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Who's in charge here anyway? Part two of the 379th AEW leadership series

  • Published
  • By Capt. Carla Gleason
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Pull up the official biography of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Larry Malcom, and you'll find a huge grin staring back at you. Maybe not what you'd expect from a command chief? Well, guess again.

"My biggest challenge here? I only have 330-something days left," said Chief Malcom. This coming from a man who has been on the ground less than a month. "It's not enough time, that's the hardest part."

Chief Malcom started his Air Force career in 1986, before some of you were born.

"Are you trying to say I'm old, captain?"

"No chief, just experienced."

Always full of energy, tireless and absent from his office chair, wearing his shoe leather thin visiting the organizations around base, Chief Malcom is, at least, young at heart.

"I am the link from Airman Snuffy at the lowest level to the general at the top," said Chief Malcom, still smiling after a long day of work. "My job is building community. I know that's a flashy term but it's what it means to me."

The chief executes his job by being everywhere at once at all hours of the day and night.

"I will do whatever I can to make sure the mission is accomplished across the lines of command, in spite of those lines," he said, obviously anxious to be back out in the field instead of in an office chair. There are lines of operation across the medical, operations, maintenance and support groups, according to Chief Malcom. All those lines disappear when it becomes friendships; when it becomes a matter of relationships.

"As our wing commander would put it, it's about relationship building -- or partnership building," said Chief Malcom. Building community is more of a story than a definition, according to the chief. He believes it's about individual relationships and individual trust.

"When you are in the military, you don't take care of your neighbor because he's your Wingman, you take care of him because he's a person you care about," he said, leaning forward for emphasis. "In terms of war, you protect that person. I will do for you whatever needs to be done because we have that sense of community."

It is different being a command chief at an expeditionary location, that's obvious. But the chief put it into his own words.

"The pace is different," he said. "Specifically here because there are so many different mission sets. The vastness of the number of organizations is staggering. I mean, look, we are the second largest lodging operation in the Air Force, we are third or fourth in fuels, the third largest in services, and we're expeditionary. Look at those numbers and how we're at the top of the Air Force wings. It's hard to fathom."

And what is the best part according to Chief Malcom?

"Wow, there are so many best parts. I'd have to say the people here. They are just phenomenal in their attitudes. It's an amazing experience."

Speaking of experience, the chief offered these words to live by: the person next to you matters. That's it. That's what it's all about. And his actions say: keep smiling.