BRANCH: U.S. Air Force LOCATION: St. Louis TEAM: Shared Services Group After an 18-hour shift, Michael Gay just wanted some shut-eye. Instead, he had his eyes opened. The U.S. Air Force senior noncommissioned officer had finally nodded off when someone started banging at the door. There stood one of the youngest troops under his purview—sweat-soaked and carrying all of the group’s gear and sensitive paperwork. “I don’t know why, but my first response was to laugh,” said Gay, now a Frequency Management analyst for Boeing’s Site Services Group in St. Louis. “The face he was making was priceless. I’m 6 feet 2 inches and not a small guy, but this airman was much larger and scared to death.” Gay’s laughter was cut short by an explosion that shook his trailer. That was when he realized the airman was looking to him for help. As bunker commander, Gay took immediate action by getting his subordinates to safety and running through checklists until they received the all-clear from security forces. In the end, the night’s emergency was false alarm—a distant munitions accident. But its effect on Gay would last beyond that night. He learned not only that a leader’s reaction during crises has implications on everyone else’s response but also that leadership means being accountable for people’s well-being. Most important, he recognized his own strength for performing under stress, an ability he continues to draw on at Boeing when coordinating with business partners who rely on him to respond quickly and accurately to challenges. “We all wonder how we would react in a real emergency, and now I know for myself,” Gay said. “I went straight to work as my training had taught me. I’m still trying to keep the nervous laughter to a minimum, though.” • PHOTO: BOB FERGUSON | BOEING Michael Gay Frequency Management analyst 30 | BOEING FRONTIERS
Frontiers November 2016 Issue
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