Murray talks rotations, uniforms, quality of life

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mark Munsey
  • 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFPN) --  Retro was all the rage March 10 here as Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray met with enlisted Airmen here.

Chief Murray, the Pacific Air Forces command chief before assuming his current job, addressed a standing-room-only crowd about several issues concerning the base, Pacific Air Forces and enlisted Airmen.

Before getting started on the issues of the day, Chief Murray spoke briefly about his Hickam background and the ongoing mission the base accomplishes.

“As I return and look around this audience today, I see all the different (major commands) and tenant units serving here in Hawaii, and I want to say thank you for what you’re doing with such diverse missions,” the chief said.

Chief Murray then described the current air and space expeditionary force landscape.

“As we return to the rotational AEF, we are involved in the largest rotation of military forces in history,” he said. “We are currently rotating 150,000 military members out of the Middle East while rotating 100,000 in.”

Though the Air Force has the smallest portion of those deployed to the area of responsibility, its role is about to increase, Chief Murray said.

“We will be picking up 2,000 billets previously filled by (Soldiers),” he said. Most will go to the security forces, transportation, civil engineer and air traffic controller career fields.

When the chief asked the audience, by show of hands, how many had been on an expeditionary deployment, more than two-thirds of those in attendance raised their hands.

“We have worked hard to get back to the rotational schedule so you can have predictability and stability about deployments, both for units and families,” Chief Murray said. “But we also must maintain supreme air power of lethality and might.”

Chief Murray also shared several quality-of-life improvement aspects.

“In 1998, the average time in service for promotion to staff sergeant was six years; that is now down to four,” he said. “Today, the average time to make technical sergeant is 13 years. We are projecting that in the next three to four years that average will be down to 10 years.

“Do I think our troops will be ready for the added responsibilities at that point in their careers?” the chief asked. “Absolutely."

The subject of the proposed new utility uniform and that they will be cut and fit for females drew the largest applause of the day.

“Elmendorf [Air Force Base, Alaska] is the first base [in PACAF] to test it,” he said. “As expected, they love the way it wears and fits.

“I spoke with one of the Airman wearing the uniform, and she said she had washed and worn it six times so far, and it was still as crisp as new,” he said. “Everyone from Airmen to the four-stars have said the same thing -- it’s sharp looking.

“There is no more historic time to serve our nation than today,” Chief Murray said. “I’ve been to 18 bases since Jan. 1, and the focus and attitude toward mission accomplishment displayed by our Airmen today is the greatest I have ever seen.” (Courtesy of PACAF News Service)