AFRC Commander Visits MacDill Reservists

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes
  • 927th Air Refueling Wing
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The commander of Air Force Reserve Command, Lt. Gen. James Jackson, visited the 927th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) here February 20, 2013.
Jackson took the morning to visit with 927th ARW command leadership and Airmen from multiple sections.

"I really appreciate the opportunity to visit with you," Jackson told a group of enlisted Airmen during breakfast the morning of his visit. "Few people turn down an assignment to MacDill Air Force Base ... everyone loves living here."

The morning began with Jackson eating breakfast with a contingent of 927th ARW's full-time enlisted members and then receiving a command brief at the wing headquarters building. There, representatives from the 927th ARW and the 6th Air Mobility Wing gave the general a brief on the history of MacDill and the mission of each of the wings.

After the brief, the general toured the command building, meeting and speaking with the Airmen who keep the wing running in between unit training assemblies.

The general then traveled to the 927th Operations Group where he spoke with the pilots and boom operators that allow the Air Force to project power to every corner of the globe. From there, Jackson toured a KC-135 Stratotanker and greeted the Airmen working to ready the jet for takeoff.

Among them was Tech. Sgt. Anthony Abney, an aerospace crew chief with the 927th ARW.

"Abney has taken a key role in ensuring the supplies and equipment needed to maintain the aircraft assigned to MacDill AFB are available when needed," said Chief Master Sgt. William McKinley, a supervisor with the 927th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "His management of the KC-135 refurb section has resulted in not only the enhancement of our aircraft appearance, but their overall system reliability."

For this special accomplishment, the general thanked and recognized Abney.

From there, he visited with the Command Post where he saw firsthand the integrated operations between the 927th ARW and 6th AMW. Next, he visited with the 927th Aeromedical Staging Squadron and ended the afternoon at MacDill speaking to Air Force reservists currently serving at HQ U.S. Central Command.