Photo By Staff Sgt. Cody Dowell | U.S. Air Force Gen. Randall Reed, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, hammers a nail into his patch, during his tour of Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Sept. 19, 2025. His patch was left at Charlie's Lounge after completing initial pilot training and moved next to other notable graduates of the base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody Dowell) see less
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Altus Air Force Base Airmen hosted Gen. Randall Reed, U.S. Transportation Command commander, Sept. 19, to showcase the base’s vital role in developing the mobility force of the future.
The 97th Air Mobility Wing, where the guiding vision is “Victory begins here,” plays a key part in TRANSCOM’s mission: to project and sustain military power globally. This mission assures our friends and allies, deters potential adversaries, and enables us to respond decisively if needed.
“Altus Air Force Base has always been at the forefront of mobility operations,” said Reed. “The base is fundamental to TRANSCOM's success because the training provided here is the bedrock upon which our global mobility capabilities are built.”
TRANSCOM is comprised of three service component commands: Air Mobility Command, Military Sealift Command, and Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. This collaboration plays a crucial role in ensuring the rapid and efficient movement of military personnel, equipment, and supplies across the globe.
Once trained at Altus, pilots, loadmasters, and boom operators flow into the operational squadrons across Air Mobility Command. AMC then employs those squadrons as the Air Force component of TRANSCOM.
“When the nation needs TRANSCOM to move, I’m going to send [the recent students] and I won’t lose a moment of sleep because I know that they were trained at Altus AFB,” said Reed.
As a prior commander of the 55th Air Refueling Squadron, a former KC-135 squadron at Altus, Reed received a comprehensive mission briefing, toured the 54th and 56th Air Refueling Squadrons, as well as the 58th Airlift Squadron, and got to revisit what it means to be an Airman at Mobility’s Hometown.
While at Altus, Reed also had the privilege of celebrating the U.S. Air Force’s 78th birthday by attending the Air Force Ball and giving the keynote speech.
“It’s an honor to be here with the outstanding Airmen of Altus,” Reed remarked during his speech. “Their dedication and professionalism are a testament to the excellence we strive for across the entire Air Force. Altus is Altus. It is both the city and the base, and the Airmen and the community, and that’s why victory really does begin here.”
Altus Air Force Base’s long-standing commitment to excellence was evident throughout Reed's visit, and the collaboration between the 97th Air Mobility Wing and TRANSCOM continues to strengthen the nation’s defense capabilities.
