Ellsworth commander addresses Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman Alessandra N. Gamboa
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  World class Airmen, expeditionary combat power and safety were at the heart of comments made by Col. Mark Weatherington, 28th Bomb Wing commander, during his first commander's call at the Pride Hangar, June 29, 2011.

In addition to those key elements, Colonel Weatherington focused on providing Airmen his expectations and priorities, as well as emphasizing the importance of safety.

"Ellsworth is home to world class Airmen who I have seen doing wonderful work for our nation," the commander said. "I have seen smart, young people using their creativity and flexibility during deployments to meet a wide range of challenges. You are world class Airmen, and I expect you to act like world class Airm both on and off duty."

After sharing his expectations and responsibilities for Airmen, Colonel Weatherington also shared his promise to them.

"I will support you by providing you with the necessary resources you need to do your job, and I will support your families - who comprise more than half of the nearly 9,000 base population - by providing them with the resources and services to meet their needs," he assured Ellsworth Airmen. "To do this, I need you to communicate your feedback to me through your chain of command, the commander's action line or the available social media sites. I also need you to be good wingmen by being aware of the available support facilities, programs and resources available so that you can pass this information along to your fellow Airmen to help them get the help they need."

The commander then affirmed his pride and excitement for the expeditionary combat power of Ellsworth, as demonstrated by the success of Operation Odyssey Dawn and the upcoming aviation package rotation.

"Every individual Airman contributes to the expeditionary combat power of this base. The work you accomplished in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn was truly amazing. And I'm excited for the future with the MQ-9 mission and our active role in combat missions overseas on a daily basis."

Combat capabilities were just one of the four priorities Colonel Weatherington emphasized. The other three were safety and security, building trust and public confidence, and caring for Airmen and families.

The commander stressed the importance of safety for Airmen, and encouraged them to enjoy the beautiful weather over the extended weekend.

"The weather for this weekend is forecasted to be incredible, sunny with temperatures reaching the 80s," he said. "Enjoy your long weekend safely. Be smart, ensure you are trained with the necessary skills to engage in the activities you have planned, be a good wingman, let someone know what your plans are and always have a backup plan."

Colonel Weatherington stressed his other two priorities by focusing on the responsibilities of Airmen to uphold a professional public image and to care for their fellow Airmen and families.

"As the only military base and second largest employer in the state, we garner a lot of attention from the local community," he pointed out. "It's important that we present and maintain a professional image by carrying ourselves well and doing things the right way."

When it comes to caring for each other and Air Force families, Colonel Weatherington explained that it was up to Airmen to communicate deployment or housing issues through their chain of command, so that he and other leadership could more effectively help find solutions.

"By openly communicating your feedback about issues, you have the opportunity to make changes to help yourself, your family or even someone else five to 10 years down the road," he said.

Colonel Weatherington went on to express his satisfaction with the wing's performance during the recent Phase I Operational Readiness Exercise and his confidence in Ellsworth Airmen to always treat all Airmen with dignity and respect after the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Lastly, the commander also defined his concept of everyday courage for Airmen to get involved when they notice a problem at work or notice a fellow Airman who needs help.

Colonel Weatherington concluded his commander's call by thanking the Airmen for their service, encouraging them to be safe during the weekend and expressing his pride as their new commander.