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Thank you for your service & happy Fourth of July

  • Published
  • By Col. Kyle Kremer
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing commander
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  As we head into the Fourth of July holiday and celebrations this weekend, I wish to take a moment to thank you for your service to our nation. I'm constantly reminded of how well you perform your duties as we continue this summer of changes throughout our units.

I see the legacies that have been left behind as well as the new, enthusiastic focus from incoming commanders. In that light, I'd like to welcome and congratulate the following individuals on their new commands:

Lt. Col. Michael Cote, 375th Communications Group
Lt. Col. Randy Naylor, 54th Airlift Squadron
Lt. Col. Mark Keener, 311th Airlift Squadron
Lt. Col. Gonzalo Reyna, 906th Air Refueling Squadron
Lt. Col. James Coker, 375th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
Lt. Col. George Granholm, 375th Operations Support Squadron

We still have three more changes of command remaining in July, and so far I've witnessed a tremendous effort in ensuring we have the continuity needed to keep this wing functioning in peak form. I'm still getting around to your units, but I've enjoyed meeting many of you and seeing the great work you are doing.

In the three short weeks since my arrival at Scott, I have seen our team demonstrate excellence every day. Immediately on the heels of the change of command, we experienced another round of historic flooding here at Scott. Once again, our Airmen jumped into action to ensure seamless mission operations. Through this adversity, the spirit of our bold and innovative Airmen shined through. There are two people in our operations group who epitomized this innovative spirit and stepped up to solve a vexing problem in a unique way. As a result of the recent flooding in Hangar 3, our C-21 fleet sustained significant damage to the wheels and brakes in the landing gear, which is expensive and time consuming to fix. With the threat of more rain and until we can solve the underlying causes of the hangar flooding, TSgt Joe Gatchell, 458th Airlift Squadron, and Mr. Jim Knake, 375th Operations Support Squadron, developed a temporary solution to cover the wheels and landing gear with waterproof bags during the risk of flooding. They researched the fabric and helped construct the coverings so our aircraft are protected. That is the exact kind of innovation and problem solving we need in today's Air Force! I sincerely appreciate and applaud their efforts to protect our valuable resources.

This bold innovative spirit is rich in our American heritage, dating back to the founding of our nation. The Continental Army was comprised of a collection of state militias and soon found ways to work together as one united force to defeat an otherwise superior army. It was their boldness, innovation and tenacity that gave them the asymmetrical advantage and won the freedom we still enjoy today. That same spirit is what will carry us through these challenging times...not just surviving, but thriving! I salute you in those efforts and encourage you to continue to foster them.

As we celebrate our nation's 237th birthday and enjoy barbecue, watermelon and fireworks displays set to patriotic music, there is one more tradition I'd like to share...that of reviewing the document that gave birth to a nation founded on the principle that all men are created equal...the Declaration of Independence. Many communities still perform readings of this document, but I just asked for it to be printed in this week's paper for you to share. Thank you for your service and sacrifice, as you too have pledged your lives to defend this great nation with your sacred honor. Be safe in your travels and celebrations this long weekend.