CMSAF visits expeditionary center

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Paula A. Paige
  • U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. (AFNS) --  Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy took stock of the people and the mission of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center during a visit here July 29. 

Joint Base personnel gathered in the expeditionary center's auditorium for an "All Call" town hall-style gathering. Chief Roy answered a variety of questions on everything from uniform changes and enlisted performance evaluations to dining hall menus and physical fitness standards. He left no doubt about his priorities.

"What I'm focused on is taking care of you as Airmen, presenting you to that combatant commander, then taking care of our families," he said. "That's how your chief thinks."

The chief stressed the joint fight and the importance of presenting the best trained and prepared Airmen to the combatant commanders. The recently appointed chief master sergeant of the Air Force toured and talked to Airmen across the 34-acre training campus. 

"I know the chief of staff of the Air Force is very interested in making sure that every single Airman we place in harm's way, regardless of Air Force specialty code, tasking, position, line number, is adequately and supremely prepared," Chief Roy said.

Chief Roy spent the early part of his career in the civil engineering career field. Prior to his selection as chief master sergeant of the Air Force, he served as the senior enlisted leader and adviser to the U.S. Pacific Command combatant commander and staff at Camp H. M. Smith in Hawaii.

Maj. Gen. Kip Self, the expeditionary center commander, said the Air Force will greatly benefit from the chief's joint experience and background. The general said Chief Roy challenged the expeditionary center to remain relevant to our Airmen in the joint fight and he believes the EC Eagles are up to the challenge. The general said the chief also pointed out the importance of "doing it all together" by exchanging and standardizing best practices across the training enterprise.

The chief master sergeant of the Air Force met with Airmen, from all ranks, across the joint base. Additionally he visited with Airmen being trained by Fort Dix Army mission partners.

Praise for the chief master sergeant of the Air Force came from all ranks.

"He seems genuinely concerned about our ideas and what we bring to the table," said Senior Airmen Christopher McShan of the 421st Combat Training Squadron. "He really wanted to see what he could take back to the Pentagon and how he could change things."