Wing Staff; Leading the Way

ALTUS AFB, OK, UNITED STATES

05.03.2016

Story by Airman 1st Class Kirby Turbak 

97th Air Mobility Wing

Though many of these agencies are small, members of the 97th Wing Staff Agencies have an important role here at Altus Air Force Base.
The WSA goal is to support the wing commander and their mission of forging combat mobility forces and deploying Airmen warriors.
With the wing commander being the spokesperson for the base they seek professional advice from a variety of WSA units to include:
• Chaplain's Corps
• Community Support Coordinator
• Command Post
• Comptroller Squadron
• Drug Demand Reduction
• Equal Opportunity
• Information Protection
• Inspector General
• Judge Advocate
• KC-46 Program Integration Office
• Protocol Office
• Public Affairs
• Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
• Wing Commander's Action Group
• Wing Executive Officers
• Wing Historian
• Wing Plans & Programs
• Wing Safety

“As the wing commander I rely heavily on WSA to ensure our Airmen are set up and taken care of in any situation,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Todd Hohn, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander. “The Wing Staff Agencies are excellent at keeping me updated and advising me through certain situations that require expert knowledge.”
“We are here to make it easier for the training forces to get their missions accomplished,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Joshua Renfro, 97th WSA director of staff. “By supporting the commander and his mission we are supporting all base personnel.”
Agencies are different from squadrons because they fall directly under the wing commander and are provide him with direct advice and counsel.
“Some agencies only have one person in it and others can have up to 35 people,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Kurt Schmidbauer, 97th Comptroller Squadron commander. “Each agency is responsible for its own function, they each have their own role that makes up the wing’s core functions.”
These 16 agencies play an important role in Airmen and their family’s lives.
Much of WSA’s priorities are taking care of base personnel in a variety of ways from ensuring Airmen are paid correctly, assist with struggles in their personal life, have equal opportunities at work, making sure people stay safe in numerous ways and highlighting what they do daily to the public.
“If Airmen need help with their finances they go to our finance office, if they need spiritual help we have our Chaplain Corps to talk to them,” said Renfro. “We’re going to make sure the mission of forging combat military forces and deploying airman warriors goes smoothly by making sure many everyday worries are being dealt with.”

• Date Taken: 05.03.2016
• Date Posted: 05.03.2016 12:02
• Story ID: 197149
• Location: ALTUS AFB, OK, US