlook calendar. The interview took place at work in his office and 1

hour was allotted for the interview. The interview only took 45 minutes and both personal

educational and some work related questions were asked. I was a bit nervous in the beginning

and how I would set the mood and make it a comfortable setting but it ended up just becoming

real natural after the first question. I don’t I would have payed as much attention to the interview

had I not already discussed some of the questions I would be giving previously as well as

recording the interview rather than writing or taking notes. The only time I took notes was when

I found that there was something interesting said and I would want to remember that topic to go

back or follow on with another question within that same question. My biggest impression was

knowing that he has managed to be successful in the military, stayed married and finished his
INTERVIEW 4

Master’s Degree. There is a great deal of stress that military members face and while it may

seem silly to mention that he is still married, it isn’t for military members that have done over 10

years.

Analysis

One of my big fears in the military is not being able to live up or work at the level the

military requires of me. At the position SMSgt Fisher is in I was happy to hear that with some

hard work and following basic principles in organizational leadership any job can be

accomplished rather effectively. SMSgt Fisher grew up with a single parent and can attribute

much of his success to the hard work ethics he gain from his mother while she worked a regional

bank and ultimately earned the position of Vice President of theta regional bank. As much as I

would like to have an end point to my education SMSgt Fisher confirmed education never stops

and striving to be lifelong learner is essential when climbing the ladder of success in the military

or any position outside of it.

There were some similarities in our upbringing that I never though we shared, I always

thought that he had an upbringing by a wealthy family but that turned out not to be the case. We

also shared original duty titles when we first came in the military but eventually changed to the

Air Transportation career field. As the interview moved further along much was shared on how

we both like to problem solve and one of the reasons why we continue to progress in the logistics

field. The logistics field is about problem solving and creates opportunities to continually

increase our knowledge in the supply chain when we do retire and find ourselves in a position to

showcase or knowledge to the civilian workforce.

While I chose to go to school to show my children that school was important. SMSgt

Fisher already knew the importance of an education through his mother and new that school or
INTERVIEW 5

rather an education was going to be a part of his life for as long as he was capable of learning.

The problem as he mentions is that too many individuals now do not take school to learn but they

take it to satisfy job requirement. He is not saying that it is necessarily a bad thing but many

college graduates expect to get a high paying job just because they have a degree. He has found

that many of those individuals that have a degree may not possess strong work habits or the job

experience to get hired immediately. He has also seen many that are unwilling to put in that

“elbow grease” in starting positions just because they feel they have earned a managerial job by

having a degree. As he mentions again that is not the case in the workforce. Hard work and a

personal attachment to a business is what create success. He has found that when individuals

make the success of the business their success is when that induvial also shows signs of true

leadership. Ask SMSgt Fisher what one of his biggest work accomplishments has been and he

will tell you “Being one of the last military members to board a military Aircraft out of Iraq and

know that I was successful in completing the mission” Being able to have the influence of so

many Airman and be able to accomplish a mission is a huge deal and one that will forever be

something he can share for generations to come.

Conclusion

It is no surprise but the more people I talk to in leadership positions they all point to

having an open mind be willing to accept criticism, surround yourself by people of positive

influence and a continuous learning agenda. Knowing that an education truly is power is the key

when trying to develop into an influential leader. As SMSgt Fisher states “You can’t teach what

you don’t know” Currently there is so much that I don’t know and every time I get an

opportunity to learn a new skill or be able to contribute to what I do know it will give me that
INTERVIEW 6

much more credibility when the time comes to pass down some of my knowledge to future

leaders. (Fisher, 2018)

References

Fisher, S. J. (2018, July 18). Interview with a Professional Leader. (T. J. Hernandez, Interviewer)