62 AW new commander’s first all call

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Mikayla Heineck
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

The 62nd Airlift Wing’s newest commander, Col. Erin Staine-Pyne, held her first all call for the Airmen of the 62nd AW here, Jan. 16.

Staine-Pyne highlighted past accomplishments while also reintroducing herself and outlining her focus for the future.

“2019 was an incredible year for this wing,” Staine-Pyne said. “Every single one of our mission sets executed by this wing in 2019 had a direct impact on our nation’s security.”

Staine-Pyne is not new to McChord, having served previously as vice wing commander and the 8th Airlift Squadron commander from June 2013 to February 2015. She arrived at McChord in 2012 as the director of operations for the 4th Airlift Squadron, but her ties to McChord run deeply through multiple generations.

“Two years after the dedication of McChord Field in 1940, my great-great-grandfather was assigned to McChord Field,” Staine-Pyne said. “I think that it’s important that you understand a little bit of where I’m coming from and where I think we’re going.”

The commander also discussed what she wants the wing’s focus to be for 2020.

“Spoiler alert: it’s not too different from what we’re already doing,” Staine-Pyne said.

She placed focus on the latter half of the wing’s vision: “World’s Greatest Airlift Team … Where Airmen Matter,” saying that it’s something to work on continually.

“I think we are the best airlift wing in all of Air Mobility Command,” Staine-Pyne said. “That doesn’t mean we can’t get better though.”

She also stated that one of her top priorities is making sure Airmen are restoring readiness to win any fight at any time.

“The reason that I’m so focused on readiness is you just never know when you’re going to get the call,” she said. “And we have to be ready to do whatever it takes to defend our nation.”

This occurred New Year’s Eve of 2019, when, despite the holiday, the 62nd Operations Group started putting pilots and loadmasters on crew rest, the 62nd Maintenance Group started preparing C-17 Globemaster IIIs for takeoff and the 82nd Airborne Division was deployed to Central Command within 48 hours.

“I can’t over emphasize how important what you do every single day is to our country,” Staine-Pyne said. “Sometimes it looks like turning wrenches on an airplane, sometimes it looks like seeing a patient in the medical squadron, and sometimes it looks like taking off, but it happens every day in this wing, and I couldn’t be more proud of what you guys do.”