CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Air Mobility Command's top enlisted Airman recently shared his thoughts on important issues during a visit to Charleston AFB.
Charleston welcomed Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Barron and 22 wing command chiefs and group superintendents for a chief's conference Feb. 28 and March 1.
"We're losing a lot of people in the Air Force due to PBD 720 but it's for a reason," he said. "As our equipment continues to age, the only way to be as effective is to buy new stuff to remain the premier Air Force in the world. It's not going to be easy -- we need our folks to understand that we'll need a lot from them -- but our goal is to maintain the quality of life for our Airmen."
The Chief said first-term Airmen and new officers wouldn't be the only ones affected by force-shaping. Second-term and career Airmen will also potentially be asked to make career changes within the service to "balance the force."
With changes occurring and on the horizon, Chief Barron emphasized the importance of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century.
"AFSO 21 gives our youngest Airmen a chance to look at our processes and suggest a way to do things better, smarter and to save money," Chief Barron said. "In some cases there may be things we do that we don't need to do at all."
"We're trying to create a culture where everyone is looking for ways to save time."
Time is what Air Force senior leaders are hoping to give to Airmen.
"The Global War on Terrorism is not going away," said Chief Barron. "The amount of time and the length of time of deployments are being looked at very hard. We're looking at giving more predictability to Airmen and their families."
Chief Barron continues to be impressed with the caliber of Airmen joining the Air Force today.
"Airmen today are very admirable," he said. "I have the utmost respect for these Americans that come in knowing they'll go to war and they still come in. They're better educated, better trained and better qualified than we ever were and they're improving every day. When I see the sacrifices Airmen make and the sacrifices of their families and loved ones - it's truly humbling to me."
Chief Barron wished he had more time to visit with the enlisted corps of Charleston AFB. "Thanks for what you do for our Air Force and for the hard work you do everyday. You are all heroes."
This was Chief Barron's second visit to Charleston since being selected as Air Mobility Command's command chief.
During the chief's conference the assembled E-9s scored packages for the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for AMC.
"We had to choose, out of all these great Americans, which should be brought up to AMC to represent the command at the banquet," said Chief Barron.
The command chiefs also discussed issues facing Airmen and their families throughout the command and ways to improve quality of life for the enlisted corps.
"Our command chiefs are great leaders who truly care for our Airmen. It's awesome to see that," Chief Barron said.
Chief Barron is the principal enlisted advisor to AMC's commander and his senior staff on matters of health, welfare and morale, professional development and the effective utilization of more than 43,000 active-duty and 71,000 Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard enlisted personnel assigned within the command. AMC is responsible for providing rapid, global mobility and sustainment for America's armed forces. The command also plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian support at home and around the world.