STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. -- Director of the Air National Guard Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice and Air National Guard Command Chief Master Sgt. Ronald Anderson visited the base Aug. 2 to meet the Airmen of the 109th Airlift Wing and get a first-hand look at how the mission here gets accomplished.
The day was full with a walk around the base, learning about the mission, meeting and talking with Airmen, an all-call and, of course, some impromptu selfies. After touring different areas around the base, Rice and Anderson were able to get a clearer picture of the Wing’s polar operations in both Antarctica and Greenland in support of the National Science Foundation.
Rice and Anderson ended the visit with an all-call to address all of the Airmen of the wing.
“We think there’s a couple things that make you great. One is the people – all of you, all of the energy that you put into it,” Rice said. “It takes a culture. It takes commitment. And that’s what makes you bigger as an organization. Now I can proudly say that the chief and I have seen it.
“We think there’s something special here in this wing that we really value, and that is your wing commander and your wing command chief,” he said before coining them both.
Anderson talked about the importance of keeping Air National Guard organizations viable well into the future.
“We’re trying to make sure that this organization and this mission that you have here survives long into the future,” he said. “We talk about some of your kids serving here. We’re more concerned that your grandkids have a mission here.”
Both Rice and Anderson thanked the Airmen for the work they do to keep the mission going.
“There’s a bigger more important more personal reason that we’re here,” Anderson said. “That’s simply to say thank you. Thank you for what you do every day. We recognize this isn’t easy … It’s hard to try and find that balance between ... everything you have going on, but somehow you’ve figured it out. You’ve been able to perform a mission here that nobody else can do. You should be proud of that.”
“I see first hand that you are making a difference,” Rice said. “You are the ones who are exporting across the world this thing called respect for each other, this thing called freedom, this thing called liberty that we all hold so dear and it’s hard to put your hand on it, but you are doing it. You are making a difference for our country. This place, this world, this land we live in now is better off tomorrow because you are working here today. For that my dear friends, I thank you all.”