Team McChord ... it has been a pleasure!

  • Published
  • By Col. Frank Rechner
  • 62nd Mission Support Group commander
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  What a week this has been! As Rodeo 2009 draws to a close and our international and American partners prepare to depart the Great Northwest, another great chapter in McChord's history draws to a close.

This event could not have happened without the dedicated effort of a myriad of professionals around the globe, and the Rechner family was glad to be a small part of it. As Daphne, Joey, Jacob, Jeremy and I prepare to depart the installation as well, we are proud to have served within your 62nd Mission Support Group and as your extended family for the past two years.

I often think back to September 2007 ... on Labor Day, a water main broke in front of Hangar 3 opening a 30 by 60 foot sinkhole; the next week, five different government agencies arrived on base to inspect the wing's Personnel Reliability Program and Prime Nuclear Airlift Force mission during a limited-notice Nuclear Surety Inspection; and in the middle of this we celebrated our 60th anniversary as a service. Ultimately, over 600 people attended the Air Force Ball when just two days before the event, only 250 people were signed up.

I look back to that month because it seemed that no matter what the 62nd MSG family did to overcome obstacles, another challenge was lying in wait. However, your efforts met every challenge head on. The water flow was stopped (just before the last tower was drained!), the inspection teams left confident that McChord Airmen could perform the nuclear airlift mission safely (and subsequently awarded Team McChord the highest grade), and over 600 people were fed by the 62nd Services Squadron in a fitting tribute to our proud heritage.

What the future holds, no one knows ... but as Shakespeare said in Julius Caesar, "if a man should know the end of the day err it may come, but suffice to say, the day will end and the end will be known." This narrative is especially pertinent as joint basing moves from the drawing board to execution. Although much hard work has been done over the last three years, the harder work still lies ahead as the implementation of plans are set in motion. Did we get it exactly right? Did we think of everything? While the answer may be "not exactly," the one thing about which I have no doubt is that all of Team McChord will approach this opportunity with the same energy, enthusiasm, and dedication as the string of September 2007 events described above. To put it simply, this base just doesn't know how to produce results that are anything less than stellar, and I can't wait to see your next achievement!

It has indeed been our pleasure to serve you.