Air Force secretary visits Manas Airmen

  • Published
  • By Maj. Damien Pickart
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, KYRGYZSTAN (AFNS) --  The secretary of the Air Force visited Manas Air Base on the final stop of a weeklong, seven-base tour of the U.S. Air Forces Central area of responsibility Oct. 15 here.

Secretary Michael B. Donley spoke to Airmen and visited base facilities including the passenger terminal, expeditionary theater distribution center, petroleum oil and lubricants compound and the fitness center. 

The secretary held an Airmen's call for 200 base members to share his thoughts on Air Force issues and also answered questions. Secretary Donley discussed Air Force manning levels, refocusing the nuclear enterprise, improving the acquisition process and the deployment operations tempo. 

"We must restore the Air Force focus on the nuclear mission because it's one that demands perfection," Secretary Donley said, noting that a command will soon be stood up to integrate assets and personnel that support the nuclear mission, including long-range bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The secretary also pointed out how the Air Force needs to do better with its acquisition process in order to bring some critical assets into the inventory.

"The Air Force has a problem with its aging inventory," he said, specifically mentioning the need for a replacement tanker. "The Air Force needs to bring the new tanker online. It's absolutely critical to the mission around the globe and in the area of responsibility."

Secretary Donley also stressed how important people are to accomplishing the mission, especially the senior noncommissioned officer corps.

"What most of the militaries of the world envy most is our senior NCO corps," the secretary said. "We have a motivated, dedicated and well led Air Force thanks to our senior NCO corps."

During his visit, Secretary Donley see firsthand how the base supports coalition personnel transiting in and out of Afghanistan as the sidewalks and morale facilities were packed with more than 1,000 Marines and other coalition servicemembers from Afghanistan, Poland and South Korea. The secretary took time to thank several Marines for their service in Afghanistan before continuing on with his tour.

Before departing Manas AB, the secretary toured a KC-135 Stratotanker and talked to aircrew members and maintainers, who were a mix of Airmen from the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and active duty. 

"The integration of Guard, Reserve and active duty to accomplish the mission is extremely critical in helping make deployment rotations work," Secretary Donley said. "From what I've seen, using a total force package and having good commanders and senior NCOs fine tune deployment lengths are working well to improve the situation."

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

View the comments/letters page