<br >12th AF, AFSOUTH: Doing Something Amazing<br />2007 marks another year of excellence, innovation

  • Published
  • By Lt. Gen. Norman Seip
  • 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern commander
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  In Air Force recruiting advertisements, future Airmen are encouraged to join our ranks and "Do Something Amazing." The message to all Americans is that a career in the Air Force promises a life of extraordinary challenges and outstanding career choices.

I couldn't agree more. Every day, 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern personnel with their drive and determination project the effects of airpower far and wide. Whether it's employing aircraft in combat, assisting in a humanitarian relief operation or bringing much-needed medical assistance to a remote village -- each of your career choices is having a very positive impact around the world.

No matter what your AFSC is -- or rank you hold -- or job title you own -- the strength of our Air Force has and will continue to be built upon our core values.

Thanks to you, 2007 has been an amazing year. While the Air Force celebrated its 60th Anniversary, 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern deployed more than 1,560 Airmen in support of operations in Central, South America and the Caribbean, provided dozens of combat-ready aircraft and more than 10,500 Airmen to support Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and helped to build more than $700,000 in New Horizons construction projects in our area of responsibility.

At any given time, we had approximately 900 of our Airmen on assignment in the AOR assisting partner Air Forces in Central, South America and the Caribbean in support of U.S. Southern Command's Theater Security Plan. They built clinics, schools and infrastructure -- but most importantly, they built relationships with fellow military members and citizens of these growing and influential nations.

These personal relationships have enabled amazing events such as the 25 medical readiness exercises accomplished in 2007 -- assisting more than 100,000 indigenous peoples and changing lives after more than 450 surgeries by military medical specialists in fields ranging from pediatrics to dentistry and obstetrics.

The coming New Year brings more opportunities for you to build upon these successes. I encourage you to seize the spirit of the New Year to experiment with a creative idea or re-attack a lingering issue. After a calming holiday break, you'll be surprised at how a refreshed perspective can re-invigorate a stalled program.

You've lived up to our Air Force's promise of providing amazing results in turbulent times by practicing our core values and core competencies to write another successful year to our heritage. Together, let's continue to "Do Something Amazing" in 2008!