Kremers leave legacy of family, wing pride Published July 29, 2015 By Karen Petitt 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs 7/29/2015 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- -- After two years of leading the 375th Air Mobility Wing, Col. Kyle Kremer and his wife, Deb, are set to relinquish command on Aug. 3 for their new assignment within the U.S. Transportation Command, and said that leaving is bittersweet. "We come into this knowing that it will be such a short time, and it's hard to believe that our time is up," said the colonel. "It has flown by and while it's been hectic at times, it's been worth all the effort to get to know the incredible people of this wing and installation. People say this all the time, and it can feel somewhat cliché to say, but it's so true: It's the people and the interaction we've had with them that we will miss most." From attending Airman Leadership School graduations, to spending time on the job with Airmen throughout the wing as part of his "take the boss to work" program, as well as getting to know the families of our deployed members through the "Hearts Apart" events, the Kremers said they have felt honored to be part of the lives of wing members. "We've worked hard to foster a sense of family and team spirit within the wing, and just one small example of that is through the energy and excitement I see from our quarterly awards ceremonies," he said. "People have fun and are cheering for each other even when they're not part of that unit ... that's the kind of camaraderie I see and it's heartwarming." He said he also sees the sense of family throughout the wing as people have been there to support each other. "There have been many examples of people going out of their way to help those in need, such as taking action when they saw something troubling posted in social media and they reached out to help. I'm so proud of the members of this wing in how they take care of and support each other, which in turn allows them to then take care of the mission," he explained. That mission, as the colonel and his leadership team established, is to "Enable Rapid Global Mobility." That was one of the first changes he felt was needed to help the wing understand how they contribute to the Air Force mission and partner with the rest of Team Scott to support our national defense. "We provide the infrastructure, communications, security, and support services for our 30+ Total/Joint Force partners to succeed. A combatant command, two major commands (including one from the Army), two Department of Defense Agencies, a Numbered Air Force, several Direct Reporting Units and Field Operating Agencies, and multiple wings, groups, squadrons and detachments from multiple other MAJCOMs call Scott AFB home and rely on our host support to execute their mission. The impact is immense!" he said. And as the Kremers look back on their leadership experience, the colonel joked that "a lot of this was not in the brochure!" During their time here, they navigated sequestration, force shaping, "snowmageddon," multiple base construction projects, a new inspection system and numerous crisis-response exercises. Along the way, the commander oversaw the installation of numerous quality-of-life initiatives such as a new dog park and an expanded play area at Warrior Park that supports children with special needs. Together, he and Deb championed the State of Illinois' adoption of the Interstate Compact for Children of Military Impacted Families, which greatly strengthened the state's support for transitioning students. All of this fed into the base being named the Air Mobility Command runner-up for the Commander-in-Chief's Installation Excellence Award nomination. "I'm very proud of this recognition because I know how competitive this award is and what it takes to achieve it. This was an installation-wide effort, and as such we received a $100,000 monetary award dedicated to quality of life initiatives for this base," he said. That money was parlayed into finishing touches on the dog park, making improvements at the dormitories and the outdoor track fitness area, as well as improving the furniture at the base pool. The commander also said he was proud to have overseen the transformation of the Scott Club into an events center and the addition of the "Zeppelins" restaurant. He lauded the many Team Scott partners who helped make Scott AFB the vibrant, unified community it has become as evidence by the Air Force Times ranking Scott as "best base in the United States." For Deb, her focus was to champion for the quiet voices that sometimes get lost. "I feel I've worked to help bring a different voice and perspective to the forefront that may not have had the ear of the commander. Commanders tend to focus a lot of energy on the mission and their Airmen, and rightly so. I feel that I was able to help bring a spotlight to other things like families in need or situations that may require leadership attention. I think that we've been a good team in that regard." The colonel agreed and said, "She really goes to bat for the underdog or for people who are under-represented. Together we've tried to look out for our Scott family in a broader and more inclusive way. I think the wing will feel the impact of her leaving more than it will mine. She has been a dedicated advocate on their behalf." Another area that the commander said he's been proud to be part of is the continued development of community partnerships. The greater Scott AFB community was recently recognized for the second time in three years with the Abilene Trophy, which salutes the best community support to an AMC base each calendar year. Some programs highlighted in 2014 were the creation of a new networking event to help veterans, military spouses, and separating or retiring service members meet local employers. In addition, the Leadership Council of Southwest Illinois honored the base with a "Salute to Scott" at its annual awards recognition dinner. "We have the best community partnership, and we're moving ahead on some great initiatives. Everyone in the local area is so incredibly supportive of the base. From picnics and dinners honoring our service members, to military discounts and heartfelt 'thank you for your service' comments when they see us in uniform...there are just so many things that really illustrate why this community is so great!" he said. The Kremers said their philosophy has been to treat their time in the Air Force as a lifestyle and not just a career. Deb explained, "If you and your family embrace the lifestyle, you will be rewarded and enriched. I'm proud of where we've come in the Air Force and there is no 'typical Air Force family'... we have so much diversity and we've had a lot of advancements. What I don't want to get lost is what makes us great [as an Air Force family] which is the tradition and support of one another." The colonel added that he encourages everyone to make informed decisions and be sure to include your family in those decisions. "Savor the time that you have with your family because you can't get that time back. We all work hard to accomplish the mission, but we all do that better when we have great support at home. Include your family and make time for them. The journey is much more enjoyable that way. We appreciate all the amazing support we've been given these past two years and look forward to our next great adventure. We will definitely cherish the fond memories of our time at Scott and how we have been enriched by knowing all of you."