CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Good morning Team Charleston.
I'd like to share with you a recent quote from the acting Secretary of the Air Force describing the recent leadership changes and a re-focusing effort on nuclear operations.
"There is no quicker road to recovery for us than the power of tens of thousands of Airmen and civilians recommitting themselves to the high standards of excellence that have always been the hallmark of this service."
-- Honorable Michael B. Donley, Acting Secretary of the Air Force.
These words fit perfectly for Team Charleston as we gear up for our final exercise prior to the operational readiness inspection. This week-long exercise is our last chance to perfect our processes and make absolutely sure we're doing things safely and in accordance with established standards. That's what the ORI will be all about ... how well we do our jobs based on Air Force instructions and other rules that govern us.
We've proven that we can get the job done here at Charleston, but what about as a deployed wing in a hostile area? What about our ability to launch missions, run an installation control center or secure an airbase when under a chemical attack? How well do our active-duty Airmen and their reserve counterparts work together? Are we ready to support any humanitarian, disaster relief or combat mission requirement that comes our way?
We know that Team Charleston is the best because we have the hardware to prove it ... now all we have to do is reaffirm this to the Air Mobility Command inspectors. That test begins and ends with standards. Our adherence to rules, regulations, instructions and technical orders while doing the job in a safe manner will garner us a passing score. However, meticulous attention to detail, innovation and going above and beyond is what will give us an "outstanding." That's what excellence is about.
You've heard the term "back to basics" a lot lately. All that really means is to look at the basic standards that guide what we do and perfect them. Think of our Airmen as a baseball team. We've spent months working on the fundamentals ... spending time in the batting cage and doing fielding drills to perfect our skills. You must be able to catch a fly ball in practice and hit a lob from the pitching coach before you can perform well in a real game.
Our real game is now ... our inspection is less than two-and-a-half weeks away. We've checked and rechecked our mobility folders, we've tested ourselves on donning chem gear in the allotted time and we've quizzed each other on Airman's Manual topics. We've shown that disregard to safety won't be tolerated ... driving without your seat belt fastened or while using a mobile phone without a hands-free device are safety violations and will not be tolerated.
Like the Secretary said, the Air Force is known for excellence. You prove it every day. Team Charleston -- Airmen, civilians, contractors, retirees and family members -- is ready to show AMC that we are ready. Ready for any challenge that faces us ... our commitment to excellence was never lost.
Team Charleston -- Take the Fight to the Enemy!