After two years at the helm of the 433rd Airlift Wing, Col. Douglas C. Jeffrey IV, addressed the unit for the final time as its commander during the August Unit Training Assembly. He took the opportunity to reflect on the wing’s accomplishments and offer guidance to the Reserve Airmen he leaves behind.
“It’s been an honor and a pleasure to work with each and every one of you,” Jeffrey said. “While our time is going to come to an end here pretty quickly, it’s been my family’s pleasure to be a part of the Alamo Wing.”
Throughout his address, Jeffrey turned the spotlight away from himself and onto the Citizen Airmen of the 433rd, crediting them for the wing’s success during his tenure.
Singling out the wing’s maintenance personnel, he addressed them directly to applaud their readiness and sacrifice.
“There are some maintainers out there, I mean, goodness gracious,” he said. “When the nation calls, when we talk about being ready in 72 hours, ya’ll are out the door. But you know what? The nation needs us to do it.”
He challenged supervisors to continue investing in their people.
“If you’re a supervisor, what are you doing to make your Airmen better,” asked Jeffrey. “Times are changing and because of that, we’ve got to make sure we’re checking in on our Airmen- not just during their short time of reintegration, but a week from now, a month from now, a year from now, 10 years from now.”
Looking ahead, Jeffrey emphasized the wing’s continued focus on readiness and training and closed his remarks by charging the Airmen to carry the 433rd AW culture forward.
“If you like what you have here at the 433rd, it’s going to be up to you to take what you know and teach the next generation,” Jeffrey said. “It’s pretty cool to be the wing commander and be this proud of the things ya’ll have done. Phenomenal work has been accomplished over the past two years and you have taught me so much.”
“Here’s the deal,” he concluded. “You don’t have to do what you do. But you do it anyway. Thank you!”