Photo By Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard | U.S. Air Force Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Forces commander, and...... read more read more
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The Pacific Air Forces commander and command chief visited Team Kadena for three days to gain a better understanding of unit readiness, quality of life and Air Force operations on the island.
During his first visit to the ”Keystone of the Pacific,” Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, who assumed command of PACAF July 12, traveled to facilities around the installation to meet and recognize Airmen at their jobs and gain a first-hand understanding of various mission areas.
The general spoke with Airmen to gain a thorough understanding of Team Kadena and concluded his visit with Chief Master Sgt. Harold Hutchison by hosting his first all-call to introduce himself.
“We want to know what’s on your mind,” “O’Shaughnessy said. “It’s easy for us to get reports back to headquarters and not [understand] what is important to all of you. I want to let you know the chief, our entire headquarters and I work for you.”
The general also shared some of his expectations for Airmen, including fostering a culture of dignity and respect in work centers and being combat ready throughout the force.
“It’s pretty simple,” O’Shaughnessy said. “We need to be able to actively deliver precise air, space and cyberspace capabilities here in the Pacific, and we need to be able to do that at a moment’s notice.”
During the all-call, O’Shaughnessy and Hutchison stressed the importance of Team Kadena’s role in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and how critical it is for Airmen to maintain readiness. He also outlined his command priorities.
“First and foremost, this is a warfighting command,” he said. “That’s why we are here; that’s why you all are not living in the United States of America; that’s why you are forward deployed; and that’s why you practice every day to maintain your readiness, in case the time comes when we are needed to deploy our combat capabilities.”
O’Shaughnessy said this priority is at the forefront at PACAF headquarters and influences what decisions are made regarding resources. He also stated the key to combat readiness lies with taking care of the Airmen.
“Our Airmen, whether they are active duty, guard, reserve or civilian, are what [allow] us to be able to do our mission,” O’Shaughnessy explained. “Part of that includes taking care of the families, so Airmen can concentrate on their mission. Another part of it is making sure we are providing you the experience and skill sets, so when we are called upon, you are ready.”
COMPACAF said these are difficult and challenging times. With tensions around the region, strategic partnerships will be increasingly important for mission success. These successes are continuously built through international and joint exercises.
“It’s the daily things you do, the partnerships that are people-to-people,” O’Shaughnessy said. “If we are going to fight together, we need to understand each other, and the relationships you make over time will have a huge impact.”
O’Shaughnessy asked Team Kadena’s Airmen to keep doing their mission to the best of their abilities.
“You are my priority; you are the chief’s priority; you are what we are focusing on to make sure you are given the tools needed to do the [job] we ask you to do,” he said. “That is why we are here. If there are things making it harder for you to do your job, we need to know.”
The command chief emphasized that leadership is listening to the concerns and ideas from their command.
“I encourage you to continue to funnel your ideas and inputs to leadership,” Hutchinson said. “We need to look at giving some stuff back to the squadrons, and we need to look at what we are doing for the squadrons. They are listening. Our PACAF commander needs your input, so he knows what’s on your minds when he’s speaking to leadership at the pentagon.”
The PACAF command chief said everything starts, continues and ends with Airmen.
“It’s you in this room that makes everything happen every day,” Hutchinson said. “You are air power.”
O’Shaughnessy ended his visit by personally thanking the Airmen of Kadena for their hard work and dedication to maintaining peace and stability in the region and for their continued efforts to project airpower across a wide and critical area of the globe.
“You’re an amazing team,” he said. “I know you will keep doing amazing things. Remember when you get up in the morning, and you’re still tired and getting ready for work, to look at yourself in the mirror and realize you are an American Airman [who] is making a big difference. You are out here forward deployed doing the business that our nation needs us to do, and you should be proud of that. I’m proud of you.”
| Date Taken: | 08.16.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.16.2016 03:53 |
| Story ID: | 207204 |
| Location: | KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 121 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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