Case Study: Developing Flight Leadership at the 432d Wing, Creech AFB

Client Background

The 432d Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, is the U.S. Air Force’s premier Remotely

Piloted Aircraft (RPA) unit. Flying the MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-170 Sentinel, the Wing provides

real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision attack capabilities worldwide. With its

rapid growth and high-tempo mission, the Wing recognized the need to strengthen

leadership at the flight level — the front line of Air Force organizational leadership.

Challenges / Pain Points

• Rapid scaling of personnel: New officers and NCOs were being promoted into flight

leadership roles quickly, often without formal preparation.

• High operational tempo: Continuous global operations left little margin for trial-and-error

leadership learning.

• Need for conflict management: Flight leaders reported challenges in handling

interpersonal conflict, decision-making under pressure, and facilitating collaboration across

specialties.

Engagement Timeline

December 2022 – Initial Engagement: Discussions began and identified a need for

leadership training within the Flight Leadership Seminar (FLS).

February 2023 – First Workshop: A 4-hour Managing Conflict workshop was delivered

as part of the Wing’s FLS.

June 2023 – Expansion: A second cohort participated, incorporating refinements based

on feedback and adapting to larger class sizes (~40 students).

August 2024 – Further Iteration: Workshop content was streamlined, balancing pace

across the morning session while maintaining interactive exercises.

April 2025 – Scaling Up: The course was embedded as a recurring element in the FLS,

with continuous feedback loops from Wing leadership.

October 2025 (Scheduled): Future workshops planned with additional time allocated,

recognizing the workshop as one of the highest-rated parts of the course.

Curriculum Delivered

The Managing Conflict workshop combined Air Force leadership doctrine with applied,

interactive tools:

• Understanding Conflict Types – Differentiating task, process, status, and relationship

conflict.

• Conflict Management Styles – Exploring competing, collaborating, compromising,

avoiding, and accommodating styles.

• Applied Frameworks – Four Tendencies, Bargaining Styles assessment, and guided

exercises.

• Difficult Conversations Role-play – Using real-world USAF-relevant topics such as risk

aversion in operations.

• Interactive Polling – Anonymous digital participation to encourage honest input and self-

reflection.

Quantitative Results

Participant survey data was collected across three cohorts (June 2023, August 2024, April

2025). Results were normalized to a 1–5 scale.

Confidence in Conflict Management Skills – Before vs After Workshop:

Average Confidence Improvement by Cohort:

Key Findings:

• Average confidence increased by ~1.0 point across all cohorts.

• Every cohort demonstrated gains above the 0.9 point improvement threshold, a significant

boost.

• Participants reported the workshop as the highest-rated element of the Flight Leadership

Seminar.

Qualitative Feedback

“Content was directly applicable to challenges I face as a new flight leader.”

“The interactive exercises really made me think differently about conflict in my team.”

Wing leadership noted: “Your seminar was the highest-rated element of our course.” – Maj

Evan “SABRE” Howlett, 15th ATKS

Impact & Outcomes

• Enhanced leadership readiness at the flight level.

• Greater confidence and consistency in handling conflict across the Wing.

• Institutionalization of the workshop as a recurring component of the Wing’s professional

development.

Lessons Learned

• Flexibility was key: Adjusting pacing, breaks, and exercises ensured content resonated

with different cohorts.

• Pre-work amplified engagement: Participants arrived with a baseline understanding of

their styles, driving richer discussions.

• Ongoing feedback loops: Iterative refinement (balancing timing, adding USAF-relevant

conversation prompts) strengthened impact.

Conclusion

By embedding tailored leadership development into the Flight Leadership Seminar, the

432d Wing invested in preparing its front line leaders to manage conflict effectively in high-

stakes environments. The partnership demonstrates how structured yet flexible leadership

training can directly enhance operational effectiveness, morale, and long-term mission

success.