SECAF addresses deployed Airmen

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  "On behalf of the president of the United States and the American people, we salute you," Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne told more than 400 Airmen during his visit to an air base in Southwest Asia Feb. 1. "You are the front lines of freedom."

Secretary Wynne addressed Airmen in an open forum. He discussed a variety of topics from the importance of recapitalizing and maintaining the Air Force's aging fleet of aircraft, to the in-lieu-of tasking positions being filled by more than 6,800 Airmen throughout the deployed area of responsibility.

While at the air base, the SECAF also received an update on one of three expeditionary theater distribution centers in the deployed theater, which has saved the Air Force millions since being stood up in the fall of 2005.

"I really want to thank the Airmen who've been deployed as many as five times already," Secretary Wynne said. "As we look across the board at our active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen--you're doing a phenomenal job and we have the up-most confidence in what you're doing here.

"We deliver, what I call sovereign options, but we deliver options for the theater commander, the tactical commander, and as I like to say many times, we set the conditions for strategic and tactical victory," said the secretary. "And that's what you really are all about doing."

One of the SECAF's first comments during the forum was how impressed he was with the level of efficiency the vehicle and aircraft maintainers exhibit while sustaining an aging fleet of vehicles and aircraft so they are mission ready.

"Salute to maintenance!" Secretary Wynne said.

While maintainers know how to keep things moving, so do Airmen deployed to Southwest Asia on in-lieu-of taskings driving convoys.

Since the Airmen of the 586th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's 70th and 424th Medium Truck Detachments began convoy operations in Nov. 2005, they've trekked their way across the Persian Gulf region and Iraq. The two MTDs have racked up more than 1,700 convoy missions, logging in more than 11 million miles, and delivering approximately 1.3 million metric tons of cargo to servicemembers throughout the AOR.

The SECAF met 15 Airmen from the two convoy detachments and commented at the Airmen's Call about all the Airmen who fill in-lieu-of non-traditional Air Force missions.

"I'm very proud of the job that you're doing. You bring great credit to our United States Air Force," said Secretary Wynne. "Some of the highest military honors are being awarded to our Airmen who are either operating with ground forces, or in-lieu-of ground forces; this underscores the valor we bring to our mission and mission space."

During the secretary's visit, he made special note of how Airmen thinking outside the box have greatly improved the way the Air Force does business.

"The most fascinating thing to me, what I think mystifies many of our civilians as well as some of our joint and coalition colleagues, is that Airmen think about how they can improve it and make it better for those who will follow them, and we've done this over the generations," Secretary Wynne said.

An example of this paradigm is when a Central Command Air Forces initiative established ETDCs at three locations in the AOR. These centers allowed deploying Airmen to pick-up and return most of their required professional gear in-theater vs. having to carry it from their home station to the AOR and back.

The cost savings associated with this initiative has been more than $17 million per 120-day air expeditionary force deployment. The millions come from various expenses including excess baggage charges, aircraft fuel expenditures and movement costs associated with deployers who carry more than 300 pounds of professional and protective gear.

"This is a morale booster and it's saving money," said Secretary Wynne.

Before departing the air base, the secretary applauded all Airmen for their service.

"What you are allowing to happen is to see a nation state stand on its own in remarkable time in the midst of what I would call, fairly daunting odds," said Secretary Wynne. "Every time we deliver fuel, ordnance, communications equipment, counter insurgency equipment, we help a whole plethora of agencies, ministries, joint brethren, and coalition partners -- 28 of which are still in Iraq with us doing the heavy lifting in the spirit of democracy.

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