Squadron Revitalization initiative comes to Kadena

KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JAPAN

09.27.2018

Story by Senior Airman Kristan Campbell 

18th Wing

U.S. Air Force commanders, superintendents, first sergeants and key spouses attended the Squadron Revitalization Implementation Plan discussion Sept. 27, 2018, at Kadena Air Base, Japan.

Brig. Gen. Case Cunningham, 18th Wing commander, and Chief Michael Ditore, 18th WG command chief, led the discussion centering on the Air Force-wide initiative promoting better practices, identifying improvement areas and providing opportunities to discuss innovative ideas.

Although the implementation plan was introduced as a way to positively impact Air Force mission sets, its focus is to improve Air Force culture at the squadron level.

“Squadron commanders are responsible for five things: mission, Airmen, families, culture, and fun,” Cunningham said. “The best way to think about this is, most things in the improvement study can be done on our level to affect and revitalize squadrons.”

The program has been examined by key Air Force leadership such as Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson, who has recognized it for its potential impact on Airmen and families.

Following a survey sent to 65,000 total force personnel – which gave Airmen the chance to submit insights about challenges they currently face – a core team of six people and over 25 Major Command representatives conducted interviews and targeted focus groups, designing the implementation plan as a way to offer solutions within their squadrons.

“Squadrons are the power of the Air Force,” Wilson said. “They are the guts, the brains and the clenched fist of American resolve -- made real with unmatched resolve, unmatched reach, precision and speed and professionalism.”

Some areas of improvement being implemented include fostering cohesion and morale, improving base programs such as the Key Spouse program, and aligning workload and manning within units.

“The key takeaway to remember is, our key leaders from the top down are listening to what our Airmen are saying, and working to implement those changes,” Ditore said. “We’ve been working to get that info up to the top so we can better focus on our Airmen.”

For more information on the squadron revitalization initiative, please visit www.af.mil.

• Date Taken: 09.27.2018
• Date Posted: 10.01.2018 23:05
• Story ID: 295094
• Location: KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JP