SECAF visits Balad Airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alice Moore
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne visited deployed Airmen here Dec. 9.

Secretary Wynne spoke to Airmen during a town hall meeting in order to discuss issues affecting them and the impact Airmen are having on Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He commented on how relevant was the mission statement of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing: "Combat air power for America, right here, right now."

"What I want to tell you all is years from now you're going to get to say that you gave 30 million people the opportunity for freedom," he said. "Years from now when people ask you how did you do it, you're going to be able to say through airpower, right here right now because that's what Balad is all about."

Secretary Wynne said he is impressed by the way today's Airmen are adaptable and flexible to a changing force.

"The Air Force is innovative, thinks outside the box and brings fresh eyes to problems," he said.

One of the concerns Secretary Wynne shared was the Air Force's aging fleet.

"The Air Force is flying the oldest fleet now than ever before in history," he said.
"When I left the Air Force in 1973 our assets were about eight years old. Now the average age is about 23 years old.

"There comes a time when you really do have to recapitalize. We're taking a look at all the assets and reassessing ourselves to make sure the Air Force doesn't lose the quality of combat that has made us the premier air force in the world," he said.

Secretary Wynne also took the time to address concerns deployed Airmen have here. In particular he discussed Army in-lieu-of taskings.

"We are not going to fill the Army with in lieu of taskings," he said. "We cannot replace the Army. We have enough to do with maintaining aircraft, satellites and the cyberspace domain. But at this particular time we are not going to pull away to refuse to commit our forces."

Airmen here said they appreciated Secretary Wynne taking the time to meet with them.

"I thought he was a wonderful speaker. He's definitely a highly motivated leader," said Senior Master Sgt. Tony Pinkney, 332nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group PERSCO superintendent. "What impressed me the most about him was the fact that he discussed the past, present and future of the Air Force."

"It really struck me that Secretary Wynne is committed to helping the Air Force work through a lot of changes in technology, manpower and capabilities," said Capt. Amy Brautigan, 332nd EMSG executive officer. "He also seemed really responsive to the issues raised by Airmen as these changes begin to take place."

The Secretary of the Air Force is responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, including the organizing, training, equipping and providing the welfare of it's members to include active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, civilians and their families.

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