CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
A special note of thanks to all those Team Charleston members who volunteered to support the annual Veterans Day parade Nov. 9. The weather was beautiful and the turn out of the local community was truly gratifying. We are fortunate to live and work in a community that appreciates and acknowledges the sacrifices veterans have made and continue to make in the service to our country.
Another note of thanks goes out to everyone associated with the Combined Federal Campaign this year. Thank you to everyone who chose to make a difference by giving ... and to those who worked fundraisers. Your generosity will help the many charities associated with the CFC.
I would also like to thank the safety office for their coordination in bringing the Save A Life Tour to the base Nov. 7. This high-impact, alcohol awareness program, along with the programs Charleston AFB already has in place - such as Airmen Against Drunk Driving - continues to remind each one of us of the consequences of driving under the influence. It is my hope that those who attended took to heart what was presented. Remember, always have a wingman and a plan and think about what you are going to do before you do it.
On a different note, the first C-17 to be delivered to Charleston AFB in more than five years will arrive Nov. 18. The P-180 will be delivered from the Boeing facility in Long Beach, Calif., by Brig. Gen. Bradley Pray, deputy director of Air, Space and Information Operations, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. Using a new inspection and delivery procedure, Boeing and the Defense Contract Management Agency have worked to reduce preparation time and to deliver an aircraft that is mission ready from day one. The P-180 is the first of several new and much-needed C-17s to be delivered to Team Charleston.
On another high note, the recent Health Services Inspection of our own 437th Medical Group showed a significant improvement since their last inspection, a feat made all the more noteworthy by the fact that more than 25 percent of the 437 MDG members are deployed! The diligence of the 437 MDG Airmen not only continues to get the job done, but the extra distance they go to exceed expectations is exemplary.
And lastly, congratulations are due to our newest Chief Master Sergeants: Paul Baczewski, 437th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Phillip Easton, 437th Maintenance Squadron, Keith Geltz, 437th Operations Support Squadron, Marvin Krause, 1st Combat Camera Squadron, and Angela Valentine, 437th Force Support Squadron. These senior NCOs have reached the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force, which comprises only one percent of the enlisted numbers. This is a remarkable accomplishment -- one that requires the utmost in professionalism and personal dedication to the highest Air Force ideals.
We are ... Team Charleston. Take the Fight to the Enemy!