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Nebraska National Guard leadership including Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, the adjutant general, visited 155th Air Refueling Wing Airmen June 10-13, 2024, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Their main goal was to visit Nebraska’s Airmen and see how they were supporting the mission of the Pacific Combatant Command (PACOM).
“I think circulating and visiting our Soldiers and Airmen is really the best way for me to understand the operating environment and understand the challenges and the rewards that our Soldiers and Airmen receive through training and exercises,” said Strong. “I can get reports and I can get phone calls but actually being on the ground and being able to see them performing their military training live and hearing it straight from the Soldiers and Airmen is really the best assessment I can ever receive.”
As one of the adjutant general’s main duties, visiting these Airmen is also a great time for Strong to show that he cares, sees their work as important and valid, along with showing them they are appreciated.
“They were pleased to see their leadership interested in what they were doing. I felt it was highly rewarding not just to see their operational space - going to the hangar, talking to them in operations building and on the runway - but also where they were staying and having the opportunity to recognize great performances and great achievements of the Airmen,” said Strong. “It was a great morale and welfare opportunity just to say thank you and recognize their outstanding contributions.”
While deployed, the Airmen have traveled from Guam to different locations throughout the pacific theater for exercises and real-world operations.
“They’re definitely still doing some of the multi-capable Airmen training while deployed,” said Maj. Trevor Boyd, Director of Air Personnel with the Nebraska National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. “For the actual mission itself, they are able to meet all requirements allowing them to go above and beyond to communicate and support whatever they are tasked with including a lot of real-world sorties that they are able to fulfill.”
The goal of multi-capable Airmen training is for them to be prepared for worldwide operational requirements by being able to handle additional tasks outside of their primary job. This approach allows Airmen to be able to translate their skills to fit into the mission they are a part of, whether at home or deployed.
Nebraska National Guard leadership had the opportunity to recognize Airmen for their achievements in going above and beyond. Some of the accomplishments included identifying errors with enough time adjust or re-plan missions, deployment extensions and spearheading programs that helped make tasks more efficient.
“There were several individuals who have done great things like servicing a jet that needed a short-notice inspection to just the everyday accomplishments including long hours that some of them were pulling to support the mission,” said Boyd.
The Airmen were encouraged by the recognition from Strong as well as thankful for the support shown through the visit from their leadership, Boyd added.
They also used this time to touch base with commanders in Guam to discuss how they could support the mission without being a burden and how the KC-135R Stratotanker fits in with the mission of the pacific theater. Strong said it was a great time to thank them for taking great care of the Nebraska National Guard Airmen and get their perspective on the air refueling mission and understanding the strategic requirements of that area of responsibility.
“They were also incredibly complementary of the great work of the Nebraska Hustlin’ Huskers,” said Strong. “How the Nebraska National Guard links in to what is arguably the most strategically important mission that we are currently performing could not happen without the 155th Air Refueling Wing.”
Through this visit, Strong was reminded of the reach the Nebraska National Guard has not just in Guam, but all over the world.
Strong added, “We have Soldiers and Airmen training from where the Americas day begins to all the way back in the US. It is amazing the reach and scope of the Nebraska National Guard to the Czech Republic, to Africa, to Guam – the sun never sets on the Nebraska National Guard.”
| Date Taken: | 06.30.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.07.2024 12:11 |
| Story ID: | 480331 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Nebraska National Guard Adjutant General Visits Deployed Airmen in Guam, by SSgt Jamie Syniy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
