AF Reserve commander impressed by first look at Grissom

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Mota
  • 434th ARW Public Affairs
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. --  Lt. Gen. James Jackson, Chief of Air Force Reserve and Air Force Reserve Command commander, got his first look at Grissom and met with Hoosier Wing Airmen before speaking at a Reserve Officers Association dinner here April 17.

"We were very honored to host General Jackson at the Hoosier wing," said Col. Doug Schwartz, 434th Air Refueling Wing commander. "The visit went very well as he got to see what the great Citizen Airmen do here every single day."

Jackson, who serves as the principal adviser on reserve matters to the Air Force Chief of Staff and supervises 67,000 reservists, started his visit meeting with Airmen and junior NCOs during a breakfast, where he answered their questions and provided senior-leader insight.

"I appreciate what each and every one of you do; this is a very great organization," Jackson said to Airmen. "You should be very proud of the aircraft on the ramp and what you do because you do it very well."

After breakfast, the general toured Grissom's Airmen Wellness Center, which is a unique facility that places all of Grissom's resources for Airmen under one roof, before heading to the base's fire station.

At the fire house, Grissom's firefighters showcased how they are best equipped and trained emergency responders in the region, and the 434th ARW's new explosive ordnance disposal unit briefed him on recently becoming fully-mission capable allowing them to respond and provide their services in the local area.

The general then toured Grissom's maintenance back shops and got to see himself in the floor of one of Grissom's KC-135R Stratotankers - a 1962 model - which he remarked was one of the best kept aircraft in the Air Force."

"The 434th Air Refueling Wing is a superior wing," he said during his lunch with community leaders and elected officials. "The wing has done great work over the past 20 years and will continue to do great work in the future."

After lunch, Jackson hosted a town hall meeting for Hoosier Wing Airmen, answering their questions about everything from deployments to the new KC-46A Pegasus. 

Ending the general's visit, he experienced newly installed state-of-the-art visual enhancements in Grissom's flight simulator and refueled F-16s, aircraft he once flew, in the base's boom operator weapon's system trainer.

"Wow, this looks identical to the landscape in Guam," Jackson said as he manned the controls of the recently upgraded simulator.

Throughout the tour, Jackson coined several Airmen for their outstanding performance and contributions to their units. 

The following individuals were recognized: Maj. Daniel Keeney, 434th Operations Support Squadron plans officer; Senior Master Sgt. Timothy O'Brien, 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron logistics plans superintendent; Tech. Sgt. Milita Hopkins, 434th ARW command and control technician; Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Mota, 434th ARW public affairs specialist; Airman Miguel Thompson, 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron jet mechanic; Senior Airman Jared Easton, 434th Operations Support Squadron intelligence apprentice; and Todd Woolf, 434th Maintenance Group assistant chief of training.

"Being coined by General Jackson made me feel really good about the work I'm doing in the shop," said Thompson. "I take pride in my job, and to know that work is recognized as making a difference is awesome."

"What we have here is a great wing and you should be proud of it and you should be loud about it when it comes to what you do here so well," said Jackson. "Thanks again for your service; thanks again for everything you do for us."

Grissom is home to the 434th Air Refueling Wing, the largest KC-135 unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, as well as three Army Reserve units. Airmen, Soldiers and Marines routinely deploy from Grissom around the world in support of the Department of Defense mission and U.S. strategic objectives.

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