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Air Force Expeditionary Center commander visits 5 EAMS

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. William Banton
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Maj. Gen. Christopher Bence, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander toured the 5th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron and spoke to its Airmen during his visit to Southwest Asia, March 2.

"Anytime a senior Air Mobility Command leader visits the 5 EAMS, it's important to showcase how the ‘Jokers’ enable rapid global mobility for the Air Mobility Command at the busiest strategic airlift hub in the U.S. Central Command," said Lt. Col. Clinton Varty, 5th EAMS commander.

During his visit, Bence recognized mobility Airmen and spoke to the strategic importance and tactical capability that AMC’s global transportation system provides.

“We don’t know where the next threat is coming from,” he said, adding, “that’s why full spectrum readiness is important no matter where we are at. We don’t get the luxury of a preseason and we don’t get the luxury of a set schedule; we don’t know what the next game is going to be or where we are going to be called to make that goal-line stand.”

The Air Force Expeditionary Center provides advanced mobility and combat support training and education and has direct oversight for transportation and installation support, contingency response and partner capacity-building mission sets within the global mobility enterprise.

“You all need to be very proud of your heritage and what you do each and every day,” said Bence. “You, more than anyone else in the expeditionary environment, are ensuring our velocity. You are ensuring that Air Mobility’s reach is never ending.”

The 5th EAMS supports the Air Force Expeditionary Center mission through the aerial port of debarkation, maintaining staged C-17 aircraft, as well as providing maintenance and support for transient C-17 and C-5 aircraft flying in and out of Iraq, Afghanistan and Southwest Asia.