CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
I'm honored and thrilled to join the team here at Charleston Air Force Base. My very first impressions of Team Charleston were that of pride, teamwork, excellence, and mission focus! My family and I very much appreciate the warm welcome we received a little more than two weeks ago.
As is the nature of our business, the first two weeks has been very dynamic ranging from the very unfortunate loss of Senior Airman Joshua Zwick to hosting a very successful visit by the 18th Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Robert Allardice. This is my second time serving at Charleston AFB and while many things have changed, the same characteristics I mentioned in my first impressions are as I remember them here ... only significantly improved.
During my Group Orientations I've met dozens of tremendously motivated and talented Airmen and civilians and it's through my interactions and dialogue with them that my first impressions have been reaffirmed.
During my visit to the 437th Civil Engineer Squadron I was truly amazed at the pride and focus on the mission by the entire unit, but most specifically by Staff Sgt. Billy Senecal. When it was evident "typical" Air Force pre-deployment training for EOD personnel was inadequately preparing them for actual duty requirements in the AOR, our Airmen took the initiative to identify and demand the proper training to set the conditions for mission success in the AOR. I was also thoroughly impressed by Airman 1st Class Christopher Bryant and the pride, enthusiasm and professionalism in the post briefing he provided on Saturday, Nov. 28.
Tech. Sgt. Renee Ting of the Mental Health Clinic coordinated and led a great orientation of the Medical Group where the drive for excellence in providing medical services to our community very evident. The Medical Group is moving out with several projects and facility improvements in the completed in the Physical Therapy department and dental facility and initiatives like the Teddy's Child Watch to improve the quality of care we all receive. Touring the Operations Group was a bit like a homecoming as many of the civilian faces, and even a few of the military faces, are the same.
Mr. Larry Gill's team and their high level of effort toward improving the local airfield and North Auxiliary Field is key in providing the right resources to generate and accelerate AMC's forces. Also, both the training initiatives of Maj. Richard Gerhardt's tactics team and 14th Airlift Squadron First Sergeant Master Sgt. Lisa Peele's enthusiasm to deploy in late December were striking and symbolic of the mission focus.
Above all, the common theme I've noticed during my orientation is the high level of total force integration across the base. This is a manifestation of the reality of continuing on with our operations tempo today and the next several years.
I will tour the Maintenance Group in the very near future, but I was deeply impressed with the teamwork of the Group as they led the Wing in honoring Airman Zwick. We lost this tremendous Airman in a vehicle accident and seeing our Air Force, friends, family, and coworkers join in remembering this wonderful Airman was a tribute to all of us at Charleston. I was deeply moved and he will not be forgotten.
Again, thank you for the outstanding team welcome. Dynamic is a constant for the military these days and I look forward to providing seamless mutual support to our Commander and serving you in every way necessary to enable Team Charleston to successfully generate forces and execute our mission with excellence, pride and teamwork.