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Parting Thoughts

  • Published
  • By Col. Michael Zick
  • Commander, 386th Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  When Chief Balutski and I arrived a year ago, we told everyone that we had three tenets; Mission First, People Always, Have some fun along the way.

Well you and your warrior predecessors lived up to those tenets and then some. I will not recount all the accomplishments and accolades we as a wing have received this past year, that was well documented and recognized by AFCENT upon awarding us the Meritorious Unit Award for our work from 1 June 2011 to 31 May 2012.

But what I will point out is the one thing that kept coming up throughout the year. That one thing has to do with Attitude. Seems like every other day we were receiving emails, phone calls or drop-ins to the office singing the praises of our Warrior Airmen and their "can do" attitudes. Put simply, you Marauders made it happen, every day.

Positive attitudes are a powerful thing. With it, you can brave the hottest of days, the coldest of nights, the heaviest of sandstorms or the longest of shifts. Any task, any challenge, anything is within your grasp because of it.

This past year the Chief and I witnessed Airmen launch and recover aircraft in 129 deg F heat, 74% humidity and a ½ mile visibility. And over the roar of the aircraft engines, the hum of the electrical power carts and the groans of the material handling equipment, you could hear the warriors laughing and carrying on behind those pulled up scarves over their faces. We witnessed Airmen come up with ways to allow our Canadian visitors to get cash back at the AAFES Exchange because our accounting system wouldn't allow us to cash their checks. We witnessed emergency responders deliver a 9 week premature baby in the dorms to an unsuspecting Airmen and fight to keep that child alive resuscitating him three times without the proper tools or facilities (both mother and child survived and doing well). We saw combat truckers run from the safety of their up armored vehicles to lend aid to Iraqi citizens caught in a massive vehicle wreck. We witnessed Airmen volunteer to build tent cities and lay aluminum matting after their plus 12 hour work days because contractors couldn't build them fast enough to support the Iraqi Transition effort. We saw Airmen volunteer time and time again after their normal duty day to work 4 to 6 hour shifts as Custom Inspectors so our fellow warriors could process quickly and efficiently on departure from the AOR. We saw Airmen that volunteered their off-duty hours to perform countless Honor Guard engagements for not just our Air Force contingent, but our sister services as well. And finally, we were humbled by Airmen going that extra mile to help soldiers stranded at a passenger terminal to not only find a place to rest and eat, but to get them on a plane so they could return to their unit. Little did they know these soldiers had just been up 24 hours straight having endured an attack at a forward operating base in Afghanistan and had little more than the clothes on their backs and a couple of toiletries in a borrowed duffle bag.

These are but a few examples of where your attitude, your warrior spirit, your tenacity has made a difference. These are what I'll remember the most with regard to my time here in the 386th.

This past year as your Commander has been the most rewarding of my entire career. You and your predecessors made it so. I wish you all a successful and safe tour, and a very merry homecoming upon your return.

Marauders continue to make it happen.

Col Zick