SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Air Combat Command commander, Gen. Mike Holmes stopped at two undisclosed locations this week to visit with service members and receive updates on Coalition progress towards Operation Inherent Resolve objectives.
This is the second time Holmes has visited members of the 332d Expeditionary Wing since he took the reins of ACC in March of 2017. Since his last trip, the OIR Coalition has made major strides in its commitment to defeating ISIS and several other radical groups in the region, including the re-taking of the so-called caliphate in October.
“We do all this traveling because we want to come and see first-hand what we can do to help you all do your jobs,” said Holmes. “We want to see what you need while you’re out here, and to help you go home better.”
At multiple stops throughout the visit, Holmes met with Airmen and recognized top performers before opening the floor to questions. He outlined his plans for dealing with the pilot retention shortage, manning, and training shortfalls as well as how best to prepare the service for confrontation with developing near-peer adversaries. The Commander also made for a meeting with leaders of coalition partner forces, during which they discussed how best to train and equip forces capable of maintaining stability in the region.
“The world is dangerous, and these threats aren’t going away—we’re going to rely on you because you’re the people who can do it,” said Holmes. “We depend on you to use your experience, your judgement, and the character you’ve shown each and every day to make those tough decisions.”
For Airmen, an early-evening all-call was an opportunity to ask questions and gain prospective directly from one of the men calling the shots.
“It was great to spend some time with COMACC during his recent visit to our location,” said Col. John LeClair, commander of the 1st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron. “We were truly fortunate to be able to discuss current issues and get his perspectives on the long-term outlook for our Airmen."