Photo By Senior Airman Melvin Maldonado Perez | Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody talks to airmen during his visit to the...... read more read more
CAROLINA, Puerto Rico -- No matter how technical the operations become or how the missions may change, the Airmen of the PRANG continue to be a treasured resource when it comes to their diverse experience as Guardsmen. Cody said that diversity makes them an asset to the Air Force.
“It’s not hard for us to understand what they do as Airmen,” said Cody. “They are competent and technically skilled, they are great leaders and they bring something that is hidden in many aspects.”
“Many of them have civilian careers and they do phenomenal things completely unrelated to what we ask from them as Airmen,” he said. “When you bring that diversity together, the diversity of experience is a huge strength for our Air Force.”
Throughout his visit Cody spent time meeting face-to-face with junior and senior enlisted Airmen to answer their questions, including questions about the future of the 156th Airlift Wing following the airframe conversion to the RC 26.
The conversion will bring a new operational mission, and require a modification in the manning. The PRANG will have to be adaptable and resilient as they take on the new challenge.
During an All Call, Airmen shared their concerns.
“Some of us will be losing our positions with the RC 26,” said Tech. Sgt. Jose Torres from the 198th Squadron. “Where will the opportunities for us be?”
“The conversion is upon us and I think it’s an exciting time for the wing,” said Cody. “It will carry the relevancy of this wing not only to Puerto Rico, but to our Air Force and our nation at large. It carries that into the future in a much more definitive way.”
He assured the Airmen the C-130 mission a great mission, but that it was time for the wing to move forward in all the right ways and for all the right reasons.
To meet the challenges brought on by the conversion, the PRANG leadership is currently looking to provide opportunities to the flight engineers, loadmasters, maintainers, and intelligence airmen.
“We are going to do our very best to ensure, that every Airman in the 156th, who wants to continue to serve in the 156th, will have an opportunity to do so,” Cody said.
“We have to be pragmatic about that discussion, because some of the Airmen have to be willing to learn something new. It is our commitment to provide the opportunity to the maximum extent possible.”
“The 156th is a relevant wing in the United States Air Force today,” he stressed. “I don’t want anybody thinking that because we are converting to a new weapon system that it is somehow not relevant. When you think of the security in this area, the security of this island and the nation abroad, it is extremely relevant. It is an exciting time for the PRANG because it actually now will have more capability.”
The Puerto Rico Air National Guard is relevant and ready to embrace the challenge of a new mission that will bring the highest standards of security to Puerto Rico, its communities, and to the defense of the nation.
| Date Taken: | 04.11.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2015 08:46 |
| Story ID: | 183948 |
| Location: | CAROLINA, PR |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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