CSAF: Precision, reliability key to Airmen keeping the promise

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Veronica McMahon
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) --  Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz capped off a one-day visit here Sep. 3 with a special Airman's Call for a sample group of Airmen from various squadrons, career fields and ranks. 

Brig. Gen. Darryl Roberson, 325th Fighter Wing commander, introduced General Schwartz to the approximately 500 base personnel gathered in a hangar on Tyndall's flightline and then opened the event with the wing call of "locate and liquidate!"

General Schwartz began his talk by asking for every member present to recommit himself or herself to excellence and compliance to standards. 

"If you and I commit ourselves to precision performance, everything else will fall into place," he said. "It doesn't matter what job you perform or what rank you are, everyone counts in this Air Force family." 

General Schwartz went on to say everyone is responsible for his or her individual performance and that of the team. He also touched on his personal tenants of precision, reliability, focus and taking care of one another. 

"If we continue to concentrate on these things, we are going to achieve a level of excellence we haven't yet achieved," said the general. 

Airmen had the opportunity to ask the chief of staff with a variety of questions. Topics included maintenance, base housing, enlisted pilots, military-to-civilian conversions and future roles of F-22 Raptor. 

Concerning the possible integration of aircraft maintenance and operational flying squadrons, General Schwartz said a collective decision had been made to not integrate. This will help ensure that in years to come, sophisticated cadres of weapons maintainers are focused on maintaining weapons systems, he said. 

"This is not to say that a partnership is not integral to success. There should be a visceral friendship between crew chiefs and their aviators," he said. "Maintenance is not a part-time business, and full-time attention is needed for the long haul to sustain our rigorous standards." 

Another Airman asked the general about the possibility of allowing enlisted aviators to operate the Air Force's fleet of unmanned aircraft systems. General Schwartz said he expects a final decision by the end of the year. When asked about the F-22's role in future Air Force operations, the general reiterated the importance of the fighter's role as a weapons system of deterrence. 

The general also shared his professional and personal beliefs with the Airmen when the subject of the war on terrorism was broached. 

"I fundamentally believe that we cannot just sit back and play defense in this war," he said. "We need to be out there taking the fight to (our adversaries) to ensure that the events of 9/11 never happen again." 

The general closed the Airman's Call by asking everyone present to walk away remembering two words: precision and reliability.
 
"We have promises to keep to ourselves, to our joint teammates and to our country," he said. "If we incorporate precision and reliability into all we do, then we will maintain this marvelous military force." 

(Tech. Sgt. Chyenne Adams contributed to this story)

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