Innovative Airmen…Airlift Excellence…Respect For All

  • Published
  • By Col. David Kumashiro
  • 62nd Airlift Wing commander
The men and women of the 62nd Airlift Wing are off and running in 2014. The ink on 2013 is barely dry and already our Airmen are hard at work around the world. From Afghanistan to the Central African Republic and soon back down to Antarctica, our Airmen truly epitomize airpower's Global Reach. We are also privileged to host our Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Mark Welsh, who will be visiting us from Jan. 31 to Feb 4. I am excited to introduce the Chief to Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the world's greatest Airmen and their families. Most importantly, we were recently notified that we will be undergoing the mid-term inspection for our #1 priority Prime Nuclear Airlift Force mission. This Limited Nuclear Surety Inspection will check to make sure we're in total compliance with our responsibilities as Department of Defense's only PNAF certified airlift wing.

In preparation for the New Year, I had a terrific opportunity to sit down with our 62nd Airlift Wing senior leadership team and reflect on how we are serving our Airmen. Based on some very frank and open discussions, we decided it was the right time to update our wing vision statement to better reflect our current priorities. As a result, I wanted to open 2014 by unveiling the guiding flight plan and vision for the 62nd Airlift Wing:

Innovative Airmen...Airlift Excellence...Respect For All!

No doubt our Innovative Airmen will be the centerpiece of our ability to weather the fiscal challenges facing our Air Force in the coming years. Airlift Excellence reminds us of the true essence of our mission--worldwide C-17 operations and support--and our commitment to being the absolute best. Finally, Respect For All reinforces our on-going resolve to ingrain a culture of dignity and respect into our DNA and to uphold our commitment to the Air Force Core Values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.

Along with our vision, we have decided to update and simplify our wing mission statement:
Develop and Sustain Airmen to Deliver Precision Global Airlift

Everyday our Airmen execute our Global Reach mission extraordinarily well. We remain committed to developing our Airmen and providing them with the resources they need to ensure their technical skills mirror the unmatched professionalism, leadership, and dedication they bring to our Air Force. In 2014, we will also be implementing a new transformational inspection system that shifts the responsibility of inspections to our command team. This new program will be the primary framework that will enable us to monitor and assess how well we are developing and sustaining our Airmen.

2014 promises to be a very exciting and challenging year for the 62nd Airlift Wing and our Air Force. We must continue to strive for operational excellence amidst fiscal uncertainties, while ensuring that our Airmen receive the training and equipment they need to execute our global mission. We look forward to working with our joint partners, civic leaders, and community partners to meet these challenges head-on. On behalf of the extraordinary men and women of Team McChord, I wish everyone a very Happy New Year!