WASHINGTON -- Serving as commander of one of the largest and most diverse wings in the Air Force, Brig. Gen. Stephen Wilson spoke with online journalists during a Department of Defense Bloggers' Roundtable, Aug. 5, on just how the men and women of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing meet the ever-changing needs of the Combined Forces Air Component Commander.
"On any given day, we will provide about 85 percent of all the air-refueling support for Iraq; we will probably provide about 30 percent of the air-refueling support for Afghanistan. Our [Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance] platforms are equally likely to be flying in Iraq or Afghanistan, probably at the same time," said the general, who discussed the wing's mission of providing combat airpower and support for today's fight in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
The wing and its associate units operate more than 100 aircraft, making the base a large hub for humanitarian airlift activity while providing mission-essential combat power, aeromedical evacuation and intelligence support for multiple theaters of operations.
The 379th flies about one-third of the air tasking order missions daily, said General Wilson. "We have aircraft taking off or landing every 10 minutes, 24/7, 365 days of the year."
Known today as the 'Grand Slam' wing, the 379th earned its reputation for combat excellence because "we had the best bombing results, the greatest tonnage of bombs dropped, the largest number of aircraft attacking and the lowest abort rate, and I would say that same level of combat continues today," said General Wilson, who described the history of the wing from when it first stood up in 1942.
Today, the 379th is positioned at the 'tip of the spear' supporting both wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. "We are the tip of the spear -- we gas it, we move it, we find it and fix it and, if need be, we finish it," the general said.
"We are looking at how we can combine and integrate airpower to produce more effects for the Joint Forces Commander, so whether it be using unmanned aerial vehicles in conjunction with our Joint STARS and Rivet Joint airplanes or ISR platforms, we are able to work with the ground forces to provide the effect they need across that whole theatre," General Wilson said.
The general explained how the 379th is always looking for innovative ways to do business, which starts from the youngest Airman to the most senior officer in the Air Force. "It doesn't matter where the good idea comes from, if there is a good idea or a better way of doing it, we will do it," he said.
"I think we have become a lot smarter on how we do business," General Wilson said. "Today we are airlifting supplies into places so we don't have to drive convoys and put people at risk. [Our folks] are operating in some real extreme conditions, a harsh environment, miles from home and they rise above the distractions and focus on the difficult task at hand - to provide 24/7 airpower, whether it be in Iraq or Afghanistan, to meet those mission needs."
(Navy Lieutenant Cragg is assigned to the Emerging Media Directorate of Defense Media Activity in Washington, D.C. Captain Petersante-Gioia is assigned to the 379 AEW Public Affairs office.)