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380AEW Article

‘Don’t be afraid of change’

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  With many changes coming to the Air Force in the coming years, one senior leader stressed to deployed Airmen not to be afraid of the future, and instead, embrace it.

Terry Yonkers, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics, met with several members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing April 26. During the visit, Yonkers was treated to tours of the installation where he talked with Airmen about the future of the base and the Air Force.

"Airmen had lots of questions about where we're going as a service," Yonkers said. "They wanted to know about acquisitions, logistics, joint basing and a lot of other challenges the Air Force faces in the years to come. With the dramatic changes to our budget, we have to find new ways of getting the job done.

"When I answered their questions, I also challenged them to be positive about the future and rather than point fingers or place blame, help us be effective," Yonkers added. "Don't be afraid of change; change brings with it opportunities."

He also said because "necessity is the mother of invention, Airmen will find ways to make it work."

"We will be a smaller force, but that just means we need to find new ways to leverage technologies and improve our processes."

Those ideas are likely to come from junior-ranking Airmen and leaders would do well to pay attention to them, Yonkers told a group of company grade officers.

"He urged us to find efficiencies wherever possible to save time and money," said Capt. Jesse Allen, 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron deployment and distribution flight commander. "We talked a lot about how Airmen actually working on jets, for example, will be the ones to have ways to do it more efficiently.

"We also talked a lot about energy conservation as a way of finding cost savings; basically how we should start thinking about strategic-level stuff," added Allen, a Rock Falls, Ill., native deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.

While visiting several of the 380th's logistics and maintenance centers, Airmen asked about housing both at home and while deployed.

"Our commitment to privatized housing is strong," Yonkers said. "Privatized housing plans got us quality houses on base for families faster than we could have otherwise. The bottom line is that while Airmen are deployed, they shouldn't have to worry about their families back home.

"At deployed locations where we are talking about transitioning to enduring missions, we're creating more permanent facilities," he said. "It's about making a better quality of life for Airmen while they're deployed."

This was the first time Yonkers visited the 380th AEW. He said one of the most inspirational and memorable parts of his visit was seeing "all the iron on the ramp," in reference to the many airframes and mission sets at the wing.

"You all do amazing things here at the 380th," Yonkers said. "With all the different missions you have, I get excited to go back to Washington and do whatever I can to help you be more effective. It's very humbling."

As the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics, Yonkers is responsible for plans, policies, programs, and budgets for installations, energy, environment, safety and occupational health as well as weapon systems logistics support, according to his official biography.