Washington, DC, 14th January 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Mentorship played a defining role in Jason Goins’ career, both in and out of uniform. During his time in the Air Force, Goins learned firsthand how much a leader’s attention, trust, and inclusion can shape someone’s path. Now, he returns that investment through a steady presence in the lives of others—whether they’re younger Air Force members, former colleagues, or local youth in Washington, D.C.
“My first week in the Air Force, my boss gave me real responsibility,” Goins says. “He didn’t hover. He handed me the tools, gave me space to perform, and introduced me to everyone like I belonged there.” That early act of trust set the tone for how Goins would come to view leadership—not as control, but as empowerment.
“People underestimate how much it means to be given a role with purpose. When your leader treats you like you matter, the rest of the team follows.”
That same boss also modeled how to integrate someone into a system. Goins recalls how every introduction came with context. “He didn’t just throw me in. He showed the team that I had a place, that I was part of what we were doing together.”
Today, Goins makes sure others feel the same way—seen, equipped, and included.
He’s currently a registered mentor in the Washington, D.C. area, working with local youth on life skills, goal setting, and even driving lessons. “We talk through real stuff. Dreams. Fears. How to navigate life when things don’t go the way you expected. Sometimes I’m showing one of them how to parallel park. Sometimes I’m listening while they try to make sense of the world.”
Mentorship, for Goins, isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about presence. “A lot of people thought I had it all together during my Air Force career, so they didn’t ask. They didn’t check in. I don’t want anyone else to feel like they have to hold it all alone.”
That’s why he keeps open channels with former Air Force colleagues. Some he mentored directly. Others were part of teams he led. “I check in. Not about work—about life. You need a foundation before the crisis hits. If you wait until there’s a problem to build that trust, it’s too late.”
He’s open about his own struggles too. “If I’m honest about my mistakes, it gives them space to do the same. Then we learn together.”
Goins believes mentorship starts with one core discipline: listening. “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. You can’t help someone if you don’t hear them first.”
He also puts major focus on helping people clarify their purpose. “If someone knows why they’re doing something, they’ll go farther than they thought possible. Purpose fuels action. Without it, you’re just drifting.”
Throughout his Air Force service, Goins applied this mindset in every role—from scientific operations to crisis response to program leadership. “Whether I was embedded with engineers or leading planning teams, the goal was always the same: help people grow so they can carry the mission forward without needing me.”
He doesn’t believe in gatekeeping knowledge or experience. “If you’ve been through something and you don’t use it to help the next person, what was the point?”
Mentorship, he says, is not an extra. It’s core to leadership. “You’re not building a product. You’re building people. And those people will build the next thing.”
He’s also clear about what mentorship is not: one-size-fits-all advice or authority posturing. “Mentorship doesn’t mean telling someone what to do. It means being in it with them. It’s not transactional. It’s relational.”
For Goins, the need for mentors in the Air Force and beyond hasn’t changed. What’s changed is how urgent it feels. “The pace of life, the pressure, the isolation people feel—it’s all louder now. People need a voice that says, ‘I see you. I’ve been there. You’re not alone.’”
That voice, in many cases, is his.
Mentorship doesn’t require a rank, title, or program. It starts with a decision to notice people—and stay consistent.
“Mentorship matters because people matter,” he says. “And nobody gets through anything hard without someone else walking with them.”
Disclaimer: The views expressed are the author’s own and do not constitute endorsement by the Department of War, Department of the Air Force, or the U.S. Government. The subject’s participation and appearance in any private or public events, sponsored or otherwise, or references, including external hyperlinks, to non-federal entities do not constitute or imply Department of War, Department of the Air Force or U.S. Government endorsement of any company or organization.
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