Vice commander: See you again soon Published Nov. 29, 2006 By Col. Wade Johnson 71st Flying Training Wing Vance Air Force Base, Okla. -- Team Vance -- I hate to say goodbye, so I won't. In the military, my family and I have learned to say "see you again!" I have previously been stationed with Col. Bryan Benson, Col. Fred Cheney and Col. Keith Snyder. My wife went to school with Col. Kevin Kriner. Many of the pilots I flew with or trained in the T-37, F-15 and F-16 are instructor pilots in the simulators or on the flightline here. Kathy and I certainly hope we will have the opportunity to be assigned to the same base with many more Team Vance people in the future. It doesn't feel like we have been here very long, but as I reflect on our time here the people and the mission come to mind first. I really enjoy the singularity of the mission at Vance. We train the best pilots in the world. Many bases, and even some wings, have several different missions to juggle, which dilutes the focus on the primary mission. That is not true here. That single mission helps the people here do their jobs so well. It doesn't matter if they work in the operations group, the mission support group, the medical group or for one of our superior contract companies. All of our new pilots need assistance with personnel, finance and medical issues. The aircraft they fly have to be properly maintained and ready to go on time. These new pilots have to be supplied with the proper flight gear, perfectly packed parachutes and life support equipment that operates perfectly 100 percent of the time. They need a fitness center and somewhere to get a decent meal, so they can maintain their rigorous schedule. Training pilots involves much more than classroom, simulator and flight instruction, but those last three have to be done perfectly, as well. Every single person at Vance does a job that is essential to the 71st Flying Training Wing's mission of training 430 pilots a year. They do it better than I have seen it done before. It is truly a team effort here in the 71st! I know from my short visit to Iraq that the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps need every single one of those pilots we train. Keep on doing it so well! Kathy and I may be leaving this great assignment with its important mission and superior people. But, we will see you again, soon!