Premier Air Refueling Wing hosts 4th AF commander

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Brigadier General John C. Flournoy, 4th Air Force commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Brian Wong, 4th Air Force command chief, visited MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., January 9 to 12, to meet the Airmen of the 927th Air Refueling Wing and observe how they contribute to carrying out the mission of the Premier Air Refueling Wing.
Escorted by Col. Doug Schwartz, 927th ARW commander, Flournoy and Wong shook hands, talked with and even broke bread with Airmen from all over the 927th.
"We're very excited to have the 927th and Team MacDill host one of Gen. Flournoy's first visits as the 4th Air Force commander," said Schwartz. "This is a great opportunity to showcase the great citizen Airmen of the 927th."
Flournoy toured the installation during his visit, stopping at the SIM building to experience the KC-135 Stratotanker Boom Operator Weapons System Trainer and flight simulator. The general tried his hand at the precision maneuvering required for aerial refueling and flew a couple approaches KC-135 simulator.
Following a mission brief from the leadership of the 927th and 6th Air Mobility Wings, Flournoy was escorted onto the flight-line to tour various components of the 927th Maintenance Group, including Fuel Cell, OMAX Demo and the dedicated crew chief program. After meeting the Airmen, the general took time to promote Airman 1st Class Robert Rago, a crew chief on the KC-135, to Senior Airman.
"He was very personable in his interactions," said Col. Dorneen Shipp, 927th Maintenance Group commander. "Whatever their job entailed, the general reminded each individual exactly how their efforts support the mission."
Later that evening, Flournoy attended a Meet & Greet to discuss base and community relationships with various leadership from the 927th, chiefs, honorary commanders and other invited guests.
During their stay, Flournoy and Wong sat down to breakfast with 19 randomly-selected Airmen from around Team MacDill to discuss the dual roles and legacy of citizen Airmen. They also saw Airmen at work at several Reserve units around the installation, including the 927th Mission Support Group, Logistics Readiness and Security Forces Squadrons and the 927th Aeromedical Staging Squadron.
"I could see the pride of the 927th beaming through as they showcased their units," said Wong. "The strong partnerships, both within the 927th and across the base with other units and sister services, was very evident. These are key elements that will make a positive impact on mission success."
Brig. Gen. Flournoy and Chief Master Sgt. Wong also toured the Short Fitness Center and later cheered on Reservists taking their physical training tests. They proceeded to congratulate numerous Airmen as they crossed at the completion of the 1.5 mile run.
An All Call for the 927th Airmen gave Flournoy the chance to speak to the unit as a group; He addressed his expectations for all Airmen, which included fitness and mission readiness, accountability, and living out the Air Force core values at all time.
"The Citizen Airmen of the 927th Air Refueling Wing are paving the way for the rest of 4th Air Force by being the example partners with their host Wing, their community leaders, and their Honorary Commanders," said Flournoy. "It was such a pleasure meeting so many dedicated Airmen and civilians displaying such high levels of pride, professionalism, and teamwork in every organization that I visited."