Photo By Master Sgt. Patrick O'Reilly | Col. Raymond Smith, Jr., took command of the 445th Airlift Wing during an assumption...... read more read more
Col. Raymond Smith, Jr., took command of the 445th Airlift Wing during an assumption of command ceremony here Jan. 4, 2020.
Col. Smith comes to the 445th from U.S. Transportation Command where he served as the Chief of the Deployment and Distribution Operations Center at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
Brig. Gen. Robert Blake, mobilization assistant to the director of current operations, deputy chief of staff for operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C., presided over the ceremony as more than 1,000 military and community leaders, family and friends, gathered to watch Col. Smith take command of the wing. Col. Adam Willis, the previous 445th AW commander, took command of the 315th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, De. 7, 2019.
After assuming command, Col. Smith expressed his enthusiasm about taking command of the wing.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to be back at the 445th. It took over two decades for us to be assigned here the first time and now at close to 30 years we are receiving a second opportunity. The 445th is an award-winning organization with a reputation of getting the mission done. This reputation was earned from the hard work of our aircrews, maintainers, medical professionals, and our comprehensive mission support team. Our mission is as diverse as our members, and I am thrilled to be working with you again. I have come home in every sense of the word. I grew up just an hour away from Wright-Patterson in Park Hills, Kentucky. Many of our family and friends are here today,” Col. Smith said.
During his remarks, Col. Smith spelled out three key areas that he wants to focus on as the new commander of the wing, areas he deemed crucial to the men and women of the 445th Airlift Wing.
“There are a few things I want to make sure we get right. One of those is that we need to make sure that the 445th remains a place where people treat each other with dignity and respect.
The second thing that we must get right is that you have well prepared training plans and that all your training is meaningful because I’m asking you to leave your families and come here and drill.
The third thing is I need to make sure that you know you are appreciated for what you do and that your family is appreciated for their sacrifices.
Employers need to understand what their roles and commitments to our service is. To do this we’re going to continue to do great things like having family days and bosses days, and all those things that bring the community together so you can go back and share what those responsibilities are and how those employer partnerships play a role in defense to our nation.”
Smith, in his new role as commander of the 445th AW, commands 16 units with an inventory of nine C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and more than 2,000 personnel.
The wing provides worldwide movement of high priority personnel and cargo. Missions range from local pilot proficiency training, aeromedical evacuation and worldwide strategic airlift, to night vision goggle and low-level short-field assault operations.
Story was originally published on page 1 of the February 2020 issue of the “Buckeye Flyer.” It may also be found at https://www.445aw.afrc.af.mil/Portals/117/Documents/buckeye/2020/2%20-%20Feb%20BF_16%20Jan.pdf?ver=2020-01-27-075708-790.
| Date Taken: | 11.02.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.29.2020 08:28 |
| Story ID: | 385948 |
| Location: | WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO, OH, US |
| Hometown: | FAIRBORN, OH, US |
| Web Views: | 136 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Smith assumes command of 445th Airlift Wing, by Stacy Vaughn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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