Brig. Gen. Jeffrey T. Pennington, the commander of Fourth Air Force, toured the 446th Airlift Wing here to share his goals and priorities with Reserve Citizen Airmen, Sept. 9.
“As a senior leader, we are constantly humbled at the talent and skills of the Airmen that chose to serve in the Air Force and the Air Force Reserve Command,” Pennington said. “For the (446th) Maintenance (Squadron) to compete in Spark Tank last year and win and to get the recognition of the most senior leaders in the Air Force and industry is fantastic.”
The 446th MXS shared their 2020 Spark Tank award-winning C-17 Globemaster III battery cell extraction tool during a hands-on demonstration with the general.
Pennington had the opportunity to partake in anti-hijacking training and critical patient care during a simulated deployed environment with 446th Aeromedical Staging Squadron medical professionals. He also toured the remodeled 446th Aerospace Medicine Squadron facility.
“The most compassionate, loving group of servant heart people in the world, I think, are our folks in our medical professionals,” he said.
In April, the general assumed command of Fourth Air Force during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the midst of social unrest.
One of the general’s priorities is to advocate for Reserve Citizen Airmen by listening and learning from them. As part of the visit, he hosted a diversity and inclusion discussion to understand the experiences of the men and women of the 446th AW.
“I want to make it as big a priority to hear what is on their hearts and on their minds and learn from them and to hear about what is going in their environment through their eyes,” Pennington said. “If there is something we need to change, something we need to do different, that we are empowering Airmen to speak up to capture that and change.”
Everyone who serves should feel welcome and valued in the workplace, Pennington added.
“Regardless of what status somebody is, whether they are a traditional reservist, an Air Reserve technician, an AGR, an IMA or a civilian or contractor, one of my goals is that every person who participates with us has an environment that they look forward to coming to and that they feel trusted, respected and they know their leadership is going to listen to them,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.04.2020 19:23 |
| Story ID: | 379331 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 7 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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