Photo By David Kujawa | Brig. Gen. John D. Slocum, former 127th Wing commander, concludes a 35-year Air Force...... read more read more
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SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. - - Michigan Air National Guard Brig. Gen. John D. Slocum retired during a May 5 ceremony at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The general had been serving as the commander of the 127th Wing prior to his retirement.
Slocum had been commander of the 127th Wing and Selfridge Air National Guard Base since November 2014. During a May 4 ceremony, command of the wing and base passed to Brig. Gen. Rolf Mammen.
Reflecting on his 35 years of military service, Slocum said one of the most impactful leadership lessons he learned came early in his career was from one of his own former wing commanders who sat across from Slocum at a dining table and asked, “What is going on with you?”
“It was meaningful to me because he wanted to hear what I had to say. He didn’t know me but took the time to engage and listen, and that has always made an impact on me,” Slocum said.
“It is always about the people. You win as an organization and you build an organization one person at a time,” he said.
Retired Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, the former director of the Air National Guard, served as the presiding official for the ceremony.
Wyatt spoke of the excellent character and the integrity of Slocum.
“The reputation he has built throughout his career has been phenomenal,” Wyatt said.
Wyatt emphasized to the audience that Slocum puts service of others before himself.
“It is because of you, the people he cares about,” Wyatt said.
In referencing the excellent servant leadership qualities of Slocum, Wyatt exclaimed in the conclusion of his speech: “You can be my flight lead, I will follow you anywhere,” referencing the movie Top Gun.
Slocum received his Air Force commission through East Carolina University's ROTC, Det. 600, in 1984, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. He was a command pilot with more than 4,100 flying hours. He has flown several aircraft to include the F-4 Phantom, the F-16 Falcon, the A-10 Warthog, and the KC-135 Stratotanker.
During his tenure at the helm of the 127th Wing, the organization achieved a number of milestones.
One highlight as wing commander was celebrating Selfridge’s centennial anniversary in 2017.
“Working alongside our community partners, we were able to showcase the vast history of the base,” Slocum said. “That was pretty darn cool.”
Emulating the leaders he has learned from in the past, Slocum commented during his closing remarks that as wing commander he made it a point to find a group of Airmen to sit with during lunch breaks on drill weekends during his tenure at Selfridge.
“It really is all about people,” said Slocum. “It’s not about the places or things. It is about the people.”
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2019 18:38 |
| Story ID: | 320806 |
| Location: | SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, MI, US |
| Web Views: | 928 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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