Meet Col. Pavey, new 927th ARW commander

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Anna-Marie Wyant
  • 927th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Members of the 927th Air Refueling Wing were introduced to a new wing commander, Col. David P. Pavey, during a change of command ceremony here Saturday. While most Airmen only saw their new leader briefly at the ceremony, they may not realize they quickly made a positive impression on him.

As commander of this Reserve wing for less than a week, Colonel Pavey said he is already impressed by the wing's Airmen, the strong relationship between the 927th ARW and the 6th Air Mobility Wing, and the local area overall. He said he is truly humbled to be the 927th ARW commander.

"Some wing units have a rich heritage that dates back to WWII, and I'm looking forward to exploring that more," Colonel Pavey said, referring in part to the wing's own 63rd Air Refueling Squadron, which has been flying KC-135 Stratotankers during American conflicts for more than 50 years.

Colonel Pavey, who has been in the Air Force since 1983, said while he has always admired the leadership abilities of Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill and Henry V, some of the best role models he has seen in his career are Air Force noncommissioned officers. He acknowledges the strength of Airmen, saying they are doing the hard work to win the wars.

"These conflicts are not won overnight or with any one single act, but many specific actions made by our superbly trained Airmen on a daily basis," he said. "I applaud the skill and patriotism of these Airmen, and I see my job as removing obstacles to accomplishing those war-winning actions."

With a joint 927th ARW and 6th AMW operational readiness inspection nearing, Colonel Pavey is confident his Airmen will showcase their skills and training.

"This is the Year of Readiness for our wing, and I look forward to this being evidenced to all [Air Force Reserve Command] units as we will undoubtedly shine in our upcoming ORI," Colonel Pavey said.

The purpose of an ORI is to test and evaluate a unit's ability to deploy its members and equipment, operate in a hostile environment, return to the home station, and reconstitute the force. To prepare for this important inspection, the 927th wing will be conducting multiple readiness exercises throughout the year. Colonel Pavey said he is eager to work with the 6th AMW and fortify the already strong bond with them, resulting in a successful ORI.

In addition to the positive relationship with active-duty mission partners, Colonel Pavey said he thoroughly enjoys the bond MacDill shares with the local community. He said the Honorary Commanders, local civic leaders who support the wing in various ways, are a God-send.

"These are patriotic Americans who care deeply about the sacrifices made by our troops, and they contribute directly to the success of our Airmen's deployments and families in many ways," he said. "Our Honorary Commanders are literally a force multiplier, allowing us to accomplish far more than we could by ourselves. It's certainly special."

In the process of officially moving from his last assignment as the 446th Operations Group commander at McChord Air Force Base, near Tacoma, Wash., Colonel Pavey said he looks forward to living in the Tampa area with his wife and son. He said he thinks Tampa is beautiful place with a lot to offer.

"I want to thank everyone for the warm welcome to my family," he said. "They love the area, and the biggest challenge may very well be just trying to find time to do all the things that are possible here."