CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Team Charleston,
As your new command chief, I'm truly honored and humbled to join such a great team of Airmen fulfilling a vital role in the Global War on Terrorism and who are committed to protecting our freedom and way of life.
From the moment I first drove onto Charleston AFB last week, I began to see a sense of pride and professionalism a great team can only achieve when the leadership and team members at all levels are committed to both excellence and our Air Force's core values. As I visited several facilities during the weekend, every single person I came into contact with treated me with respect and greeted me with a smile. I wasn't in uniform and no one knew I was the new command chief, so I believe the positive attitudes and friendliness I experienced were genuine and a part of the base's culture. What a great first impression Team Charleston made on me!
During my first week here, the first sergeant's diamond sharp ceremony recognized some of our finest Airmen for their accomplishments and contributions to the team. I also had the opportunity to address several newly-arrived Airmen at the First Term Airman's Center. When I hear how our Airmen are putting service before self and when I see the excitement and eagerness in their eyes of the young men and women who voluntarily decided to serve in a time of war, I know the future of our Air Force is in good hands. I'm blessed with the opportunity to help our leadership meet the needs of our Airmen so we are all prepared to provide mobility airlift and support wherever needed. That's my role as your command chief and I promise to do my best.
As I get an opportunity to visit the different organizations and meet more of Team Charleston, I encourage honest feedback on how I and the other leaders are doing when it comes to meeting your needs. More importantly, please share your ideas for improving the base. An idea is only a good idea when it's shared, evaluated and acted upon. I'm committed to the principles of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century and, as Colonel John "Red" Millander stated, to using "applied common sense" to help save time and money and make our processes better.
Finally, more than 700 members of our team are currently deployed, and most will spend the remainder of the holiday season away from their families. This week's Roll Call highlights some of the services the Airman and Family Readiness Center provides during deployments and as you read the Roll Call, please keep your deployed coworkers in mind and take the message to heart. Call or e-mail your deployed friends and coworkers to see how they're doing and offer assistance if they need it. We must do our part to make sure the families left behind are well cared for so our deployed warriors can concentrate on their role in defeating terrorism.
There's no place I'd rather be than right here in the company of our nation's greatest resources and I look forward to doing my best to help Team Charleston take the fight to the enemy.