CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The 437th Airlift Wing welcomed a new vice commander to Charleston AFB Nov. 16.
Col. Brian "Smokey" Robinson, former chief of the Strategic Assessment Branch for the Strategy and Policy Directorate, Joint Staff J-5 at the Pentagon, replaced Col. Don Shaffer as vice commander of the 437 AW. Colonel Shaffer bid farewell to Charleston AFB Nov. 7 as he headed to Grand Forks AFB, N.D., to take command of the 319th Air Refueling Wing.
Colonel Robinson graduated from Philadelphia University in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and received his commission from Air Force Officer Training School in December 1987 at Lackland AFB, Texas, Medina Annex.
His career as a pilot began in 1989 after earning his Air Force pilot wings at Vance AFB, Okla., followed by a position as a T-38B First Assignment Instructor Pilot.
"I had a lot of fun in that job. My nature is to engage and help out where I can ... so I enjoyed instructing," said Colonel Robinson.
The colonel said skills he honed as an instructor have stuck with him his entire career, such as his ability to communicate with success in a matter seconds, remain even-keeled no matter what is going on and to help people visualize achievable goals.
Since his assignment as an instructor, he has held operational assignments representing the full range of tactical and strategic airlift and aerial delivery.
In 2000, he was assigned to Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as the command's chief staff officer for C-17A tactical employment and tactics development. There the colonel had the opportunity to be on the ground floor for development of a night vision goggle training plan for the C-17 and made the first steps toward establishing C-17-specific training for the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nev.
By August 2001, Colonel Robinson was enrolled in the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. Sept. 11, he watched along with fellow students as America took an infamous blow.
"We were all thinking we don't need to be at school, we need to be out there helping, which we were quickly put in our place by the commandant," he said.
In 2003, at the start of the Operation Iraqi Freedom, Colonel Robinson got his chance. He deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility as the chief of the Air Mobility Division Strategy and Tactics Team at the Combined Air Operations Center.
During the opening week of OIF, he led the air mobility strategic planning as well as air mobility operational planning and integration for the 173rd Airborne Brigade Airdrop into northern Iraq. He also deployed as commander of the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron in 2006 and served a remote tour as the director of the 609th Air Operations Center, Air Force Central Command Air Mobility Division, from July 2007 to July 2008.
Although he is just arriving at Charleston AFB as the 437 AW's new vice commander, this is not his first time in the Lowcountry. While stationed at Charleston AFB from 1996 to 2000, he served as an evaluator aircraft commander, executive officer, flight commander and assistant operations officer of the 15th Airlift Squadron.
With a career ranging from the Joint Staff at the Pentagon to the desert of the Middle East, Colonel Robinson's experiences have developed his perspective on how to look at issues and how to handle challenges.
"Always have a vision and understand why we do the things we do," he said. "No matter how good we are, I think it's important, particularly as leaders, to remain grounded."
He said he has learned the importance of remaining approachable as a leader, citing humility, credibility and doing the right thing for the right reason as pillars of his principles as well.
"As leaders, it's our job to serve our people, so they can go get the mission done that we're asking them to do," Colonel Robinson said. "We've got to give them the tools, the resources, and take care of things back here with their families, so they can have as free and clear a mind as possible to go forward and do what they need to do, and what they want to do."