Looking ahead, tackling new year's challenges

  • Published
  • By Col. Randal L. Bright
  • 512th Airlift Wing commander
Welcome back. I trust you had a good holiday season with family and friends. It's time to put our game face back on and get ready for the final run before our Unit Compliance Inspection with our team mates, the 436th Airlift Wing. We are down to the wire for our upcoming inspection with only three Unit Training Assemblies remaining. 

I'm proud of the effort each of you are putting forth in getting ready for this inspection. Keep the pace up, and remember these are items we must do day-to-day not just for the UCI; so, this is a marathon not a sprint. 

If you flash back 12 months, you will see just about the same words in my commentary, and that is exactly the same pace we were setting; but, instead of the UCI, we were taking on the Operational Readiness Exercise. 

Stay on top of the paperwork, support each other, and we will come through this in true 512th AW fashion. 

We'll be participating together with the 436th AW only during the Inspector General-run exercises as they will be getting their UCI at the same time from the Air Mobility Command IG. Other than the exercises, we are getting two separate UCIs. In addition, maintenance will be inspected on their Maintenance Standardization Evaluation Program; and, the Aerospace Medicine Squadron will be getting a Health Services Inspection. 

Needless to say, there's plenty of opportunity to be observed by an IG member somewhere on the installation, so stay on your toes and police each other as this is a team event. 

This month, we'll be saying farewell to our team mate and leader of the Eagle Wing. Col. Steve and Jill Harrison will be departing Dover Air Force Base for the 89th AW, Andrews AFB, Md. 

Following Colonel Harrison will be Col. Manson Morris and his wife Heidi, who will assume the reins of the 436th AW. I know Colonel Morris from my tour at Charleston AFB, and the tradition of excellence here at Dover will only continue. 

Coming up over the February UTA, we will induct our wing's newest senior NCOs. I hope to see you at the dinner. Our guest speaker, Chief Master Sgt. Lawrence H. Chang, the Chief of Enlisted Force Development at the Pentagon, should provide some enlightening comments. 

Finally after the April UTA, it will be the first time since I have been your commander that we will be in a period without a scheduled inspection of some sort to look forward to within the next year. But, that will not change the way we do business, which is doing the right thing day in and day out and taking care of each other.