FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass visited Team Fairchild, Jan. 18-20, taking the opportunity to learn more about the mission and Airmen of Fairchild AFB.
During her visit, Bass met with key leaders from Fairchild and the Spokane community to address challenges Airmen and their families currently face. She also held a base-wide-all-call where she heard from Airmen, highlighted her key priorities, as well as what Airmen can expect in the coming years. Also, she learned more about how Fairchild is training Multi-capable Airmen, Agile Combat Employment and preparing for the new Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN) cycle.
“We are currently serving in the most complex times, more than ever before” Bass said. “We are at an inflection point in history where the things that we do, and don’t do, are critical to our nation’s success.”
Bass and Fairchild’s wing leadership team met with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rogers, where they discussed key issues Fairchild Airmen and their families face, such as housing and childcare availability.
“Supporting our Service members and their families who provide the strong foundation for our force is critical to maintaining our retention and readiness,” said Chief Master Sgt. Bill Arcuri, 92nd Air Refueling Wing command chief. “Through engagements and discussions with key leaders like Chief Bass, we are able to discuss and address what’s needed to improve Airmen’s quality of life. We cannot serve as The Super Tanker Wing without our Airmen, and we are committed to prioritizing the needs of our Airmen and contributing towards accelerating the changes she spoke about.”
During Bass’s address to Fairchild’s Airmen, she emphasized her priorities of people, culture, and readiness, as well as the important role Airmen have in ensuring the success of tomorrow’s Air Force. She also took time to recognize top performing Airmen and their outstanding achievements.
Fairchild’s Airmen also had the opportunity to showcase their latest accomplishments such as the longest KC-135 Stratotanker endurance sortie of 72 hours, Multi-Capable Airman certification trainings across multiple career fields, and hot-pit refueling certifications across different locations around the globe.
“Being a multi-capable Airman is a mindset,” Bass said. “We’re not going have the luxury of rolling out like we did in the past. We are going to have to ready ourselves, but first and foremost, it is going to have start with the mindset.”
Bass concluded her visit with words of encouragement to the Airmen and provided keys to overcoming future challenges.
“I am focused on people, readiness, and culture,” Bass said. “The one thing I get excited about is the most competitive advantage we have in our Air Force, our people. You are our most competitive advantage. Your service matters.”