Develop, Deliver, Deploy...Empowered Airmen

  • Published
  • By Col. Darren V. James
  • 71st Flying Training Wing commander
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Happy New Year Team Vance!

First, I'd like to thank all of our Airmen, government civilians, contractors, and community partners for a fantastic 2012.

As last week's Scoop newspaper article succinctly captured, change was indeed in the air in 2012, and Team Vance excelled throughout the year and in the face of numerous challenges. I am truly looking forward to what adventures 2013 may bring to the 71st Flying Training Wing.

Last week, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, released the vision for the United States Air Force: The World's Greatest Air Force - Powered by Airmen, Fueled by Innovation.

If you have not taken the time to read the four page Vision document, I highly recommend you take a few moments to do so. The document begins by focusing on Airmen, and how education and training are the foundation of our airpower advantage.

It then transitions to a discussion of the Air Force mission, which remains: To Fly, Fight, and Win.

The Vision document concludes with a discussion of innovation, and how we need to capitalize on the creativity of our Airmen to solve our nation's security challenges, as well as a charge to Airmen to understand how they contribute to the Air Force mission.

During my commander's call before the holidays, I extended a similar charge after sharing our wing's newly developed vision and slightly altered mission statements. I asked each and every one of you to find your connection to our mission, and provided vignettes of how Airmen throughout our wing work to Develop Professional Airmen, Deliver World-class Pilots and Deploy Combat-ready Warriors.

My pledge to you is to ensure that our wing's vision and mission continue to align with those of Air Education and Training Command and ultimately the Air Force, so we might streamline our efforts.

Our wing vision is to be "The Air Force's Premier Training Wing...Empowering Airmen to Conquer our Nation's Challenges."

I'd assert that in fact we are already the premier training wing in AETC and the Air Force. However, our wing, the Air Force, the Department of Defense and our nation face numerous challenges in the short and long term.

Only by empowering our Airmen can we expect to overcome those challenges. This is where I need your assistance. With a Continuous Process Improvement and Cost Conscious Culture mindset we can first tackle our own challenges, and then export our solutions and ideas to other wings.

Each of you will make a difference!

As the CSAF points out, education and training provide the foundation of our airpower advantage, and Team Vance plays a critical role as each portion of our mission underpins that foundation.

Through our efforts to Develop Professional Airmen, Deliver World-class Pilots, and Deploy Combat-ready Warriors, Team Vance directly contributes to the AETC mission of Developing America's Airmen Today...for Tomorrow, and the Air Force Mission to Fly, Fight and Win.

First, I would ask, what is your individual role within and commitment toward our mission?

Then I would ask that you embrace that role. Remember, every member of Team Vance is empowered. Let's be innovative, make smart changes and ensure we continue to be the Air Force's premier flying training wing!

Since the Super Bowl is fast approaching, I would like to share a final thought and a quote from the greatest football coach of all time, Vince Lombardi.

"Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."

Whether you are guarding our gates, controlling our aircraft, caring for our patients, providing customer service, generating aircraft or executing a training sortie, it is your individual commitment that has ensured our unequalled success. As Coach Lombardi said, it is what makes our team work.

Only 80 days until the Consolidated Unit Inspection...are you ready for our Super Bowl?!