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    Gen. Wilsbach shines as leader, renders final salute to Alaska

    Lt. Gen. Tom Bussiere takes commad of Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command, Alaskan Command, and the Eleventh Air Force

    Photo By Tech. Sgt. Curt Beach | Joint service members render their final salutes to U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Ken...... read more read more

    JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, UNITED STATES

    08.25.2018

    Story by Senior Airman Curt Beach  

    Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Public Affairs   

    After serving as the senior military officer in Alaska for the past two years, U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Ken Wilsbach rendered his final salute to the men and women he lead.

    Wilsbach served as commander of Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Alaskan Command and Eleventh Air Force from August 2016 to August 2018, but will now move to a new assignment.

    “You always grow from every assignment you have, and the experiences are what grow you. I would say what’s most memorable about this assignment are the people of Alaska,” he said. “I’ve had a chance to go around the state and meet with many of them. They’re an incredibly warm and very patriotic group. Most communities around the globe are welcoming and supportive of military installations, but here, the people take you into their families, and it’s really a remarkable situation.”

    Wilsbach said one of the biggest positive changes he’s seen during his tenure is the consciousness of the rest of the nation that the U.S. is an Arctic nation.

    “We who live in Alaska know we’re an Arctic nation because we live here,” he said. “A lot of times, in the Lower 48, they forget that, but because of climate change and receding sea ice, there’s more human activity in the Arctic, and that has ramifications and implications for the military and what are we going to do for our national interests and also help with our allies who are also interested in the Arctic.”

    Wilsbach spoke of the distinct geographical advantage Alaska provides, especially in terms of military operations. He said from Alaska you can be almost anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere in about nine and a half hours of flight time.

    “Alaska is a strategic location because of this ability to maneuver around the globe, and that’s why we have forces here, so we can project forces,” he said. “

    In Addition, Wilsbach said, if threat nations ever choose to shoot an intercontinental ballistic missile at the U.S., it would likely come across the Northern parts of the globe, making Alaska a strategic location for defense.




    At a change of command ceremony Aug. 24, Wilsbach passed the reins of his commands to U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Tom Bussiere, and offered his successor some advice.

    He encouraged Bussiere to continue to advocate for the Arctic and for readiness of military forces, so if called, they’re ready to do their mission. He also stressed innovation.

    “Advocate for innovation,” he said. “Our young service members have tremendously innovative ideas, and capturing those ideas and realizing the benefits of innovation is really important in making the United States the greatest in the world. If we ever let up on that, our adversaries may catch up to us, and we simply can’t accept that.”

    Wilsbach’s Air Force journey will continue at his new assignment at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, where he’ll serve as the commander of Seventh Air Force.

    “I’m excited. It’s a historic time to be going to Korea with the recent talks between Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Trump and some of the discussions they’ve had and agreements they’ve made,” he said. “It’ll be interesting to see how everything plays out. It’ll be a very interesting time in South Korea.”

    Before departing, Wilsbach offered a final thanks to the men and women he led.

    “Whether it’s defending North America with Canada against many threats, or whether it’s projecting air power across the Pacific and Southwest Asia as we took the fight to ISIS, the incredible efforts of men and women sacrificially for their nation has been humbling, and it’s been quite an honor for me to have been your commander and work with you,” he said. “I’d like to thank you. It has been an incredible honor serving as your commander.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 08.25.2018
    Date Posted: 08.27.2018 19:24
    Story ID: 290514
    Location: JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, US

    Web Views: 54
    Downloads: 0

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