Analysis of leadership behaviors among top commissioned and top noncommissioned officers in key leadership positions

Since the inception of the USAF leadership, unit level leadership has been function of officers, particularly senior commissioned officers in the rank of lieutenant colonel (Lt Col.) and colonel (Col.). The NCO corps was considered the working unit responsible for carrying out the orders of their commissioned officers. Today's USAF is transitioning increasingly towards leadership decisions made by senior noncommissioned officers in the rank of senior master sergeants (SMSgt) and chief master sergeants (CMSgt). A sample of N=56 top commissioned and noncommissioned active duty officers responded to mailed surveys at a European fighter wing command. This study compared the perceived leadership behavior factors of individuals in key leadership positions using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) 5X--Short. Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) found no significant difference in the leadership behaviors between commissioned and noncommissioned officers. The data did reveal a high degree of transformational leadership and transactional leadership styles with both groups. Age, time in service, or educational level was not significant factors in having a transformational leadership perspective. This may be as a consequence of the uniformity of USAF leadership training between the grades or an indicator that noncommissioned officers could provide leadership in capacities that traditionally the US Air Force has not previously employed them.